Tea for Two (film)
| Tea for Two | |
|---|---|
Wilfred M. Cline | |
| Edited by | Irene Morra |
| Music by | Vincent Youmans |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.1 million[1] |
| Box office | $3.6 million[1] $2.4 million (US rentals)[2] |
Tea for Two is a 1950 American musical romantic comedy film starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, and directed by David Butler. The screenplay by Harry Clork was inspired by the 1925 stage musical No, No, Nanette, although the plot was changed considerably from the original book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel; and the score by Harbach, Irving Caesar, and Vincent Youmans was augmented with songs by other composers.
Plot
Uncle Max (
Uncle Max is willing to do so, on one condition. For the next 24 hours, Nanette must answer "no" to every question she's asked. Comic complications ensue when the cast arrives at Nanette's estate to rehearse, as composer and pianist Jimmy Smith (Gordon MacRae), who has romantic designs on Nanette, falls victim to the bet she's made with her uncle. Nanette wins, only to discover that Uncle Max lost all his money in the stock market crash. The only person still solvent is attorney William Early (Bill Goodwin). So, Nanette's assistant Pauline Hastings (Eve Arden) sets out to charm him into backing the show — and succeeds. The show 'No, No, Nanette' opens and is a rousing success.
Back in real-time, Uncle Max finishes his story right before Nanette and Jimmy return home to their two children.
Cast
- Doris Day as Nanette Carter
- Gordon MacRae as Jimmy Smith
- Gene Nelson as Tommy Trainor
- Eve Arden as Pauline Hastings
- Billy De Wolfe as Larry Blair
- Bill Goodwin as William Early
- Virginia Gibson as Mabel Wiley
- S. Z. Sakall as J. Maxwell Bloomhaus
- Patrice Wymore as Beatrice Darcy
Soundtrack
- "I Know That You Know" - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
- "Crazy Rhythm" - sung by Patrice Wymore and Gene Nelson
- "I Only Have Eyes for You" - sung by Gordon MacRae
- "Tea for Two" - sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
- "I Want to Be Happy" - sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
- "Do Do Do" by - sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
- "Oh Me! Oh My!" - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
- "Charleston" - danced to by Billy De Wolfe
- "Tea for Two (Reprise)" - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
- "Here in My Arms" - sung by Doris Day
- "No, No, Nanette" - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
- "Tea for Two (Finale)" - sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
Production
The film was the first in which Doris Day received top billing and marked the first time she danced on-screen.[3]
This was director Butler and leading lady Day's second collaboration, following
Ray Heindorf served as musical director for the film, and the musical sequences were choreographed by Gene Nelson, Eddie Prinz, and LeRoy Prinz. Art direction was by Douglas Bacon and the costume designer was Leah Rhodes.
Both Gordon MacRae and Gene Nelson appeared together in the film version of Oklahoma! (1955).
Box office
According to accounting records at Warner Bros., the film earned $2,322,000 domestically and $1,330,000 foreign.[1]
Critical reception
In his review in The New York Times, Bosley Crowther called the film "pleasant entertainment," "a sprightly show," and "quite a genial production" and added, "Miss Day and Mr. MacRae . . . complement each other like peanut butter and jelly."[4]
In a review published for Time, the critic expressed sentiments about Tea for Two, highlighting its nostalgic depiction of a bygone era characterized by vibrant colors, the fashion trend of plus fours, the era of prohibition, and the infamous stock-market crash. The storyline of the production was noted for its abundant utilization of well-known tropes commonly found in musical comedies. While acknowledging its predictable nature, the reviewer commended the production's ability to serve as enjoyable entertainment during warm weather. Particularly, the reviewer found the rendition of classic melodies by acclaimed composers Vincent Youmans, George Gershwin, and Roger Wolfe Kahn to be the most captivating aspect of Tea for Two.[5]
Awards and honors
Gene Nelson won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor for his work on Tea for Two.
References
- ^ a b c Warner Bros financial information in The William Shaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 31 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
- ^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1950', Variety, January 3, 1951
- ^ "Tea for Two". Turner Classic Movies.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (2 September 1950). "New York Times review by Bosley Crowther, September 2, 1950". The New York Times.
- ^ "The New Pictures, Sep. 11, 1950". 11 September 1950. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011 – via www.time.com.
External links
- Tea for Two at IMDb
- Tea for Two at AllMovie
- Tea for Two at Rotten Tomatoes
- Tea for Two at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Tea for Two at the TCM Movie Database
- Review of Tea for Two (1950) at TV Guide
