”The film was shot entirely in the various European locales, on a schedule that spanned 75 days, 15 cities and 209 locations. The cast and crew collectively traveled over 513,000 miles ate 25,000 meals and spent 8,700 nights in hotels during the production.”
Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie’s plot.
My Mom is in the travel business and, as you may guess, she loves to travel. My sister, in her infinite wisdom, bought this movie on VHS as a gift for my Mom. Not only is it a travel movie, it’s an absolutely hilariously clever travel movie as well.
The movie was first released in 1969 and many parts of it now seem somewhat outdated, but in a completely charming way. I just love this movie and have seen it probably 5 times (four of those times were recently!). I never get tired of watching it because there is so much to it. It’s a classic, similar to the style of another vintage classic, "Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." (1963)
There are a ton of well-known actors and actresses in this film. Suzanne Pleshette plays the main character "Sam" (Samantha) and Ian McShane plays "Charlie", the host and smooth-talking tour guide.
“World Wind Tours” is the name of the tour company. Approximately one dozen of the film’s main characters, ’hapless Americans’, are thrown together, initially as strangers, on a vacation that takes them to a different European country each day by bus, hence the title. Nine countries in 18 days! As the title song (performed by Donovan) goes, "If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium, if it’s Wednesday, this must be Rome, if it’s Thursday this must be Montreaux...," the characters are on a grueling schedule trying to pack as much sight-seeing in as they possibly can. If anyone has ever been on a trip such as this, the days are long, you have jet lag and it really can be grueling.
Flemish Bastard aka Jan Smits aka John Smiths aka Canaqueese : metis Mohawk chief whose birth and death dates remain unknown. Son of a Mohawk mother and a Dutch father, he led war parties against the French and served as an intermediary between the French, Dutch, and English circa 1650-1687.
Source : Perrot, Nicolas. Ch. 15 of "Mémoire sur les moeurs, coustumes et religion des sauvages de l’Amérique Septentrionale" at Turning Points in Wis. History) ; see also "The Role of Chief Canaqueese in the Iroquois Wars" by Peter Lowensteyn
One husband complains all the way seizing every opportunity; one wife is constantly filling out postcards, missing sites because she is writing so much. One traveler is a teenage girl, forced to go on this trip with her "square" parents. Another man is out to see the spots he saw during his time in World War II and to rekindle a supposed romance with an Italian girl (that was all in his mind). One other young man sets out to meet his non-English speaking distant relatives for the first time in Venice, Italy. All of the vignettes are woven together with hilarious and heartwarming consequences. Suzanne Pleshette’s character has come on the trip to try to decide if she should go ahead and marry her fiancé. Ian McShane’s "Charlie" is the consummate ladies man, with a girl in every port, so to speak. The girls (in every port) are played by ’60’s super-models, such as Joan Collins. Of course, he has eyes for Suzanne’s character too and she coolly resists his charms at every opportunity. Suzanne Pleshette was at the height of her career around this time and she looks really stunning. Ian McShane, the more I looked at him, really reminded me of Jude Law. I asked my son if he agreed and he said he could see the similarities too. McShane has recently found fame with his TV series “Deadwood”.
I had to laugh when I saw the styles. Ladies who traveled in those days wore coordinated travel outfits, matching hats and heels, the men suits and ties. One man, who loses his wife in a hilarious mix-up, repeatedly tries to call her from hotel telephones. No cell phones or computers in use in 1970. Another of the traveler’s only takes photos of beautiful women he sees along the way, not wanting to waste his film on pictures of famous museums or cathedrals. Another vacationer is a thief (or possibly a kleptomaniac) who comes with an empty suitcase to fill at every opportunity with trinkets from his travels.
There are touching and tender moments as well, throughout the movie. There is just never a dull moment and the pacing is excellent. I really don’t remember how well this movie did at the box office since I was so young, but my Mom said it was a big hit and stayed in the theaters for several weeks. I could guess it did well with all star line-up it included and the interesting, funny story. There are points where the filming gets creative too because, as keeping with the fast pacing of the story, there are short portions of scenes that are flashed by the viewer’s eye.
Another reason I just watched it again (other than the fact that it is so entertaining) was that my son and I were watching old Seinfeld re-runs and I saw a character on an episode who looked familiar, but I could not place him. His name was “Jack Klompus” and he was on a couple of episodes with Seinfeld’s parents in "Del Boca Vista", Florida. I watched the credits and saw that the actor’s name was Sandy Baron and could not believe it when I put two and two together. Sandy Baron is in ”If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium” and he is about 30 years old in the movie. In the Seinfeld episodes, he is much older, of course, and heavier, but his face and humor were still familiar. I was saddened to learn that he passed away a few years ago.
A list of many of the actors in ”If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium” in no particular order: Sandy Baron, Senta Berger, Pamela Britton, Peggy Cass, Michael Constantine, Donovan, Norman Fell, Murray Hamilton, Marty Ingels, Luke Halpin, Ian McShane, Suzanne Pleshette, Aubrey Morris, Mildred Natwick, Robert Vaughn, Vittorio de Sica, John Cassavettes (cameo), and Ben Gazzara (cameo). Also featured with small roles are: Anita Ekberg, Joan Collins, Virna Lisi, Elsa Martinelli, Catherine Spaak, Miss Belgium, Miss Germany, and Miss Holland.
Interesting trivia from the cover of the video:
”The film was shot entirely in the various European locales, on a schedule that spanned 75 days, 15 cities and 209 locations. The cast and crew collectively traveled over 513,000 miles ate 25,000 meals and spent 8,700 nights in hotels during the production.”
The video contains the original theatrical trailer too.
Written by David Shaw Produced by Stan Margulies
Executive Producer David Wolper
Directed by Mel Stuart (who also directed "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", 1971).
Film’s length: 1 hour 38 minutes
United Artists, Rated G
Thanks for reading.
©: gkm
Other articles in this chapter
Tape Number: EF06/1189
Duration: 00:03:22
Intime: 10:40:12
Date: 2006-12-072006-12-07 GMT
Source: AP TELEVISION/ Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment
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