Three Little Words (1950)

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writer:

George Wells (writer)

Release Date:

12 July 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

The story of the successful Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby is told loosely and lightheartedly.

Plot Keywords:

Composer | Team | Songwriting | Dancer | Song Writer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Bert Kalmar
Red Skelton	...	Harry Ruby
Vera-Ellen	...	Jessie Brown / Jessie Kalmar
Arlene Dahl	...	Eileen Percy Ruby
Keenan Wynn	...	Charlie Kope
Gale Robbins	...	Terry Lordel
Gloria DeHaven	...	Mrs. Carter De Haven
Phil Regan	...	Himself
Harry Shannon	...	Clanahan, owner of Clanahan's Paradise
Debbie Reynolds	...	Helen Kane
Paul Harvey	...	Al Masters
Carleton Carpenter	...	Dan Healy
George Metkovich	...	Al Schacht
Harry B. Mendoza	...	The Great Mendoza
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Barris	...	Pianist at Party (uncredited)
Douglas Carter	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Harry Cody	...	Prop Man (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Extra (uncredited)
Bert Davidson	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Elzie Emanuel	...	Kid who tells Harry the Ball score (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Coach (uncredited)
Sig Frohlich	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Alex Gerry	...	Marty (uncredited)
Billy Gray	...	Boy (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Pianist in Clanahan's (uncredited)
Helen Kane	...	Helen Kane (singing voice) (uncredited)
Frank Kelleher	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Audience Extra (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Stage Manager in Buffalo (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Piano Mover (uncredited)
Dwight Martin	...	Piano Mover (uncredited)
Mickey Martin	...	Callboy (uncredited)
John McKee	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Beverly Michaels	...	Shipboard Woman (uncredited)
Fred Millican	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Edward F. Nulty	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Jack Paepke	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Jerry Priddy	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway	...	Nightclub Table Extra (uncredited)
Harry Ruby	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Fred Santley	...	Juice Vendor (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Barker at Clanahan's (uncredited)
George Sherwood	...	Director (uncredited)
Ted Stanhope	...	Waiter / Theatre Usher (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Nightclub Dance Extra (uncredited)
Lou Stringer	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Policeman on Street (uncredited)
William Tannen	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim	...	Johnny the waiter (uncredited)
Pierre Watkin	...	Philip Goodman (uncredited)
John B. Williams	...	Waiter in Clanahan's (uncredited)
Pat Williams	...	Magician's Assistant (uncredited)
George Woods	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Thorpe

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
George Wells		writer

Produced by
Jack Cummings	....	producer

Original Music by
André Previn		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harry Jackson

Film Editing by
Ben Lewis

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons
Urie McCleary

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Helen Rose

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	hair stylist

Art Department
Arthur Krams	....	associate set decorator

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special effects

Editorial Department
Peter Ballbusch	....	montage

Music Department
Leo Arnaud	....	orchestrator
André Previn	....	musical director
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Wally Heglin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Fred Astaire	....	choreographer
James Gooch	....	technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa	....	technicolor color consultant
Hermes Pan	....	choreographer
Harry Ruby	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 | France:U | USA:Unrated (DVD rating) | Australia:G | Finland:S

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby were friends of Fred Astaire from their early days together in vaudeville. Astaire said the film was one of his all-time favorites.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the "Hoofers at Home" dance number, all the dinner-table utensils are swept into a front drawer except for the toaster which crashes to the floor. In the subsequent longer camera shot, the toaster has vanished.

Quotes:

Bert Kalmar: I wouldn't write that song with you if you begged me.
Harry Ruby: Begged ya? I didn't even ask ya.
Bert Kalmar: I guess you just can't help it, Harry. I feel sorry for you.
Harry Ruby: Feel sorry for me? You must think I'm just a...
Bert Kalmar: I could tell you what I think of you in just three little words. You're a dope!

Movie Connections:

References The Flirt (1922)

Soundtrack:

Where Did You Get That Girl?

A dynamic duo

"Three Little Words", MGM's tribute to two song writers that are not so well known, but who left behind a lot of beautiful songs, is a pleasant film from that era. Richard Thorpe, the director, clearly demonstrates he knew how to stage the material. Although not one of the best musicals the studio produced, and somewhat predictable, it offers a lot of entertainment.

Best of all is the pairing of Fred Astaire and Red Skelton as the musical partners, Bert Kalmer and Harry Ruby. These actors do some nice work together as they came together to create musical comedy. Mr. Astaire's dancing partner is Vera-Ellen, who was a dominant figure in musical comedies. Mr. Astaire and Vera-Ellen do a good job in their dancing.

A big surprise was to see a young Debbie Reynolds in her rendition of "I Wanna be Loved by You", which later became associated with Marilyn Monroe's signature songs. The young Ms. Reynolds' shows an amazing talent that would come to fruit in later films. Gloria de Haven and Arlene Dahl also grace the film with their presence, as well as Kennan Wynn, and other supporting players.