If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium

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If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium
Video cover
Directed by	Mel Stuart
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	24 April 1969
Running time	99 min
Country	USA
Language	English
IMDb profile

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium is a 1969 romantic comedy film made by Wolper Pictures and released by United Artists. It was directed by Mel Stuart and produced by Stan Margulies with David L. Wolper as executive producer. The screenplay was by David Shaw, the music score by Walter Scharf and the cinematography by Vilis Lapenieks.

The film stars Ian McShane, Suzanne Pleshette, Marty Ingels,Mildred Natwick, Murray Hamilton, Michael Constantine, Sandy Baron, and Norman Fell. It also has cameo appearances by Patricia Routledge, Marina Berti, Senta Berger, John Cassavetes, Joan Collins, Vittorio De Sica, Anita Ekberg, Ben Gazzara, Virna Lisi, Elsa Martinelli, Catherine Spaak, Robert Vaughn and Luke Halpin. Folk singer Donovan makes a guest appearance in the film singing Lord of the Reedy River, which he had also written. He also wrote the title song for the film, but he didn't sing it as it was performed by J.P. Rags. The then current Miss Belgium, Sonya Doumen, also appears.

The title, also used by a 1965 documentary on CBS television that filmed one such tour, was taken from a magazine cartoon caption*, humorously depicting the whirlwind nature of European tour schedules, which formed the premise of the film's plot.

Director Mel Stuart is best-known for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971).

The film was remade in 1987 as a made-for-TV movie titled If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium.

[edit] Trivia

The title song is the inspiration for the all-time hit Hindi song "Chura liya" from the Bollywood film Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973).

Tagline I'm Europe, Baby. I sent you Dutch Elm Disease, German Measles, and Russian Roulette. You sent me World Wind Vacation Tour #225. Now we're even.

"The End" title card initially looks like just any other title card. However, the camera zooms out and reveals that it is a picture hanging on a wall. The character played by Aubrey Morris (the kleptomaniac) enters and removes it from the wall, trying conspicuously to hide it in his coat. He walks off and the screen fades out.