A young woman on the verge of marriage departs for a whirlwind guided tour of 9 countries in 18 days. The group she meets helps her decide if she should commit to the middle class life she's headed for or make a life-chang... more »ing commitment to freedom and fun!« less
"9 countries in 18 days is responsible from lines such as "I think I was born on this bus"...to which a reply came "I think I died on this bus." It's a riot, with some great comedic stars of the 60's. The core of the story is Yank Suzanne Plushette (with wigs that make her hair look like it grows a years growth in those 18 days!!) is woman on the verge of committing to marriage, and not really thrilled about it, so she joins a tour bus to see Europe. Charlie (Ian McShane) is the womanising tour guide, who marks her for a good time, but their relationship grows to the point Susan must decide whether to stop being the middle class Yank with the boring, but safe middle class marriage ahead of her, or to toss it all to the wind for Charlie and his life of little substance, but one that is exciting. You have family with daughter who has found 'boys!!', a man and wife who end up on separate buses and keep missing each other, a WWII vet visiting the site of his former battles, a man wanting an expensive pair of Italian shoes for cheap price, another visiting his long lost relatives, another who is stealing 'souvenirs' from every hotel to where he cannot lift their luggage, but never speaks, and one put upon husband who keeps threatening his wife 'I'm an going to get you for this'.Its a great fun movie, that you will watch again and again."
Still Funny...after all of these years!
Steve Nakamoto "The Friendly Voice | Huntington Beach, California USA | 01/07/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Besides being an author, I am also a professional tour director. So this movie is especially funny and interesting as both a tourist and as a tour director.Today as in 1969, American still go on packaged group tours. And I've also led group tours in America for Europeans. What happens on these tours is a lot like the movie....going to all the tourist highlights, getting lost, culture/customs misunderstandings, hotel disappointments, etc. Whatever could go wrong eventually does go wrong.I like this movie so much that I bring it along on my longer tours to watch. In the group tour business, this is a hilarious classic."
If It's Tuesday...This Must be a Great Film
Yendor | Gilroy, CA United States | 05/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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."
Travel Europe with Laughter
W. Budris | Rosedale, NY | 09/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I saw this film 2 or 3 times when first released with my parents. They were not ones to pay for a movie twice, but they did on this one. Very funny from start to finish, with another great ensemble cast, and a ton of cameos. I discovered Iam McShane in this film, who is now currently on PBS is a mystery series from the BBC. I've always loved Suzanne Pleshette, and she is a delight in a romp with a very buxom Italian lady who has poor Suzanne land in a fountain after their little car accident in Rome (POLICIA!). Reva Rose gave poor Norman Fell (Mr. Roper on Three's Company) a run for his money by joining the wrong tour in Amsterdam, and actually passing each other on different boats on the Rhine. Peggy Cass is married to Murray Hamilton (pre-Jaws) who keeps threatening to "Get her for this". A lovely lively romp and so much better than the TV Movie remake."
Reliving the horrors of the Bus Tour
Kona | Emerald City | 05/13/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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."