Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Next to I Love Lucy, December Bride was Desilu's most successful series in the 1950s. Running on Monday nights, following Lucy, it couldn't miss in the ratings. Spring Byington brought a sweet, lovable quality to Lily Ruskin, an older woman from Philadelphia who came to live with her daughter Ruth and son-in-law Matt. Far from being the stereotypical mother-in-law, Lily was an attractive older woman who would be a logical marriage choice for some handsome widower. Hence the title. After the first few shows, Lily was given a side-kick in the person of Hilda Crocker, memorably played by Verna Felton. The next-door neighbor was played by Harry Morgan as Pete Porter. The character of Pete was so popular that he was spun off with his heretofore unseen wife Gladys in Pete And Gladys after December Bride ended. I was surprised to learn that Pete And Gladys was not filmed at Desilu, but at Paramount (before Desilu merged with them). December Bride is not shown these days, but it was a quality sitcom with all the ingredients of a hit. The films languish in a vault, but perhaps someday it and Pete And Gladys will resurface for a new generation of viewers to discover.

I have written a biography of December BRIDE actress Verna Felton for Bear Manor Media, which should be available for purchase in 2010. It contains a comprehensive episode guide for December BRIDE, complete with filming dates, episode synopses, and complete guest casts. Information it took years to compile and is available nowhere else! This show is largely forgotten today, but it boasted the fine talents of an ensemble cast, with formats similar to I LOVE LUCY. Spring Byington and Verna Felton could be considered senior citizen versions of Lucy and Ethel, in fact. Season Two is perhaps the best, with Season Three running a close second. The show ran out of steam by the fifth season, however, episodes near the end of this final season are superior to the first half. Fredrick Tucker frex59@bellsouth.net

I was 9 years old when this show premiered and, if my memory serves me, it followed "I Love Lucy," providing an hour of solid comedy. But even if my gray cells are faulty, I remember "December Bride" as being one of the best sitcoms of the 1950s.Spring Byington played Lily Ruskin, who lived him her daughter and son-in-law. The comedy was based largely on Lily's adventures with her close friend Hilda Crocker (Verna Felton), which often left son-in-law Matt Henshaw (Dean Miller) exasperated.The icing on the cake was provided by Harry Morgan ("M*A*S*H") as next-door neighbor Peter Porter, whose sardonic remarks about wife Gladys (who is never seen on camera) rarely failed to trigger guffaws.This was a show that the whole family could watch, and I'm saddened that it is not available for home viewing. It's a treasure that is likely to languish in studio vaults for a long, long time.

Hilarious comedy where Spring Byington played a doting parent (Lili Ruskin) living with her married daughter and son-in-law. Along the way, she makes friends with Hilda Crocker, memorably portrayed by Verna Felton. Miss Felton was so adept at comedy; yet, I remember her for her magnificent performance as the neighbor in the 1955 film classic "Picnic," based on the William Inge play.Both Hilda and Lili cook up ideal schemes in the way of Ethel Mertz and Lucy Ricardo.Remember the fabulous opening music? It just told you what you'd be in for the next half hour.Harry Morgan was truly great as a wacky next door neighbor who chronically complained about Gladys, his long suffering wife. When December Bride went off the air, "Pete and Gladys" went on with Morgan and Cara Williams in the lead roles. Those were certainly the days of spin-offs at their best.