The Greatest Wedding on Earth 南北一家親 (1962) - Hong Kong
Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)
After the box office success of “The Greatest Civil War on Earth”, we get an instant sequel with the same theme and tension, replacing the tailor shop with a completing resturant plot-line. Directed by Wong Tin Lam (same as the first film), we get more of the same with a bigger budget and set to play with. Watching the film today, gives the audience a stern reminder of how cultural clashes are timeless issues, it’s the blend of wordplay comedy and Cantonese and Mandarin dialogue interplay that makes these kind of films a success.
Leung Sing-por headlines the film as the Cantonese restaurant owner and stern father who insist on Cantonese marriage and tradition. This clashes directly with Mandarin speaking Liu Enjia, whose northern culture goes from cuisine to marriage customs demands. Of course we get the younger generation in the midst of things as all become lovers caught between the warring families.
To say, “The Greatest Wedding on Earth” more of the same as the original is by no means an understatement as it follows the same formula and same jokes. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as why bother to change a box office success formula. The situations and comic timing from the actors provide a winning combination and in essence, it actually feels like a family gathering.
I rated it 7.5/10