Tish

With three fabulous actresses as Zasu Pitts, Aline MacMahon, and Marjorie Main, I figured this would be a fine little movie. It was not. Blame falls on the writing for this film. But with these wonderful ladies, who were nothing short of great in anything they were ever in, something occurred to me. Let's say this movie had never been made, good writers were obtained, and Aline played the lead, supported by Zasu and Marjorie, as three lady sleuths. They assess the suspects, get into a bit of mischief, have some close calls and finally solve the case. There could have been a series of six movies made along these lines. Zasu did some of this with her 'Hildegarde Withers' films with James Gleason, and Aline did some of the same with Guy Kibbee (they were both quite good in 'While the Patient Slept'). I would even consider signing Kibbee as the main cop in those films. That would have been a six-pack of movies I could go for!

The best thing about this movie is the three spinsters, played perfectly by the three leading ladies. They are all consummate actresses, not "just" comedians, and they know how to handle their often wonderful lines wonderfully. It's all very innocent fun, but really very clever at times.

The rest of the movie, even Guy Kibbe's character, is forgettable.

Definitely a movie to see when you need a pick-me-up.

Okay, it's a little silly. But where else do you get to see three of the finest character actresses in one picture? Main, Pitts, and McMahon are all delightful if ill-served by the very uneven script. In addition, there is the adorable Susan Peters, who at 21 displays a mature talent. And of course, the always funny Guy Kibbee adds his particular brand of stodginess to the mix. It was just a bit after the Pearl Harbor attack, so a bit of overly patriotic war-cheerleading is understandable and excusable. What is not excusable is the maudlin twist in the otherwise comic (and often slapstick) hijinks. Still, all in all a picture worth watching if you like great character actors or gorgeous gals like Miss Peters and Miss Gray.

Marjorie Main stars in this MGM B picture in the title role of Tish. As per usual it's one of those B films from MGM with their usual production values it has an A look about it. All but for the fact that none of MGM's big stars are in this.

She lives in a small town with her scapegrace of a nephew Lee Bowman and hangs out all day with her two generational pals, Aline McMahon and Zasu Pitts. When after a trip to Toronto she brings back the baby of the late Susan Peters who was sickly to begin with and who died in childbirth all kinds of talk of scandal ensues about the real parentage of the infant. Nobody's believing she's Marjorie's, especially not her nemesis town judge and town busybody Guy Kibbee.

The three women are the center of this film, it's like Lucy Ricardo with two Ethel Mertzes. There's also a nice little romantic quadrangle between Bowman, Peters, Richard Quine and Virginia Grey playing a big part of the plot.

This one is worth a look especially if you're a fan of any of the three women companions.

Catch this oddity the next time TCM drags it out of the pit. This vehicle for the grand old warhorse Marjorie Main features some of the Golden Age's greatest character actors and the talented and beautiful (if ultimately tragic) Susan Peters. But the sub-sitcom setups, rotten writing, inferior direction and editing, and at least one perverse (if not sickening) plot turn make this an unintentionally creepy little "B" picture indeed.

"Tish" was no doubt a tryout for the dazzling Peters (who the same year would appear to far greater effect in "Random Harvest"), but given how short her film resume is, it's a shame that this thing has to feature so prominently on it.

If you need proof that MGM didn't turn out "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "Mrs. Miniver" twice a week, seek no more.