Displaying items by tag: Bernadette O'Farrell

THE BRIDAL PATH

UK, 1959, 95 minutes, Colour.

Bill Travers, Bernadette O'Farrell, George Cole, Duncan Macrae, Eddie Byrne, Terry Scott.

Directed by Frank Launder.

This is a pleasant picaresque story set in Scotland.

Bill Travers, who had emerged successfully in Geordie and appeared in such films as The Barretts of Wimpole Street, and then with his wife, Virginia McKenna, in Born Free (and the giving of their life and attention to Africa and animals), plays a vigorous, strapping Scot who lives on an island, and the issue of his marriage.

He goes to the mainland, gets himself involved in a lot of tangles, even with the police, testing out various women with his criteria for marriage, restrictive in terms of clans and religion from the island perspective.

This is a pleasant story even if it does seem rather far-fetched!

There is a good supporting cast with character actors like Duncan Macrae (The Kidnappers) and comedian Terry Scott as a policeman.

The screenplay was written by veteran Frank Launder who directed the film. He has 75 writing credits from 1929 to 1985.

1. The title, marriage in the Scottish Isles, traditions, requirements for marriage, and a search for a wife?
2. The Scottish settings, the colour photography, the landscapes, the sea, the town on the streets, shops, the countryside and its range, hotels, police precincts…? And the musical score and the choral singing?
3. Life on the island, the minister and his return, his sermon, the issue of consanguinity, cousins on the island marrying? Taking the issue seriously?
4. Ewan, with Siona, the children, cousins, the bond between them, Siona and her determination to go to Glasgow? Ewan, the prescriptions for finding a wife, his going to the mainland?
5. The film as a comedy of errors, Ewan as the naive islander, his presence, his height, charm, awkwardness, his going to the bank, the £400 and two shillings, going to the restaurant, eyeing the waitress, his being ousted? The male gaze of 1959 from Scotland, his looking at the various women? But according to the prescriptions on his list, no Catholics, no Campbells, wanting children, good with cows…?
6. The range of events, going to the inn, the flirtatious wife of the policeman, his being continually misunderstood, the young woman reading the book about white slavery, his explaining that he wanted to look over girls, her alarm, calling the police?
7. The continued chases, out in the countryside, along the roads, the rail tracks, getting wet, the policeman’s wife and his clothes, the Campbell rug, the effect on Ewan, the policeman with the bike, the pound notes flying, paying for the bike and taking it?
8. The various police officers, disbelief, the more information, the headquarters, getting in the authorities? The phone calls, the pursuits, the sightings? The games, the elaborate chase, the participation of the police, pulling out of the events, tug-of-war et cetera, Ewan continually escaping?
9. The interview with Sgt Bruce, his fear of his wife, having to stay the night, getting the breakfast, the other police arriving, Ewan getting them cups of tea, then his escape?
10. Taking refuge with the farming woman, her wanting to escape, buying the boat, rowing out, persuading the boat to target him?
11. Adrift, finally getting home, recounting his adventures? The encounter with Siona, the mother’s wife telling the truth about his origins, not cousins, his courage in proposing, acceptance? Happy ending?