Overview

A Wedding is a 1978 American comedy film directed by Robert Altman. The story centers on the events surrounding an elaborate wedding that brings together two very different families. Altman stages the occasion as a vehicle for broad satire: social pretensions, hidden scandals and the clash of class and generations all surface during the celebrations.

Style and structure

The film employs techniques Altman favored in this period: an ensemble cast, overlapping dialogue, interlocking subplots and a camera that roams through rooms and conversations. Rather than focusing on a single protagonist, the narrative disperses attention across many characters, producing a comic mosaic in which private secrets and misunderstandings accumulate into public farce.

Principal cast

  • Carol Burnett — one of the prominent comic presences.
  • Paul Dooley — a key member of the ensemble.
  • Mia Farrow — plays one of the younger figures entwined in the plot.
  • Lillian Gish — a noted veteran actor whose presence links older screen traditions with Altman’s modern ensemble approach.
  • Geraldine Chaplin — contributes to the film’s international and theatrical flavor.
  • Lauren Hutton and Dennis Franz — among other supporting players who populate the household and social circle.

Production and release

The picture was made during the late 1970s and was distributed by 20th Century Fox. Altman’s working methods—rehearsal with improvisation, attention to ensemble dynamics, and preference for location shooting—shaped the film’s loose, event-driven pace. Upon release it attracted attention for its ambitious cast and for continuing Altman’s exploration of American social life.

Themes, reception and legacy

Major themes include class differences, family vanity and the persistence of private secrets in public ceremonies. Contemporary reviews were mixed: some critics praised the performances and satirical bite, while others found the busy plotting uneven. Over time the film has been considered a representative example of Altman’s ensemble comedies—less celebrated than some of his landmark works but of interest for its staging of social farce and for notable performances from a diverse cast.

For further information on the director and principal performers consult resources linked to the names above and archives that document Altman’s late-1970s output.