La sposa ribelle

Van Johnson and June Allyson team up with young Butch Jenkins in The Bride Goes Wild, really a rather inaccurate title. She doesn't go wild at all, in fact Allyson's a very proper young lady. But she does have a rather wild wedding through no doing of her own at the climax.

She's an illustrator who is hired by a publishing company to do pictures for a series of children's books that are published under the name of Uncle Bumps. The character of Uncle Bumps as described seems to be a more civilized version of Gabby Hayes. But like Mark Twain is a creation of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Uncle Bumps is the pseudonym for Van Johnson who's a rather wolfish sort and just eagerly contemplating how to get better acquainted with June.

Allyson's a frustrated mom wannabe so Johnson borrows young Butch Jenkins from an orphanage, a kid with some behavioral issues. Today he'd be on all kinds of meds, but back in the day that wasn't available.

As Johnson is running into a creative dry spell, young Jenkins proves to be something of a muse. And he does actually draw Johnson and Allyson closer together despite the fact they have some long term involvements, he with Arlene Dahl and she with Richard Derr.

I think you see where this is going. I wish The Bride Goes Wild, misnamed title though it has was run more often. It's a nice family comedy and Jenkins has some real appeal as a child star. Allyson and Johnson were teamed many times by MGM and this film is a perfect example of their chemistry together.