Tea for Two

Doris and Gordon have delightful musical chemistry but this cobbled together backstage comedy (that has nothing to do with "No No Nanette") is kind of a dud. Both stars fare much better in the charming "On Moonlight Bay."

Despite a few spirited dance numbers, and the energetic (if light on charisma) Gene Nelson, it feels like all the A-List musical talent was locked up over at MGM.

The reliable Eve Arden is given some C-list wisecracks, SK Sakall tries his best with his trademark adorable apoplexy, but much of the comedy unfortunately falls into the less than capable hands of Billy DeWolfe.

No No Nanette, each stage and screen version, of it is one of those items that's going to have an eternal life on stage. This version of it, retitled with the best known number in the show is one of the best tellings of the story of a girl who has to keep saying no to all questions.

Tea for Two will be sung as long as people have voices. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae sing a nice version of it here, but the primo version of this song is done by Bing Crosby and Connee Boswell for Decca Records.

The whole ensemble performs quite nicely and settles into the roles that we've come to know and love them. Eve Arden as the wisecracking best friend, S.Z.Sakall as the confused old world uncle, Billy DeWolfe as the fussbudget conman producer just settle comfortably into their parts.

If on Jeopardy the answer is the most frequent leading man for Doris Day, phrase the question Gordon MacRae. They did four films together and sang beautifully in all of them. Of course in this one Vincent Youmans gave them a great score, but Warner Brothers had a song catalog themselves and Gordon MacRae sings I Only Have Eyes for You and does it well. In fact in a lot of Doris Day's films, the Brothers Warner dusted off some of their old song hits.

Gene Nelson appeared in a few Warner Brothers musicals. A very talented dancer, he should have come along when musicals were at their height. He'd be better known today.

You can't go wrong with Tea for Two, the song or the film.

Since I was a child old movies made my day when they were on the television....Long before video tape machines. Nothing, in my mind, can replace any old movie. Black & white or Technicolour, they are done with class and taste. Now, anything goes. That is a shame. Enjoy this movie. Especially, the actor who plays Doris' uncle. Can' remember his name just now.

Pillow Talk is another Doris Day film I would suggest. Her acting is so wonderful to watch. I have yet to see her act the same way in any movie I have had the pleasure to see. She is one of a kind. Her smile, her singing: Amazing!

This film peaks near its beginning with a production number featuring Doris Day and Gene Nelson dancing with both an infinity mirrored wall and the New York skyline showing outside (of some huge windows). The later production number, a blend of "No, No Nanette" and "Tea for Two", is tellingly anti-climatic.

The plot is easy - Ms. Day has to say "No" to everything for a day. But, the movie goes on and on with several songs and dances having little/nothing to do with the story. Other characters and sub-plots are thrown in; with all the extra songs and dances, I have no trouble believing everything in this film was not in the original "No, No Nanette". Some of it all is very good - Day and MacRae sing well, Mr. Nelson dances well, and Eve Arden does her thing - but this feels more like a string of songs and scenes than a movie.

***** Tea for Two (9/1/50) David Butler ~ Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, Eve Arden

Not one of Doris Day's or Gordon MacRae's best, individually or together. 'On Moonlight Bay' and 'By the Light of the Silvery Moon' (both among the best films for both stars) are better collaborations of theirs.

There is however a lot to like about 'Tea for Two', regardless of whether all those involved have done better in their careers. 'Tea for Two' could have been better certainly. One is aware that it has been well established that musicals are not really seen for their stories (whether it matters or not is wholly dependent on how well everything else is executed), but this story is so-so fluff at best and ridiculously daft at worst, the story being one of the most preposterous for any film musical made around this time.

Some of 'Tea for Two' feels under-directed, though not as much as the still enjoyable 'Lullaby of Broadway' (with the same director involved), more in the non-song and dance numbers than in the musical scenes themselves. This is particularly in the SZ Sakall book-ending sequences, despite Sakall's best efforts those sequences seemed under-rehearsed and added very little. Virginia Gibson's character was underwritten and in a way incomplete, there was a sense that the film wanted to do more with her but couldn't.

On the other hand, 'Tea for Two' looks great. Technicolor nearly always works wonderfully on film and particularly used to full advantage in musicals. It is a very lavishly produced film with a truly enchanting atmosphere. While not among the most memorable song scores, the songs are still incredibly pleasant and often very beautiful and puts one in a good mood, suiting the voices of Day and MacRae wonderfully. The title song, "I Only Have Eyes For You", "I Want to be Happy", "I Know that You Know" and Oh Me! Oh My!" are particularly good.

They are aided by some great choreography as well. The big standout is Gene Nelson's jaw-dropping banister sequence, which has to be seen to be believed. The script is witty and full of warm-hearted charm, a lot of the best lines coming from Eve Arden.

Day is luminous, looks very natural on screen and sings sublimely as always. MacRae would go on to better things but is charming, has a robust but beautiful baritone voice and his chemistry with Day is irresistible. Nelson once again proves himself to be quite the extraordinary dancer. Sakall plays the same character he usually does, but does it well so that doesn't matter so much, while Arden steals scenes with her terrific comic timing and witty lines. Even Billy DeWolfe, a take it or leave it performer whose shtick too often elsewhere doesn't hold up particularly well, is tolerable.

In conclusion, not perfect but a tea-licious tea-light (pardon the very cheesy pun, really struggled to come up with a review summary) that pours well. 7/10 Bethany Cox