Reviews (18)
Reliving the horrors of the Bus Tour
If you've ever gone on a whirlwind bus tour, you'll find a lot to identify with in this hysterically funny send-up of the tourist business. We see all the things that can and do happen, especially the funny (peculiar?) people on the bus with you. Suzanne Pleshette is the cute American tourist on the bus who falls for the dashing tour guide, played by Ian McShane. He has a girl in every port and happily adds the naive Suzanne to his list.
The tour group is made up of some great character actors (especially Norman Fell and Reva Rose) who take too many pictures, talk too much, steal everything from the hotels, and generally make Americans look sily. The scenery is great as the bus speeds from England to Italy in just a few days. The film is quick-paced, with lots of sight gags and a little romance, too. A great popcorn movie.
An hidden gem. Very funny and clever film
This is a very funny movie about a diverse group of American Tourists who are going to see 9 countries in 18 days. Suzanne Pleshette is lovely as a Yank business woman and Ian McShane is very nice as the 'seen it all' British tour guide. There is a WWII vet on the Bus, and in a very funny scene at Bastonge, Belgium, he is describing how they held off the German attack (during the Battle of the Bulge) then, they cut to, a German vet, talking and gesturing as if holding a machine gun, how they held off the American attack, they pass each other by without noticing one another, it's very clever.Also, there is one quiet Tourist, who takes a bunch of souvenirs from wherever he is. He gets the morning wake up call, says meekly, "thank you." Then, cuts the phone line and takes the hotel telephone as a souvenir.This film really is an overlooked gem. There are no sexual scenes ..., unless you find Miss Pleshette wearing only a mans shirt to be risque.
Somewhat amusing
One of the other reviewers called this a good "popcorn movie," and I agree. It is an amusing bit of fluff with some romance thrown in. At a breathless pace we are introduced to a diverse bunch of ordinary American shmoes who are about to take a whirlwind bus trip across Europe. Their charming British tourguide is mostly interested in the young women he has waiting to meet him for one-night stands at various ports of call, until he suddenly falls more deeply for one of the tour members, a young Suzanne Pleshette. At first she rebuffs him but eventually the loneliness and atmosphere (and some booze) make her fall for him. These two characters are never given very much depth, actually, but I guess that's kind of the point - a whirlwind, summery romance (which reminds me of a better movie called "Summer" about Katherine Hepburn wandering around Venice). The other characters thrash about having ridiculous adventures, including an almost accidental Italian wedding and a visit to a Swiss hippie pad where Donovan strums guitar. I didn't find much of it very funny, except for one guy who happens to be a cleptomaniac. So, while the idea is a good one - the misadventures of ugly Americans abroad - the film seems a bit dated now in much of its dialogue, the comedy is faint, and the romance isn't especially touching. This is not to say that this is a bad film; as I say, it's worth seeing once with a bowl of popcorn handy.
Deju Review
I came upon the middle of this movie the other night right after writing of my experiances, while stationed in England in the late 60's. It was if I was transported back to more enjoyable times.
The viginettes of each couple and their adventures while traveling from place to place are light hearted and laughable. I enjoyed the tet a tet between the two main characters, but expected a different ending. The movie moved along with a deliberate pace, and I anxiously awaited each new adventure before it came along. If looking for a light hearted, funny movie, with laughs galore, then you will enjoy this one!
If It's Tuesday...This Must be a Great Film
A forgotten comic gem that's very understated and low key. A satire on European vacation packaged tours, IF IT'S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELGIUM is almost a precursor to tv shows like the LOVE BOAT as groups and/or individuals meet and then go off on their separate (mis)adventures. As stated, the comedy is very low key and understated, and the characters and individual adventures are very funny with Susan Pleshette and Ian McShane in lead roles as tourist and tour guide respectively on a european bus tour. The most memorable sequence is, of course, when a WWII vet Mike Harmon (Micheal Constantine -MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING) is reminiscing at a battlefield site memorial with one of the women passengers, of the battle confrontation. At the same time, a German tourist with his wife is reminiscing the same confrontation. The two pass each other simultaneously making machine gun fire noises. However, one of the funniest sequences is with tourist John Marina (Sandy Baron - Mr.Klompus on SEINFELD). While in Venice, he visits distant relatives and winds up on a receiving end of a shotgun wedding with a girl he doesn't even know. He escapes out a bathroom window and jumps into the Venice canals for a narrow escape. Other cast members include Norman Fell (THREE'S COMPANY), Murray Hamilton (THE GRADUATE, JAWS), Marty Ingalls,Peggy Cass,and cameos with the likes of John Cassevetes, Robert Vaughan,Joan Collins,and 60's pop star, Donovan. Overall, very entertaining and fun.
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