Tea for Two (1950)

Wonderful Movie

Truly Dreadful Film

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Not one of Doris Day's or Gordon MacRae's best, individually or together. 'On Moonlight Bay' and 'By the Light of the Silvery Moon' (both among the best films for both stars) are better collaborations of theirs.There is however a lot to like about 'Tea for Two', regardless of whether all those involved have done better in their careers. 'Tea for Two' could have been better certainly. One is aware that it has been well established that musicals are not really seen for their stories (whether it matters or not is wholly dependent on how well everything else is executed), but this story is so-so fluff at best and ridiculously daft at worst, the story being one of the most preposterous for any film musical made around this time.Some of 'Tea for Two' feels under-directed, though not as much as the still enjoyable 'Lullaby of Broadway' (with the same director involved), more in the non-song and dance numbers than in the musical scenes themselves. This is particularly in the SZ Sakall book-ending sequences, despite Sakall's best efforts those sequences seemed under-rehearsed and added very little. Virginia Gibson's character was underwritten and in a way incomplete, there was a sense that the film wanted to do more with her but couldn't.On the other hand, 'Tea for Two' looks great. Technicolor nearly always works wonderfully on film and particularly used to full advantage in musicals. It is a very lavishly produced film with a truly enchanting atmosphere. While not among the most memorable song scores, the songs are still incredibly pleasant and often very beautiful and puts one in a good mood, suiting the voices of Day and MacRae wonderfully. The title song, "I Only Have Eyes For You", "I Want to be Happy", "I Know that You Know" and Oh Me! Oh My!" are particularly good.They are aided by some great choreography as well. The big standout is Gene Nelson's jaw-dropping banister sequence, which has to be seen to be believed. The script is witty and full of warm-hearted charm, a lot of the best lines coming from Eve Arden.Day is luminous, looks very natural on screen and sings sublimely as always. MacRae would go on to better things but is charming, has a robust but beautiful baritone voice and his chemistry with Day is irresistible. Nelson once again proves himself to be quite the extraordinary dancer. Sakall plays the same character he usually does, but does it well so that doesn't matter so much, while Arden steals scenes with her terrific comic timing and witty lines. Even Billy DeWolfe, a take it or leave it performer whose shtick too often elsewhere doesn't hold up particularly well, is tolerable.In conclusion, not perfect but a tea-licious tea-light (pardon the very cheesy pun, really struggled to come up with a review summary) that pours well. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Two for Tea is a standard musical from the early 1950s enhanced by Gene Nelson's dancing and Eve Arden's characteristic wisecracks. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae are obviously fine singers and work well together. But I prefer Day in the musical western Calamity Jane and in her mid-decade dramatic turns in Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much and the Ruth Etting biopic Love Me or Leave Me. MacRae always seemed wooden to me but that may have been what was required during the period. I haven't seen him in other roles which demanded more from him other than to stand up and sing. The dancing gives the film life as in the Charleston number. Nelson shines when the film becomes his in the Crazy Rhythm jungle sequence and the solo dance on the staircase. I wonder what might have happened if he had been under contract to MGM instead of Warner Bros. Would two Genes at MGM have been one Gene too many? Who can say now, but it's pleasurable to imagine Nelson in a film directed by Stanley Donen.

OK, so the plot is far fetched; but the songs are classic, the singing is great, the dancing is sometimes amazing, the stars are fresh and cheerful -- it's just a great hour and a half of enjoyment.Early Doris Day shows why she was to become the biggest box-office draw of the mid '50s. Perfect pitch, perfect demeanour, perfect pertness -- a happy delight whatever your mood. And, if for no other reason than Eve Arden's cut and thrust, which made me laugh out loud, literally, this is worth watching, and enjoying. They just don't write lines like that any more.It is, as they say, what it is, and what it is is worth an 8.

I love musicals in general, but this is one of my favorites! Definitely 10 out of 10. With Doris Day in it... how can it go wrong! With an Uncle who is beside himself with the knowledge that her family money is gone and they are now broke, (because of the sudden "crash" of the stock market), he just can't bring himself to tell her. So when she wants to invest her money in a theatrical play (with herself in the lead), her Uncle makes her promise to say "No" to everything for 24 hours then he'll say OK. But.... Anything and everything happens in that 24 hours. Fun and light-hearted! A perfect combination of musical singing, acting,and comedy. I am just hoping Warner Bros will come out with it on DVD soon! hint hint :)