Customer Reviews

Three for the Show [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Betty Grable overshadows all in this fabulous musical from 1955, she looks glamorous with her million dollar legs and platinum blonde hair, Betty Sings& dances with all the gusto you would expect from this box office movie queen the most popular female star in the history of motion pictures,watch Betty Grable in Technicolor and CinemaScope, with the Champions Marge and Gower hustling for their share of the limelight and newcomer Jack Lemmon, but Betty as usual steals the show!.Three For The Show Color, this is so rare so very collectable, I have a U.S. copy and U.K. copy these both in different ways fabulous.

Grable's first film away from Fox in 14 years is a winner - for the star. Her musical numbers (wish there had been more!) are fine, and check that Latin beat finale 'How Come You Do Me Like You Do' - it's sheer magic, thanks to Grable and Jack Cole's inspired choreography. One British critic who reviewed the film stated simply: "Forget the plot, gorgeous Grable more than make up for it."

Grable's first film away from Fox in 14 years is a winner - for the star. Her musical numbers (wish there had been more!) are fine, and check that Latin beat finale 'How Come You Do Me Like You Do' - it's sheer magic, thanks to Grable and Jack Cole's inspired choreography. One British critic who reviewed the film stated simply: "Forget the plot, gorgeous Grable more than make up for it."

This review is for the newly released DVD version of Three for the Show.
I thoroughly agree with the positive comments of the other reviewers about the movie itself - extremely entertaing, all four leads very good indeed. It's hard to believe two things - that Betty Grable was nearly 40 when this was made, and also that it turned out to be her last movie. It's ironic after her long and glittering career at Fox that the last movie she made there (How to be very, very popular) was such a dud compared to this show-stopper, made for Columbia.

With Betty from Fox, and the Champions from MGM, this movie has a certain strange feel to it. Of Betty's Fox films, it reminded me most of 1951's "Meet me after the show" (sadly not available on DVD). It's a good old fashioned style of musical, big brash and bold production numbers, but sadly by 1955 this style of musical was becoming passe and there would be few more of this type.

The DVD itself is in wide-screen, with razor sharp picture and the most brilliant and sumptuous colour imaginable. It's completely perfect. An added bonus is that the disc itself appears not to carry a regional coding, so buyers from the UK and Europe will have no trouble playing it!!

Do buy this, if you love Hollywood musicals you can't fail to enjoy this one.

See it for the brilliant choreography by Jack Cole. Cole was probably the best choreographer working in Hollywood at that time. He did fabulous work with Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. Unfortunately, he's not that well remembered. But his influence can be seen in the work of all the great choreographers who are far more famous than he is! This is an entertaining movie based on TOO MANY HUSBANDS but it shines because of the fantastic dance numbers.

Julie (Betty Grable) and Vernon Lowndes (Gower Champion) are a great team. He writes 'em and she plays 'em on the stage, but their team is incomplete. Julie's former husband Marty Stewart (Jack Lemmon) used to co-write the shows, but he was killed during the war, or at least that is what everyone thinks. In reality, Marty was marooned on an island; it was another Martin Stewart that died. Julie and Vernon are in for the shock of their lives when Marty returns and anticipates home sweet home, but finds himself involved in a case of bigamy.

This film has some great music, especially the Gershwin and Porter songs. Unfortunately, most of the musical sequences come off as bizarre thanks to the way they suddenly appear as if out of nowhere. For example, it takes some time to adjust to the fact that the film has been transformed into a musical when the three come home after a time of separation. The scene is well done, but it requires a few moments to be able to see so.

Grable is beautiful here with her platinum blonde hair and musical talents. It is interesting to watch her perform the songs, especially "I've Got a Crush on You" in which she seems to be immitating successor Marilyn Monroe. Lemmon is likable as always, a good guy with a tendency to go over the top- in a good way. He brings some comedy to the show. Champion proves to be a very good dancer but an unimpressive romantic partner. His shortcomings make Marty seem like the better choice in a husband. Champion is joined in the film by his wife Marge, who plays a family friend with a crush on both of Julie's husbands. She is a sweet girl with acting ability but without enough star power to play anything but supporting roles.

This story idea has been done both before and since this film. Perhaps the best interpretation is Too Many Husbands starring Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray, and Melvyn Douglas.

THIS IS LEGGY BETTY GRABLES BEST MOVIE EVER THE NUMBERS ARE 50's BROADWAY INSPIRED JACK LEMMON IS GREAT BUT MARGE AND GOWER CHAMPION LESS SO GRABLE ALL THE WAY

...supported by Jack Lemmon, and Marge and Gower Champion....it is the fifties trying to go back to the pre-code thirties...but it is a lively film...and one wonders why Grable does not dance more...she is as lovely as ever when she does...but is left out of some 'dream; sequences'...Jack Lemmon is as wonderful as ever, and reminds us that he has worked with all the great leading ladies, Grable, Hayworth, Julie Andrews, Shirley MacLaine, and so many others... actually this is one of those anxious little films from the latter half of the fifties when nobody seemed to know quite what to do or where to go-- but the cast doing it here is worth more than a look.

Can I buy the video in England

This is one of Betty Grable's last films and one of the few she made outside of Fox after her long term contract ended. By her own admission, she was a song and dance girl, not a great actress so, as she got older, it was harder and harder for her to find appropriate roles. This role, as a Broadway star, is pretty much stretching the age limit on these things and you can tell that it was getting towards the end of her career as a film star in the capacity of song and dance girl. Marge Champion has more dance time than Betty, something that wouldn't have happened at Fox when Betty was in her heyday. Jack Lemmon is too young for her in his role as one of the husbands; Gower Champion is not at all interesting as the other husband (he dances well but that's about it). I love Betty Grable so it's a good addition to my collection but there are other films of hers that I rather watch.