Bert Kalmar (Fred Astaire) always wanted to be a magician, but all it takes is a disastrous opening night to make his dreams go poof! So, Kalmar moves on and finds songwriting magic with collaborator Harry Ruby. The stage-and-screen songsmiths whose many tunes include Groucho Marx’s signature Hooray for Captain Spaulding receive a Hollywood hooray in this audience-favorite screen biopic featuring a hit parade and Kalmar and Ruby standards (including “(Nevertheless) I’m in Love with You”, “Who’s Sorry Now”, and the title tune). Astaire puts on his dancing shoes for dazzling duets with Vera-Ellen, and a tap solo. The film was a box-office smash and a wonderful showcase for the terpsichorean talents of Astaire and Vera-Ellen, and one of Red Skelton’s best screen performances, which gave him the opportunity for a more substantial acting role that did just rely on his trademark comic genius. The film also is highlighted by a star-turn by Debbie Reynolds who portrays boop-oop-a-doop sensation Helen Kane, performing “I Wanna Be Loved By You” to vocals provided by Miss Kane herself.
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Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Three Little Words with a glorious new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original Nitrate Technicolor Negatives. Warner Archive always seems to be in the groove when it comes to their Technicolor films, and this is an absolute showstopper. The restoration has eradicated any trace of dirt and damage, which gives the feature an enduring timelessness. The film spotlights sumptuous colors within the costumes and settings that radiate off the screen with a vibrant intensity. The black levels are incredibly deep with the necessary stability throughout. The level of detail and clarity is second to none with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. There do not appear to be any serious digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. Warner Archive continues to be one of our favorites for a reason.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive provides the original theatrical mono audio track via a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that fires on all cylinders. With music being the driving force of the narrative, it is with great pleasure to report that the track nails these elements flawlessly. The track balances vocals with the rich accompanying music with the foremost clarity. There are moments when the track is juggling quite a bit with all of the competing elements, but the track maintains its fidelity without a hiccup. Normal dialogue comes through crisp and clear from beginning to end. Warner Archive has provided a first-rate audio presentation that does not showcase any obvious signs of age-related wear and tear. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Three Little Words – Two Swell Guys: A 15-minute archival featurette that takes a look at the dramatization of the real-life musical duo, the liberties taken with their story, the performers that brought them to life, and more. There are some great insights from historians and classic lyricists.
- Ventriloquist Cat: A seven-minute Tex Avery short from 1950 in HD in which a cat plays a series of practical jokes on a dog.
- Roaming Through Michigan: A nine-minute live-action James A. Fitzpatrick short that is a bit of a travelogue of Lake Michigan.
- Paula Stone’s Hollywood USA Radio Promo: A nearly 12-minute radio program that shines a spotlight on Three Little Words.
- Theatrical Trailer: A nearly four-minute trailer is provided for the film.
Final Thoughts
Three Little Words is a rousing and engaging biopic that shines a spotlight on a songwriting duo who created songs you almost definitely know even if you never thought about who wrote them. The pairing of Fred Astaire and Red Skelton is movie magic as each of them brings a special brand of charisma to their characters that makes them magnetic on screen. The film does a nice job of balancing the interpersonal drama with the creative process, and even drama that is potentially manufactured plays quite well. This film is a strong outing for everyone involved. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray with a wonderful A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. If you like the talent involved, this is not to be missed. Recommended
Three Little Words can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
