Discussion of "The Member of the Wedding"

The Member of the Wedding (1952) is an American film drama directed by Fred Zinneman and starring Ethel Waters, Julie Harris, and Brandon De Wilde. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Carson McCullers (1946). The cinematography was by two-time Oscar winner Hal Mohr. The music was by Alex North.

The plot surrounds Frankie Addams (Harris), an awkward and unhappy 12-year-old tomboy growing up in the Southern United States. She has no friends—although she’s desperate to have some—except her young cousin John Henry (De Wilde). Frankie’s father works long hours and doesn’t have much time for his daughter. The housekeeper Bernice Sadie Brown (Waters) is Frankie's surrogate mother.

When Frankie’s older brother announces his wedding, Frankie decides she will run off with him and his new bride.

To learn more about the film and to preview discussion questions, click on the link to my blog post here.
To watch the movie on YouTube, click here.