The coolest thing about the Warner Archive July 11, 2017 DVD release of the 1950 Doris Day/Gordon MacRae musical comedy "Tea for Two" is that it is another example of Archive providing a lesson about the Golden Age of Hollywood. The next most cool thing is that (like most musicals in the Archive catalog) , "Tea" includes several well-known classic tunes. The soundtrack (which includes songs by a Georgeless Ira Gershwin) extends beyond the titular composition to include "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "No, No Nanette."
The notable (pun intended) elements of history and song converge regarding the premise of "Tea." Day plays Roaring 20s orphaned wealthy heiress Nanette Carter, who is blissfully unaware that beloved Uncle Max not heeding the signs of the Market Crash of 1929 has left her destitute. This ignorance is behind Nanette pledging $25,000 to stage the latest musical of producer boyfriend Larry Blair (longtime Day friend and future "Doris Day Show" star Billy DeWolfe. This prompts Max to take the extreme gamble (pun intended) of betting his niece the amount needed to fund the production that she cannot say "no" to every question for 48 hours and that she not tell anyone about that wager.
This update (which includes songs from the original) of the 1925 stage play "No, No Nanette" is the latest example of Archive showing how many Hollywood films of the first half of the 20th century creatively rework movies and plays. The (Unreal TV reviewed) Archive releases of the Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford versions of "Mrs. Cheyney" is a prime example of this.
The casting of DeWolfe warrants an additional historic note. This is a prime example of a closeted gay actor not very successfully playing it "straight" in films. He is very fey and has zero romantic chemistry with Day; fortunately, their spectacular comedic chemistry more than compensates for that.
MacRae comes in the picture as songwriter Jimmy Smith, who (along with a partner whom Gene Nelson plays) is providing the songs for the song-and-dance spectacular that Blair is staging.
Eve Arden also shines as Nanette secretary/spinster/surrogate big sister Pauline Hastings, who is charged with ensuring that her employer meets the requirements of the bet. This gives Arden countless opportunities for mildly bawdy wisecracks regarding the not-so-fair sex.
Warner provides more fun in including the following theatrical trailer that is incredibly delightful and clever while also showcasing highlights from the film.
Although hilarity ensues before the aforementioned wager, the real action begins when Day invites the entire cast and crew of the play to spend the weekend at her large country house. That has fussy Max contending with a gaggle of enthusiastic chorus boys and girls.
Of course, everything comes down to the wire but works out in the end. It further achieves the rare trick in 2017 of leaving the audience with smiles on their faces and the titular tine on their lips as the "The End" flashes across the screen.
The plethora of bonus features includes the apt 1950 Joe McDoakes comedy short "So You Want to Hold Your Husband" starring future George Jetson voice actor George O'Hanlon as a man whose marriage goes from bliss to boredom in 10 short years. We also get the Tom and Jerry "Tee for Two" in which this pair have a hilariously violent golf game. The goodness continues with a Day and MacRae on a radio show and a lost overture.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Tea" is strongly encouraged to email me; you also can connect on Twitter via @tvdvguy.
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