''Tea for Two'' is a 1950 American
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
film directed by
David Butler. The screenplay by
Harry Clork was inspired by the 1925 stage musical ''
No, No, Nanette
''No, No, Nanette'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach, music by Vincent Youmans, and a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel, based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play ''My Lady Friends''. The farcical story involves th ...
'', although the plot was changed considerably from the original book by
Otto Harbach
Otto Abels Harbach, born Otto Abels Hauerbach (August 18, 1873 – January 24, 1963) was an American lyricist and librettist of nearly 50 musical comedies and operettas. Harbach collaborated as lyricist or librettist with many of the leading Broa ...
and
Frank Mandel
Frank Mandel (1884 – April 20, 1958) was an American playwright and producer. He co-wrote several productions. Some of his works were adapted by others. Several of his collaborations were adapted into films. UCLA's libraries have a collection of ...
; and the score by Harbach,
Irving Caesar
Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Crazy Rhythm", and " Tea for Tw ...
, and
Vincent Youmans
Vincent Millie Youmans (September 27, 1898 – April 5, 1946) was an American Broadway composer and producer.
A leading Broadway composer of his day, Youmans collaborated with virtually all the greatest lyricists on Broadway: Ira Gershwin, Ot ...
was augmented with songs by other composers.
Plot
Set as a flashback to the
Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge in the U ...
, Uncle Max (
S. Z. Sakall
Szőke Szakáll (born Jakab Grünwald, akas: Gärtner Sándor and Gerő Jenő; February 2, 1883 February 12, 1955), known in the English-speaking world as S. Z. Sakall, was a Hungarian-American stage and film character actor. He appeared in ...
) expresses displeasure to his grandniece and grandnephew, who are making fun of their parents' outdated fashions, and begins telling the story of Nanette Carter (
Doris Day
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
), a
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...
socialite
A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...
with show business aspirations. She offers to invest $25,000 in a
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
show if her boyfriend,
producer Larry Blair (
Billy De Wolfe
William Andrew Jones (February 18, 1907 – March 5, 1974), better known as Billy De Wolfe, was an American character actor. He was active in films from the mid-1940s until his death in 1974.
Early life and early stage career
Born William Andr ...
), casts her in the starring role. What she doesn't realize is that Larry is two-timing her with
ingenue Beatrice Darcy (
Patrice Wymore), whom he envisions as the lead. When he accepts Nanette's offer, she imposes upon her wealthy, penny-pinching uncle, J. Maxwell Bloomhaus (
Sakall) to lend her the money.
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
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
and
pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
Jimmy Smith (
Gordon MacRae
Albert Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986) was an American actor, singer and radio/television host who appeared in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals ''Oklahoma!'' (1955) and '' Carousel'' (1956) and who p ...
), 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
A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock
In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especia ...
. The only person still solvent is
attorney William Early (
). So, Nanette's assistant Pauline Hastings (
Eve Arden
Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades.
Beginning her film career in 1929 ...
) sets out to charm him into backing the show — and succeeds. The show 'No, No, Nanette' opens and is a rousing success.
Then, in a sudden flash to the present time, Uncle Max finishes his story right before Nanette and Jimmy return home to their two children.
Cast
*
Doris Day
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
as Nanette Carter
*
Gordon MacRae
Albert Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986) was an American actor, singer and radio/television host who appeared in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals ''Oklahoma!'' (1955) and '' Carousel'' (1956) and who p ...
as Jimmy Smith
*
Gene Nelson
Gene Nelson (born Leander Eugene Berg; March 24, 1920 – September 16, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, screenwriter, and director.
Biography
Born Leander Eugene Berg in Astoria, Oregon, he and his family moved to Seattle when he wa ...
as Tommy Trainor
*
Eve Arden
Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades.
Beginning her film career in 1929 ...
as Pauline Hastings
*
Billy De Wolfe
William Andrew Jones (February 18, 1907 – March 5, 1974), better known as Billy De Wolfe, was an American character actor. He was active in films from the mid-1940s until his death in 1974.
Early life and early stage career
Born William Andr ...
as Larry Blair
*
as William Early
*
Virginia Gibson
Virginia Gibson (born Virginia Gorski; April 9, 1925 – April 25, 2013) was an American dancer, singer and actress of film, television and musical theatre.
