There's a gem of casting here with future "Granny" Irene Ryan and former "wicked witch" Margaret Hamilton as spinster sisters, with the more obscure Moyna MacGill as the third "Whistler's Mother" look-alike, the three meanest ladies on their block who pride themselves in having the reputation for being disliked. When a charming pick-pocket (the always delightful Florence Bates) and her "adopted" daughter (Diana Lynn) move into their home, you know that before long, they are going to prove that these three sour old biddies have big hearts of gold. Bates teaches them how to play poker and even gets them involved in the fun house owned by Michael Chekhov where eccentrics can go to pass the time fulfilling their fantasies. The very handsome Guy Madison, whom Lynn initially believes to be an escaped convict, poses as her brother, and gets Lynn a job working in the fun house which goes into a bit of haywire when the three sisters and Bates show up to utilize Chekhov's contraptions.
Told in flashback through the stories of bartender James Dunn to customer Jesse White, the convoluted structure takes time in getting its footing. It is obviously trying to be more artistic than it really is, but with all of the great character performers, it is hard to resist. Bates truly steals the show (when didn't she?) as the delightfully droll con-artist who helps crack the facade of the three sisters. Delightful character performers like Clem Bevans, William Frawley and Lionel Stander also add to the merriment which was an odd feature for future gimmick director William Castle to helm. This would have been slightly better had it eliminated the flashback set-up as well as the useless characters involved in its narrative.
Told in flashback through the stories of bartender James Dunn to customer Jesse White, the convoluted structure takes time in getting its footing. It is obviously trying to be more artistic than it really is, but with all of the great character performers, it is hard to resist. Bates truly steals the show (when didn't she?) as the delightfully droll con-artist who helps crack the facade of the three sisters. Delightful character performers like Clem Bevans, William Frawley and Lionel Stander also add to the merriment which was an odd feature for future gimmick director William Castle to helm. This would have been slightly better had it eliminated the flashback set-up as well as the useless characters involved in its narrative.