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Three Wise Fools

  • 1946
  • Passed
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
416
YOUR RATING
Three Wise Fools (1946)
40 years since Richard, James, and Theodore insulted 'The O'Monahan' and he put a vexing blessing on them, all three have obtained their dreams of grandeur, but they all live in one house as bachelors. Into this grand house comes 7-year-old Sheila with a request that these three become her guardians. But they do not want her, and they let her leave. Then they discover that they need the property she has inherited, so they take her and O'Davern into the house with the express intention of relieving Sheila of her property so they can donate it to the University in their names and buy remembrance in the future. But Sheila cannot sell the property because of the 'little people.'
Play trailer2:32
1 Video
8 Photos
ComedyDramaFantasy

40 years since Richard, James, and Theodore insulted 'The O'Monahan' and he put a vexing blessing on them, all three have obtained their dreams of grandeur, but they all live in one house as... Read all40 years since Richard, James, and Theodore insulted 'The O'Monahan' and he put a vexing blessing on them, all three have obtained their dreams of grandeur, but they all live in one house as bachelors. Into this grand house comes 7-year-old Sheila with a request that these three ... Read all40 years since Richard, James, and Theodore insulted 'The O'Monahan' and he put a vexing blessing on them, all three have obtained their dreams of grandeur, but they all live in one house as bachelors. Into this grand house comes 7-year-old Sheila with a request that these three become her guardians. But they do not want her, and they let her leave. Then they discover... Read all

  • Director
    • Edward Buzzell
  • Writers
    • John McDermott
    • James O'Hanlon
    • Austin Strong
  • Stars
    • Margaret O'Brien
    • Lionel Barrymore
    • Lewis Stone
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    416
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Edward Buzzell
    • Writers
      • John McDermott
      • James O'Hanlon
      • Austin Strong
    • Stars
      • Margaret O'Brien
      • Lionel Barrymore
      • Lewis Stone
    • 14User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:32
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos8

    Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Thomas Mitchell, Lewis Stone, and Henry Sylvester in Three Wise Fools (1946)
    Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Thomas Mitchell, Margaret O'Brien, and Lewis Stone in Three Wise Fools (1946)
    Lionel Barrymore, Billy Barty, Edward Arnold, Billy Curtis, Bobby Driscoll, Nita Krebs, Thomas Mitchell, Margaret O'Brien, and Lewis Stone in Three Wise Fools (1946)
    Three Wise Fools (1946)
    Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Thomas Mitchell, Margaret O'Brien, and Lewis Stone in Three Wise Fools (1946)
    Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Margaret O'Brien, and Lewis Stone in Three Wise Fools (1946)
    Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Margaret O'Brien, and Lewis Stone in Three Wise Fools (1946)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Margaret O'Brien
    Margaret O'Brien
    • Sheila O'Monahan
    Lionel Barrymore
    Lionel Barrymore
    • Dr. Richard Gaunght
    Lewis Stone
    Lewis Stone
    • Judge James Trumbell
    Edward Arnold
    Edward Arnold
    • Theodore Findley
    Thomas Mitchell
    Thomas Mitchell
    • Terence Aloysius O'Davern
    Ray Collins
    Ray Collins
    • Judge Watson
    Jane Darwell
    Jane Darwell
    • Sister Mary Brigid
    Charles Dingle
    Charles Dingle
    • Paul Badger
    Harry Davenport
    Harry Davenport
    • The Ancient
    Henry O'Neill
    Henry O'Neill
    • Horace Appleby
    Cyd Charisse
    Cyd Charisse
    • Rena Fairchild
    Warner Anderson
    Warner Anderson
    • The O'Monahan
    Billy Curtis
    Billy Curtis
    • Dugan
    Ernie Adams
    Ernie Adams
      Bob Alden
      • Young O'Davern
      • (uncredited)
      Martin Ashe
      Martin Ashe
      • Photographer
      • (uncredited)
      Bobby Barber
      Bobby Barber
      • Jury Member
      • (uncredited)
      Billy Barty
      Billy Barty
      • Bit
      • (uncredited)
      • Director
        • Edward Buzzell
      • Writers
        • John McDermott
        • James O'Hanlon
        • Austin Strong
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        "Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 1, 1947 with Margaret O'Brien and Lionel Barrymore reprising their film roles.
      • Goofs
        In the first long shot of the oak tree and the subsequent first close-up of its base, the base is different, both in its shape and in how high the lowest branches are off the ground.
      • Quotes

        [first lines]

        The Ancient: [voice over] Once upon a long, long time ago, the great knowing God polished up an acorn, and planted it in a fragrant meadow, and whoooosh, a hundred years went sliding by, and a great, wide spreading oak stood in a garden, its branches reaching for the tumbling clouds, its roots grown deep in Mother Earth. Now this was a garden of a house where people lived, but here, the amazing thing, not one of them realized that the tree was our home, the home of a clan of pixies. Now under this tree, these people lived and loved and laughed and cried - just like us - and most of 'em were very nice... when they let themselves be.

      • Connections
        Featured in I Married a Munchkin (1994)

      User reviews14

      Review
      Review
      Featured review
      8/10
      What a cast!
      A wonderful, entertaining film with an all-star cast. Every scene seems to introduce another classic movie star. While the story centers around Margaret O'Brien, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Edward Arnold and Thomas Mitchell, other familiar faces include Harry Davenport, Jane Darwell, Ray Collins, Cyd Charisse, Warner Anderson, Barbara Billingsley, Billy Barty and Jerry Maren. Humorous and fun, Margaret works her endearing charm on the three crusty old birds who have become the new men in her life.

      I agree that films such as this deserve to be made available for DVD purchase, most likely in a best of Margaret O'Brien set. Unfortunately for us classic film buffs, the sales numbers would pale in comparison to those for the latest CGI fantasy-action product that can be cross-marketed to toys, video games, theme parks, TV series' and numerous movie sequels. Thus the expectation for a DVD release by the corporation owning the film rights is minimal. They are only interested in profit margins. Long live TCM. And may there some day be a TCM II!
      helpful•10
      1
      • Movie_Palace
      • Jan 15, 2010

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      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • December 18, 1946 (Sweden)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Languages
        • English
        • Gaelic
      • Also known as
        • En liten tjuserska
      • Filming locations
        • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
      • Production company
        • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Budget
        • $1,274,000 (estimated)
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 30 minutes
      • Color
        • Black and White
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1

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