Friday, May 11, 2018

Three Little Words (1950), 7+ Color

The story of the successful Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby is told loosely and lightheartedly.
1h 42min | Biography, Comedy, Musical | 12 July 1950 | Color
Director: Richard Thorpe
Stars: Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, Red Skelton, Arlene Dahl, Keenan Wynn, Gloria DeHaven, Phil Regan, Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter.
Hermes Pan ... dances created and directed by
Fred Astaire ... choreographer (uncredited)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043044/

In the Tap! Appendix for Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen.

Kalmar & Ruby songs performed (30 chapters with menu; Previn wrote 2 dance tunes & one other exception is noted):

  • ch2. Where Did You Get That Girl? Written Harry Puck, Bert Kalmar, Sung and Danced by Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen (dubbed by Anita Ellis) 
  • ch5. Mr. and Mrs. Hoofer at Home, Music by André Previn, Danced by Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen 
  • ch7. My Sunny Tennessee, Sung by Fred Astaire, Red Skelton 
  • ch9. So Long! Oo-Long (How Long You Gonna Be Gone?), Sung by Fred Astaire, Red Skelton 
  • ch10. Who's Sorry Now?, Sung by Gloria DeHaven 
  • ch11. Test Dance, Music by André Previn, Danced by Fred Astaire 
  • ch12. Come on, Papa, Sung by Vera-Ellen (dubbed by Anita Ellis), Danced by Vera-Ellen, chorus 
  • ch13. Nevertheless, Sung by Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen (dubbed by Anita Ellis), and Red Skelton, Danced by Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen 
  • ch15&16. All Alone Monday, Sung by Gale Robbins twice (later by Arlene Dahl?) 
  • ch16?. You Smiled at Me, Sung by Arlene Dahl 
  • ch19. I Wanna Be Loved by You, Sung by Debbie Reynolds (dubbed by Helen Kane) to Carleton Carpenter
  • ch20. Thinking of You, Sung by Fred Astaire (later by Red Skelton), Danced by Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen 
  • ch23. I Love You So Much, Sung by Arlene Dahl 
  • ch28. medley sung by FA & RS
  • ch29. Three Little Words, Sung by Fred Astaire (later? by Red Skelton) 

Lots of songs, obviously, and almost all fully performed. Missing from the Soundtracks: the sliver of their song from Animal Crackers (B'way show & '30 film), Hooray for Captain Spalding.

Watch the featurette to find the biography is not too far off: Kalmar actually was a dancer and magician, and Ruby did love baseball, but there was no drama about their temporary split.

Worth watching for the dancing; FA & VE are good together and separately.

MGM, dir. Thorpe; 7+
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