Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tea For Two(1950)

Tea for Two (1950). Directed by David Butler. The screenplay by Harry Clork and William Jacobs was inspired by the 1925 stage musical No, No, Nanette. Cast: Doris Day ,Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson , Eve Arden, Billy De Wolfe and S.Z. Sakall.

While Lynne and Richard, are having fun with their friends, dressing up in their parents old clothes from the 1920's.  Their uncle Max, walks in and tells them what it was like for people in 1929, after the stock market crashed:  Max was the guardian of his niece and because of his bad investments, Nanette looses all her money. Nanette, is unaware of her loss, when asked by producer Larry Blair to back a show. To help convince her, Larry brings Jimmy and Tommy to see Nanette, where he lies about Jimmy needing the money to pay for his sister's operation. Tommy and Jimmy play her some songs from the show, Nanette agrees to back the show. Jimmy then suggests that Nanette play the lead, instead of Beatrice Darcy, Larry's girl friend.

Not wanting her to know that she has lost all her money, Max comes up with a plan to give her the money on condition that she say "no" to everything for forty-eight hours.

He learns from his lawyer, that he might be able to save some of the lost fortune if he can sign important papers before ten o'clock. After Nanette is pulled over for reckless driving, her negative answers to the policeman lands them in jail.

Later, Max encourages Jimmy to propose to Nanette,  even though she loves Jimmy, Nanette does not say "yes." Having lost his bet, Max is forced to tell Nanette the truth. Pauline convinces Early to back the production, now called No, No, Nanette. Max finishes his story just as Nanette and Jimmy return home.

Doris Day and Gordon MacRae make a wonderful team with some wonderful song and dance routines. Also a wonderful supporting cast: Eve Arden, tossing her one-liners with her usual skill. Billy De Wolfe, reminding us what a wonderful comedian he truly is. I thought this was above average fluffy musical.

1 comment:

monty said...

Ok, I want to see this film now Dawn. Thanks for the awesome post about it.