Three Little Words (1950) at Reel Classics: a review

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Movie Review:

- Some weaknesses, but overall a decent film.

dir. Richard Thorpe at MGM
with Fred Astaire (as Bert Kalmar), Red Skelton (as Harry Ruby), Vera-Ellen (as Jessie Brown Kalmar), Arlene Dahl (as Eileen Percy Ruby), Keenan Wynn (as Charlie Kope), Gale Robbins (Terry Lordel), Gloria De Haven (as Mrs. Carter De Haven) and Debbie Reynolds (as Helen Kane)

This film is a musical biopic of songwriters Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, and it's chockfull of some of their best numbers including "Where Did You Get That Girl?", "Nevertheless", and "I Wanna Be Loved by You." With stars like Astaire and Vera-Ellen, you know you’re sure to see some entertaining dances, and numbers like "Thinking of You" and "Mr. and Mrs. Hoofer at Home", though they’re not as wonderful as they could be, don’t disappoint either. Plot-wise there’s nothing terribly noteworthy except the team’s breakup, but enough happens to keep the picture moving between the musical numbers.

Overall, if you like Astaire and Vera-Ellen, you’ll like them together in this film. It’s also worth watching for the soundtrack which includes a couple dozen songs by this famous song-writing team. Worthy of further note are Arlene Dahl, who is well suited to her role, and Debbie Reynolds, who makes her screen debut in this film, dancing a brief sequence in "I Wanna Be Loved by You" (though her Betty Boop voice was dubbed by the real Helen Kane).

Reviewed: December 24, 1999

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