Cooktopi The acting in this movie is really good.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Josephina Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

thejcowboy22 Growing up I was huge fan of the TV show My Three Sons which aired on various networks in the 1960 & early 70's. Fred MacMurray was the stoic rock of Gibraltar Widower of three boys with the help of his house servant Uncles. I caught a Lucy Desi Comedy hour featuring the MacMurray's Fred and his lovely blonde wife June. June Haver MacMurray was a Movie Actress in her day as a triple threat, Singing, Dancing and Acting. I caught this movie totally by accident on TCM and it's a typical 1950's period piece musical from Warner Brothers. Our movie takes place in turn of the century Manhattan. Vaudeville was the main and affordable means of entertainment for the masses at that time. To further explain what Vaudeville was; a variety of entertainment filled with unrelated vignettes with a mixture of song. dance, magic and comedy acts. Vaudeville theaters sprung up all over the country like Starbuck's franchises of today. Streetcar conductor Dennis O'Grady (James Barton)a widower with Three daughters is a traditionalist with a strict code of rules for his Lassies to abide by. Meet only Irish men with a college education and most importantly don't bring home any Show Business performers.You see Dennis O'Grady was also a showman in his day with an act featuring wife Rosie. But his dear departed Wife Rosie died from the strain of show business and that's where he puts the blame never to return or even patronize the theater. The eldest of the three lovelies Kate tells her two younger sisters that she just eloped to an Irish Policeman Sean McClory (James Moore)Meanwhile an incident involving a forgotten Lunch-pale by Father O'Grady causes the two Sisters Patricia (June Haver) and a very young Maureen (Debbie Reynolds)in tow as they pass the (forbidden zone) passing the theater. A man who's wearing a hobo's costume makes a conversation with Patricia as he asked for a crust of bread. Pat panics and gives her Father's lunch to the bum. Unbeknownst to Pat that bum was the owner of the theater and he wasn't interested in food but more importantly wanted to make her acquaintance. That owner is the leading man in this story Tony Pastor (Gordon MacRae). After mistaken identities Pat and Gordon hit it off from the start as Patricia was always fascinated by the stage. Patricia would even put on her late Mother's costumes to the disdain of her Father. The Movie is really about silly traditions and mistaken information. One character of reason throughout the story is the chubby European knockwurst carrying S.Z. Sakall known as Cuddles plays Dennis O'Grady's best friend and co- worker. You know Cuddles from the movie Casablanca as Bogie's Cafe manager. One more player of noteworthy mention is dancer Gene Nelson who plays Doug Martin who is a headliner dancer for owner Pastor.. Patricia enters amateur contest as a singer but Doug comes to the rescue and saves her act and Patricia joins Tony Pastor's theater company as a regular. Doug and Patricia practice feverishly as Tony's jealousy brews watching the two bond as an act. Meanwhile Father O'Grady learns that his daughter is pregnant as the Doctor leaves his flat assuming it's Patricia with the showman Pastor responsible. To add to the confusion older married sister Kate is Pregnant with twins on the way but Father doesn't know she's married to Officer McClory. What does a Father do? Go to the tavern and get stewed and then disown the lot of them. As bad as it sounds it makes for a light hearten musical/story. Great movie to watch at Christmas or St. Patrick's Day.

vincentlynch-moonoi The good news is that the story line here, though predictable, is rather entertaining. Three Irish daughters are looking for romance (actually one is secretly married, another has fallen in love with vaudevillian Tony Pastor -- a real historical character, and the third is a little too young but dreaming of her future). However, their father hates show business, claiming that its stress and challenges took his wife's life when they were both vaudevillians.The bad news here is that memorable songs are few and far between...in fact, only the title song is dandy. The rest are forgettable.June Haver is the nominal star here as the daughter in love with Tony Pastor. She was a passable dancer, not quite so good on the singing.Marcia Mae Jones is the daughter who is already married, and again, does nicely here.Gordon MacRae is good as Tony Pastor. Too bad he didn't have very good songs to sing.Before watching the film, look up James Barton (the father) on Google. His is an interesting little biography.Gene Nelson is excellent as a dancer friend of Tony Pastor. I was never sure why he wasn't more of a star. Handsome and excellent dancer. S. Z. Sakall is here as a family friend, but unfortunately doesn't have much to do. Irene Seidner, a little known character actress, was good as the wife.Debbie Reynolds as the youngest daughter didn't have much to do here, although her role was tailored for her; she was 17-years-old at the time; it was her first speaking role in a film. BTW, according to Google, she had to have her ears glued back for the film!Jane Darwell has a small role as a neighbor...and it was nice to see her.It's a decent film. Not great. Not bad. Old-fashioned.

mark.waltz Aging Irishman Dennis O'Grady (James Barton) has become an embittered, aging father, forbidding his three daughters from going anywhere a theater, let alone going into show business or God forbid, dating or marrying someone in show biz. But when oldest daughter Patricia (June Haver) unwittingly gives away her papa's lunch to a vaudevillian, that forbodence is broken. That man is Tony Pastor (Gordon MacRae), a song and dance man who happens to have his own theater. Papa O'Grady is furious by all of this and disowns his daughter who ends up on the stage just like her famous vaudeville mother, Rosie, who apparently died years before, leaving the former song and dance man Dennis embittered by the memory. Barton's cuddly pal S.Z. Sakall is married to the frosty Irene Seidner, and they happen to be theater goers who uncover Patricia's presence in an amateur contest which leads her to professional success. MacRae's future "Oklahoma!" co-star Gene Nelson is his best friend here who dances while MacRae sings, particularly a big production number (although small by MGM and 20th Century Fox musical standards) called "On a Farm off Old Broadway". Of course, the three sisters get together to convince papa to change his old fashioned ways, which leads to a big Christmas finale to the tune of "Winter" where "Cuddles" Sakall makes an appearance on stage in a snow man's costume, enough of his "n'yuck n'yuck" to fill all of his movies. Poor Oscar Winner Jane Darwell is wasted as the nosy neighbor.All in all, this is a minor entry in movie musical standards, but entertaining for what it is. A young Debbie Reynolds shows some of her comic moxie in a small role as the youngest sister, but unfortunately, doesn't get to sing or dance. She is cute and perky, but fans of her will be disappointed by the lack of a musical number for her. Haver is likable, but for some reason, was always considered second best to Betty Grable during her 20th Century Fox years, and now second best to Warner Brothers' top musical star, Doris Day. Barton gives the best performance, truly touching when paying tribute to his late wife with "My Own True Love and I".

dalrymple-3 Here is a delightful musical comedy movie that should be put out on DVD so everyone can enjoy viewing it during the Christmas holiday season. If nothing else, it should be released in a box set of Christmas movies. In our opinion this film is drastically underrated by other critics. This is June Haver's best movie and Gordon Macrae is also outstanding and in excellent voice. Debbie Reynolds, in her film debut, and Gene Nelson are also very good. All of the songs are well done and memorable and we would like to see a CD soundtrack release, also. It has a strong plot that takes place during the 1890's. Some of the characters may have come from real life, but the plot, I am sure, is pretty much fiction. This movie is very entertaining all the way through to the wonderful grand musical and comedy finale. We try to watch it every year around the holiday season.