3 Men and a Baby (1987)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Leonard Nimoy

Writers:

Coline Serreau (screenplay)
James Orr (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 November 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Drama

Tagline:

They changed her diapers. She changed their lives.

Plot:

Three bachelors find themselves forced to take care of a baby left by one of the guy's girlfriends.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Bachelor | Apartment | Actor | Architect

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Tom Selleck	...	Peter Mitchell
Steve Guttenberg	...	Michael Kellam
Ted Danson	...	Jack Holden
Nancy Travis	...	Sylvia Bennington
Margaret Colin	...	Rebecca
Alexandra Amini	...	Patty
Francine Beers	...	Woman at Gift Shop
Lisa Blair	...	Mary Bennington
Michelle Blair	...	Mary Bennington
Philip Bosco	...	Det. Sgt. Melkowitz
Barbara Budd	...	Actress
Michael Burgess	...	Handsome Man at Party
Claire Cellucci	...	Angelyne
Eugene Clark	...	Man #1 at Party
Derek de Lint	...	Jan Clopatz

Also Known As:

Three Men and a Baby (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Peru:PT | USA:PG (Certificate #28596) | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Interscope Communications

Trivia:

Toward the end of filming, the babies that play Mary, where less entranced by the actors around her, and became enticed by the microphone. She would start to follow it with her gaze, and not look at the actors. Leonard Nimoy and other crew members had to start hiding the microphone and disguising it from the baby's view.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Jack's mother comes to visit Mary, you can see in the background what appears to be a little boy standing in front of a window. There is a rumor that this is the ghost of a little boy who died in the apartment in which the film was shot. This rumor is false, as the interiors were all shot on a sound stage in a movie studio. The "ghost" is actually a cardboard cut-out of Jack wearing a tuxedo. This prop appears later in the film, when Mary's mother comes to collect her. Some argue that "it's smaller" or "it's dressed differently", but close examination reveals that it really is the cardboard prop.

Quotes:

Peter Mitchell: [reading a review of a boxing match in a hushed, storytelling way] The champ caught Smith with a savage left hook...
Michael Kellam: What are you reading her?
Peter Mitchell: [responding to Michael in same tone] It doesn't matter what I read, it's the tone you use. She doesn't understand the words anyway, now where were we?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Step by Step: Three Girls and a Baby (#5.2)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

My Girl

Fun comedy about three confirmed bachelor dads

This is a really cute, light hearted comedy. The plot may be pretty unrealistic, the ending kooky & unbelievable, and don't get your morals from it, but all in all...it's great fun to watch.

The story revolves around three carefree bachelors (Peter, Michael, and Jack) who share a New York City apartment. All are busy with their jobs, girlfriends, and social lives and have no intention of settling down anytime soon. While actor Jack is away shooting a movie, a baby is left outside their apartment door with a note indicating that this is Jack's child from an affair with his co star (though he's previously been unaware of this offspring's existence). His two room mates mistakenly believe that they are to deliver the baby to a couple of men who appear at the door asking for 'a package'. Right before they are about to hand the baby over, they realize these men are drug dealers. Then the bachelors have to contend with the baby's care as well as the drug dealers' demands for payment.

The three bachelors are played by famous name stars...Tom Sellick (Peter, the architect), Steve Guttenberg (Michael, the artist), and Ted Danson (Jack, the actor). Their considerable talents and playboyish charisma have a lot to do with this movie's success. The unlikely trio must learn to juggle the demands of baby care with their careers and social lives. It's really fun to watch them in all the stereotypical hilarious circumstances of diapering and baby tending. The men's paternal instincts come into play and the bachelors grow quite attached to the little tyke.

Directed by Leonard Nimoy (Spock, my favourite), this is a generally light, mindless, and entertaining movie that shows how these three 'hunks' & confirmed bachelors are won over by little baby Mary. Switch your brain into neutral and enjoy the ride.