3 Men and a Little Lady (1990)

Sadly Over-hyped

Good movie but grossly overrated

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Complete with Ealing Comedy characters who last saw the light in 1950. And all so's we can make a few more bucks from our 3 "Creatives" ,this time as fishes out of water in the bucolic English countyside. We have Boarding Schools with Joyce Grenfell - like mistresses,bristling with hockeysticks and blackboard dusters,senile butlers like just about every film featuring a Country House,and a villainous would - be husband,beautifully spoken but rotten to the core. - like all aristos are of course. The "Boys" fly to England to prevent the mother of the now rather older "Baby" from marrying her Theatre - Director fiancée who is a thoroughly nasty piece of work. Tom Selleck(moustache as doleful as ever)decides he is in love with her. Ted Danson - in one of the most excruciatingly embarrassing scenes I have ever sat through - (only watchable through clenched fingers) does a turn(well,he is supposed to be an actor - don't call us Ted - we'll call you) where he pretends to be a senile vicar.You need to know no more. If things turn out real bad for the studio we may - 27 years on see "Three Pensioners and the feminist Vlogger". Never say never.

Mary is now 5. She and her mother Sylvia Bennington (Nancy Travis) have ingrained themselves into the lives of Peter Mitchell (Tom Selleck), Michael Kellam (Steve Guttenberg), and Jack Holden (Ted Danson). The five of them have become an unique family. Baby daddy Jack continues to be irresponsible while Peter is falling for Sylvia. Then she announces that she's marrying Edward Hargreave and moving to England.The comedy is not that funny. It feels especially sitcomy. It isn't fresh anymore. There is a compelling romance rising out of the ashes. The guys remain likable. Sylvia has a central role this time around along with little girl Mary. It's a secondary sequel and not quite that good.

I wasn't paying the fullest attention to the entirety of this sequel to the great original, from director Emile Ardolino (Dirty Dancing, Sister Act), but I certainly noticed it enough to realise it deserves the two star rating (out of five) from the critics. Basically Peter 'Pete' Mitchell (Tom Selleck), Michael 'Mike' Kellam (Steve Guttenberg) and Jack Holden (Ted Danson) are still living with Sylvia Bennington (Nancy Travis, with a little more believable English accent) and the daughter she and Jack had, now grown-up Mary (Robin Weisman). This story sees Sylvia's work making her move back to England, while Pete and Mike follow Jack is filming. The boys, especially Pete who eventually realises he loves Sylvia, are trying to make sure not only Mary has a good school, not boarding, and towards the end stop Sylvia's wedding to some bozo. Also starring Christopher Cazenove as Edward Hargreave, Sheila Hancock as Vera Bennington, Harry Potter's Fiona Shaw as Miss Elspeth Lomax, John Boswall as Barrow, Edward's Butler and Jonathan Lynn as Vicar Hewitt. To be honest, only the opening montage and music, and the only funny moment of the film when Jack is disguised with great make-up as a vicar, these are the only worthwhile parts. If you liked the first film, I would insist you don't bother with this nonsense, a terrible comedy sequel. Pretty poor!

I thought this was a fantastic sequel to a reasonably boring first film. There was very little to fault - the only possible thing to quibble about is the massive stereotyping used in the English sequences, but even then they controlled it in both hilarious and heartwarming ways! I thought the movie struck a great balance between addressing real emotional and social issues, while still offering some of the most brilliant comedy lines I've encountered in a movie. I thought the acting was spot on, the dialogue was great, and the story was fresh and unique.Definitely on my top 5 list of movie - this one has been watched over and over again!