Early years
Of Polish and Irish lineage, Gibson was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jo ...
as Mabel Wiley
*
S. Z. Sakall
Szőke Szakáll (born Jakab Grünwald, akas: Gärtner Sándor and Gerő Jenő; February 2, 1883 February 12, 1955), known in the English-speaking world as S. Z. Sakall, was a Hungarian-American stage and film character actor. He appeared in ...
as J. Maxwell Bloomhaus
*
Patrice Wymore as Beatrice Darcy
Song list
* "I Know That You Know" - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
* "
Crazy Rhythm
"Crazy Rhythm" is a thirty-two-bar swing show tune written in 1928 by Irving Caesar with music by Joseph Meyer and Roger Wolfe Kahn for the Broadway musical ''Here's Howe''. " - sung by Patrice Wymore and Gene Nelson
* "
I Only Have Eyes for You
"I Only Have Eyes for You" is a romantic love song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin, written for the film ''Dames'' (1934) when Dick Powell introduced it. Several successful recordings of the song were made in 1934; later, there we ...
" - sung by Gordon MacRae
* "
Tea for Two" - sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
* "
I Want to Be Happy
"I Want to Be Happy" is a song with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar written for the 1925 musical '' No, No, Nanette''.
Musical
The song is used several times throughout the musical as a running theme representing the attempts ...
" - 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
"Here in My Arms" is a popular song published in 1925, written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart.
The song was introduced in the 1925 Broadway musical ''Dearest Enemy,'' by Charles Purcell and Helen Ford. It has since become a standa ...
" - 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
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
received top billing and marked the first time she danced on-screen.
This was director Butler and leading lady Day's second collaboration, following ''
It's a Great Feeling
''It's a Great Feeling'' is a 1949 American Technicolor musical comedy film starring Doris Day, Jack Carson, and Dennis Morgan in a parody of what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood movie making. The screenplay by Jack Rose and Mel Shavel ...
'' the previous year. The two went on to work together on ''
Lullaby of Broadway'', ''
April in Paris'', ''
By the Light of the Silvery Moon'', and ''
Calamity Jane
Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late ...
''.
Ray Heindorf
Raymond John Heindorf (August 25, 1908 – February 3, 1980) was an American composer and songwriter who was noted for his work in film.
Early life
Born in Haverstraw, New York, Heindorf worked as a pianist in a movie house in Mechanicville in ...
served as musical director for the film, and the musical sequences were choreographed by Gene Nelson, Eddie Prinz, and LeRoy Prinz.
Art direction
Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games.
It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the visi ...
was by Douglas Bacon and the
costume design
Costume design is the creation of clothing for the overall appearance of a character or performer. Costume may refer to the style of dress particular to a nation, a class, or a period. In many cases, it may contribute to the fullness of the arti ...
er was
Leah Rhodes.
Both Gordon MacRae and Gene Nelson appeared together in the film version of ''
Oklahoma!
''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...
'' (1955).
Box office
According to accounting records at Warner Bros., the film earned $2,322,000 domestically and $1,330,000 foreign.
Critical reception
In his review in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'',
Bosley Crowther
Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...
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."
''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' wrote, "
tsheds a
Technicolor
Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades.
Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...
tear for the good old days of
plus fours
Plus fours are breeches or trousers that extend four inches (10 cm) below the knee (and thus four inches longer than traditional knickerbockers, hence the name). Knickerbockers have been traditionally associated with sporting attire sinc ...
, prohibition and the stock-market crash. The story . . . employs nearly every musical-comedy cliché . . . as hot-weather entertainment, ''Tea for Two'' is at its best when concentrating on the old tunes of Vincent Youmans, George Gershwin and Roger Wolfe Kahn."
Awards and honors
Gene Nelson won the
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor
The Golden Globe for New Star of the Year – Actor was an award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at their annual Golden Globe Awards.
History
The award was first introduced at the 6th Golden Globe Awards in 1948, where it was ...
for his work on ''Tea for Two''.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
Review of ''Tea for Two'' (1950)at ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tea For Two (Film)
1950 films
1950 musical comedy films
1950 romantic comedy films
1950s English-language films
1950s romantic musical films
American films based on plays
American musical comedy films
American romantic comedy films
American romantic musical films
Films based on musicals
Films directed by David Butler
Films set in 1929
Films set in New York (state)
Films set in the Roaring Twenties
Warner Bros. films
1950s American films