dave s
If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium is a bit of a mixed bag of a movie about a tour bus full of stereotypically prickly and abrasive American tourists running roughshod over Europe. On the bright side, the scenery, as one would expect, is lovely and the cast, which includes the like of Suzanne Pleshette, Ian McShane, Norman Fell, Murray Hamilton, and Peggy Cass, is nothing if not interesting. However, the movie is marred by characters who are nothing more than caricatures whose over-the-top behavior is more embarrassing than funny. The film is also horribly dated, as evidenced early on in the movie by the weird editing and sound effects used to transition from one scene to the other. It's not a bad way to spend a bit of time, but it's nothing that'll be remembered in the days that follow.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The movie is a bit dated now -- 60s clothes and technology and outdated attitudes about men and women -- but the essential humor of this movie is still there and still charming. This movie deals with several stories of various interesting and entertaining people on a quick tour of Europe. Many of them are interesting and likeable, and almost all of them have at least one funny scene, but the main story line involves the staid Samantha who works hard to not be attracted to their charming tour guide Charlie.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/15/23
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Audience Member
I saw this first when I was 17. It is a heartwarming, comical vintage movie that STILL finds me curled up in bed at 31 waiting for my favorite eccentric tourists to head off to Europe.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
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Audience Member
Unsuspecting tourists encounter enriching events abroad by tour bus. Thought provoking comedy of Americans visiting Europe plus romantic tales thrown in. Pragmatic Americans take in the sights of London and the continent showing how two weeks on a bus could make for a memorable ride though initially disappointing.
It's amusing the further you go along for the ride and worth the ride.
SEE the entire film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRmO1BXDONI
Some beg to go home early, claiming "Americans go home" the best three words in the language. Another said, "whoever wrote Home Sweet Home, must have taken this tour". Or, "I feel like I was born on this bus" and then "I feel like I died on it". But as the tour continues, each has a adventure they will not forget (for better or worse).
[img]http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608043261816998601&pid=15.1[/img] The bus tour guide
A special treat for those interested in clothing of the day, mannerisms, the spoken slang of the day. The film also has cameo appearances by Senta Berger, John Cassavetes, Joan Collins, Vittorio De Sica, Anita Ekberg, Ben Gazzara, Virna Lisi, Elsa Martinelli, Catherine Spaak and Robert Vaughn.
[img]http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.607987989883848183&pid=15.1[/img]
"Charlie (Ian McShane) is an English tour guide who takes groups of Americans on whirlwind 18-day sightseeing tours of Europe. Among his various clients on his latest trip are Samantha (Suzanne Pleshette) with whom he wants to have an affair; a man who desires a pair of custom-made Italian shoes from a certain cobbler in Rome; and a vet who is reliving his World War II experiences."---wikipedia
[img]http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608045512378483660&pid=15.1[/img]
REVIEWS:
1 70%
Quirky, but enjoyable.
2 Loved the movie. It was really fun to watch after getting back from a trip in Europe.
[img]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss343/fergusmcphail/Tuesday%20Belgium/Belgium2.jpg[/img] The comedy romance begins
NOTEs;
1 Locations where the film was shot include Rome and Venice, Italy; Brussels and Bastogne, Belgium; the Netherlands; Switzerland; and London, England. The film poster shows the cast on the normally pedestrianized Grote Markt square of Antwerp, Belgium, posing for a typical souvenir photo in front of the city hall, with their tour bus obstructing the view of the Brabo fountain which is normally a favorite photo-op with other tourists.
2 Folk singer Donovan makes a guest appearance in the film singing Lord of the Reedy River, which he had also written. He also wrote the film's title song, performed by J.P. Rags.
3 Patricia Routledge as Mrs. Featherstone (tour guide) was later better known in Keeping Up Appearances as Mrs. Boquet, an Enlish sitcom.
4 The title, also used by a 1965 documentary on CBS television that filmed one such tour, was taken from a New Yorker cartoon by Leonard Dove.
[img]http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.607999964256274396&pid=15.1[/img]
Suzanne Pleshette as Samantha Perkins
Ian McShane as Charlie Cartwright
Mildred Natwick as Jenny Grant
Murray Hamilton as Fred Ferguson
Sandy Baron as John Marino
Michael Constantine as Jack Harmon
Norman Fell as Harve Blakely
Peggy Cass as Edna Ferguson
Marty Ingels as Bert Greenfield
Pamela Britton as Freda
Reva Rose as Irma Blakely
Aubrey Morris as Harry Dix
Hilary Thompson as Shelly Ferguson (as Hilarie Thompson)
Luke Halpin as Bo
Mario Carotenuto as Giuseppe
Patricia Routledge as Mrs. Featherstone
Directed by Mel Stuart
Produced by Stan Margulies & David L. Wolper
Written by David Shaw
Music by Walter Scharf
Cinematography Vilis Lapenieks
Editing by David Saxon
Distributed by United Artists
Release dates April 24, 1969 (1969-04-24)
Running time 99 min
Country United States
Language English
[img]http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2240740/600full-if-it%27s-tuesday%2C-it-still-must-be-belgium-poster.jpg[/img]
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This movie follows a busload of tourists rushing from city to city in Europe. The story is fine and I love the European scenery. One of the better vintage classics.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Quirky, but enjoyable.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/14/23
Full Review
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