The Worst Film Ever

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The amazing Dame Maggie Smith has had many great roles in her career, and on film she has played a variety of characters, from the corruptible Miss Jean Brodie, the acerbic but fun loving Dora Charles in "Murder by Death", the rigid cousin Charlotte in "A Room with a View, and currently the role which introduced her to millions who otherwise may not have known her, the Lady Grantham on BBC's "Downton Abbey". In "Travels With my Aunt" she is a 70 year old eccentric woman who mysteriously appears at a strange woman's funeral, and claims to be her sister, thus adopting her suppose it nephew home she engages in a series of wacky adventures. Along the way, he finds himself learning more about life and he could ever hope to imagine while she flashes back to the truth of her real past which isn't a life to be quietly dismissed.The alleged nephew is Alec McGowan, a rather square peg who is easily manipulated by her lust for life and is easily taken for a literal ride BT her. Along the way she introduces him to drifter Cindy Williams and her black companion, Louis Gossett Jr. She tells him of her many affairs which the audience gets to see through some magnificently filmed flashbacks. In period costume, she is absolutely ravishing and while in a scene depicting her as a teenager, she does not appear to be under 30. I actually thought she resembled Vanessa Redgrave in those scenes. The 20's period costumes fit her very well, clad in outfits that her TV granddaughters would definitely be wearing.As the truth about her erupts, the real motivations are exposed and it isn't what you think. This is definitely not a rip-off of "Auntie Mame" which some reviewers have suggested although the moral of live life to the fullest and give yourself to others to make their lives a little better is loud and clear.The film was to be a reunion for director George Cukor and Katharine Hepburn, but that did work our. Hepburn's original casting may give way to the fact that the costumes look very Hepburn in style. The current career of Dame Maggie is very comparable to Hepburn's later career which is why some people, myself included, consider Dame Maggie a modern day British version of Hepburn.The film is certainly very theatrical and an artistic way of looking at life that pragmatic people may frown upon. So this may not appeal to the sensible, the non-dreamers, the dreary. Stay behind then and leave thus voyage to us. I'll take this aunt any day. She knows where the banquet is.

This is one of those filmed novels--like "The Prince of Tides", "The Object of My Affection", or "THe Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"--which readers of the book will find disappointing. I'm guessing, however, that most people who discover it now will not have read the book. And as a stand-alone film, how could you not like it? Maggie Smith is hilarious; and now that she IS the age of the character she was playing at the time, it makes her broad performance even more amazing. (There are hints of this character in the role she played 29 years later in "Gosford Park".)The real gift for first-time viewers will be discovering Alec McCowen's wonderful acting as the stiff, stodgy nephew. He's one of those actors you see once, and then immediately you'll want to find out what else he's done. Lou Gossett Jr, and Cindy WIlliams are also enjoyable in early career roles. This film was made in an era where greats like George Cukor were getting in a few last licks out of lengthy, distinguished career. (William Wyler and Joseph L. Mankiewicz were also showing they still had greatness in them during this period.) The film's score deserves mention, as it teleported me back to 1972, where I could imagine myself seeing this in a theatre wearing bell-bottoms and sporting a shag haircut (like WIlliams' in the movie). The theme song, "Serenade of Love", should have been nominated for an Oscar.So again, if I'd read the book--which I now plan to do--I might feel differently; but compared to much of today's dreck, this is a whole lot of fun. From the moment that portrait winked at me at the beginning, I enjoyed it.

I have always thought that Cindy Williams was a fine comedic actress I have all 178 episodes of Laverne & shirley on tape. she was just marvellous as Touly in this movie. Good work Cindy! Also liked the scenery. It was a very Nice movie from a visual standpoint.

A boring bachelor meets his life-loving, eccentric aunt at her mother's funeral, who involves him to various misadventures.Glossily packaged and ambitious, but rather disappointingly misguided screen transfer of an irresistible semi-classic novel. Meticulous attention to surface style and a gorgeous acting tour-de-force from McCowen, but a fatal lack of inventive characterisation, too much empty talk, with no real passions.