Three for the Show (1955)

A widowed singer marries her late husband's songwriting partner, which leads to trouble when her first husband turns up very much alive.

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Edward Hope (screenplay), Leonard Stern (screenplay)

Stars:

Betty Grable, Marge Champion, Gower Champion

Cast

Cast overview:
Betty Grable	...	Julie Lowndes
Marge Champion	...	Gwen Howard
Gower Champion	...	Vernon Lowndes
Jack Lemmon	...	Martin 'Marty' Stewart
Myron McCormick	...	Mike Hudson

Storyline

This musical reworking of TOO MANY HUSBANDS (1940), features Grable as a top singer and dancer who's been widowed by WW II. She marries her late husband's songwriting partner, Gower Champion, but the new marriage is thrown for a loop when Lemmon, her first husband, turns up very much alive and eager to see Grable.

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Plot Keywords:

remake | based on play | color remake of black and white film | killed in action | feud | 

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Taglines:

LET'S GO! TO THE YEAR'S TOP MUSICAL SHOW! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" aria #4 & #5 were played during fighting dance song.

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Quotes

Gwen Howard: I wonder what kind of champagne I should order.
Vernon Lowndes: Depends what you're launching.

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Connections

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon (1988)

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Soundtracks

How Come you Do Me Like You Do
Words and Music by Gene Austin and Ray Bergere
Performed by Betty Grable (uncredited)

User Reviews

Watch It for an Appreciation of Betty Grable

If you have managed to somehow miss this musical, watching it 60+ years after it was released is a revelation. Betty Grable's appeal makes sense to me at last, in this her last major film at the age of 39. The plot in a nutshell: A successful performer has been widowed by World War II. She marries her late husband's songwriting partner, played by Gower Champion, but the new marriage becomes a racy ménage a trois when her first husband, played by Jack Lemmon, shows up alive and eager to claim his conjugal rights. Grable plays her cards right, through a series of dreamy song and dance sequences with music by George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Hoagy Carmichael. The extraordinary dance team of Marge and Gower Champion has never looked better, nor have "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Just One of Those Things," and "I've Got a Crush on You" ever sounded better. Some critics say Grable imitated Marilyn Monroe; I prefer to think that her performance was a gesture of handing over the "Hollywood's hottest blonde" crown to Monroe and quitting while she was ahead, which she definitely was in this film. Favorite line from Grable: I've got what most women want-a lover and a husband and they're both legal!"

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 February 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Pleasure Is All Mine

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1