The Bridal Path

Few films are consistently nominated as the "funniest film ever made". "The Bridal Path" should rank high on such a list in the English-speaking world for many reasons. Its story is deceptively simple to set forth, however. Ewan MacEwan needs a wife. He lives on the remote Scottish island of Eorsa, his wife has died and his children need someone too. So he sets out for the mainland, to find a mate. What happens to him then should not happen to a nice, sincere and out-of-place wife-hunter--but it does, in spades. Bill Travers is in top form as Ewan, aided by a very large case of players who flit in and out of his misadventures; their numbers include George Cole, Gordon Jackson, Fiona Clyde and lovely Bernadette O'Farrell of the "Robin Hood" TV series' fame. This remarkable and memorable bit of whimsy and Scottish humor was served up by British comedy veteran FranK Launder. He and Geoffrey Williams adapted an hilarious novel to the screen, one which offers brushes with police and irate citizens, the old country-boy-misunderstands-the city caper, the troubles Ewan gets into trying to bring up the subject of a wife--and his exact list of requirements for the position--and much much more. The production is lovely in full-color, breezy, swift-paced or leisurely just where it needs to be one or the other. How Ewan finally finds the wife he has been looking for in his own backyard when he has to return home provides a perfect climax and happy ending to one of the best-loved comedies ever to be sent to the US as a bundle from Britain. An utter delight, and much less known than it deserves to be.

Bill Travers revives his "Geordie" character from that film four years earlier but now gets the accent just about right, this time as Ewan MacEwan the Hebridian country-boy Islander who makes a last effort to find and marry a mainland girl to avoid the dreaded consanguinity (the marrying of blood relations) on his island community . A series of misunderstandings and various escapades,lead to him constantly missing breakfast, dinner and tea. Pursued by the police he is finally arrested in mistake for "Mike Flanagan" leader of the "Dynamite Mob" of Glasgow salmon poachers (just as he is about to sit down for ANOTHER meal , appropriately, poached salmon!). Finally escaping the police and a pair of harpy man-eating sisters he decides there's no place like home, where, the girl of his dreams has been waiting all the time! This is a splendid heart-warming film. There are some lovely glimpses of Oban and the surrounding countryside in the 50s indeed one can visit most of the film's locations in a day out from that town. The island of Beigg (Eorsa in the book)is filmed at Easdale with the nearby Clachan bridge the site of the New Inn. Castle Stalker near Appin North of Oban sits on its islet in a blue loch north of Oban, exactly as it does today, whilst the King's House Hotel in Glencoe is where Ewan is finally nabbed by the long arm of the law. The cast include the "usual suspects" many of whom appear in many of the Scottish comedies of the time including the excellent Jameson Clark the perennial policeman. However the best line in the film goes to another copper, the splendidly dour George Cole addressing his subordinate Gordon Jackson on hearing that the notorious Flanagan Gang have been cornered at the King's House Hotel "This looks like the biggest thing we've had in this district for years Alec - get the bicycles out". Heartily recommended.

A real gem of a movie.

Funny, filled with many 'weel kent' faces, beautiful scenery and music.

No smut, violence, or anything nasty.

Leaves a good feel factor after watching.

A classic in my opinion.

A whimsical and thoroughly enjoyable film that only the British could have made and then, only in the 1950s. The gentle giant hero; the stereotypical and yet reassuring secondary characters; and the most beautiful scenery combine to make this charming film well worth the look.

No blood; no special effects; no nudity (we do get a glimpse of a woman changing at the beach which was probably pretty racy in 1950s Britain); and no improbable explosions. Just a peculiar reliance on something called 'story'. There aren't any real baddies in the film just a crowd of Englishmen and some incompetent but well meaning policemen.

Well written and very funny. Most of the gags still work very well. Even my teenage son sat through this film and laughed.

Heart-warming, comforting and, in the end, highly moral film that depicts Island life with it's minor prejudices (Catholics and Campbells) with a beautiful understanding and deeply affectionate approach. Nigel Tranter, the author of the original book, wrote many great stories about Scotland and I can recommend both this film and his books wholeheartedly.

This film deserves to be better known. If you liked Local Hero or Gregory's Girl, you will probably enjoy this one as well. It has the same quirky charm and unbelievably good weather to display the beauties of the Celtic fringe of Scotland. Some of the accents sound more Irish than Scottish, Bill Travers particularly, but he does make valiant efforts.

Not a deep film but a real delight, and well worth keeping to put in the VCR on a miserable winter's night.