User reviews

One of the greatest of stars of the British cinema was Anna Neagle and her marriage with her producer Herbert Wilcox has a just claim of one of the greatest star/impresario partnerships in history. Right up there with David Belaco/Mrs. Leslie Carter and Phineas T. Barnum/Jenny Lind.

Wilcox made a three picture deal with RKO Pictures and brought Anna over to this side of the pond to star in three film versions of famous musical comedies, Irene, Sunny, and this film No No Nanette. Though her charm and singing and dancing talent come through, the two that I've seen so far seem to suffer from a lack of decent production values.

The Vincent Youmans score is almost completely eliminated as the only numbers retained are the title song and the standards I Want To Be Happy and Tea For Two. Still Anna does them charmingly with both her co-star Richard Carlson and her uncle Roland Young.

The plot is on two tracks, there's débutante Nanette who is courted by artist Richard Carlson and Broadway director Victor Mature. And her uncle Roland Young is an incurable romantic, forever pursuing young ladies to the displeasure of her aunt Helen Broderick. Trundling through it all is the family maid Zasu Pitts who has the difficult task of keeping everybody's secrets.

The version I saw was only 87 minutes and it says here that the USA version was 96 and the UK version of No No Nanette was 116. It was thought for a long time the film was lost altogether so I'm guessing it was pieced together as best it could be. Because of the unavoidable bad editing I can't give it more than I have.

Still for fans of Anna Neagle, something to see.

My roommate got the No, No, Nanette soundtrack as a dub on a tape and she proceeded to listen to it non-stop. After it finally totally brainwashed me into submission, I found the songs to be irresistible, especially the famous, I want to be happy, but I can't be happy... But of coarse from the soundtrack I had no idea what the film was about. So the other day I saw a copy of it at the video store and I rented what was supposed to be a long lost version of the film. I was thinking that it was going to be amazing, because the soundtrack is so cute. Unfortunately most of the songs that I loved were nowhere to be found in the video I saw. Now I've never seen the 1930 version of the musical but this version was sadly disappointing because there was very little singing and practically no dancing and beside that the sound was really bad through out and you couldn't really understand what people were saying a lot of the time. Really the only highlights of this film were the outrageous 1940's fashion. Nanette wears this crazy hat with two feathers that stick out like rabbit ears and Kansas Kitty has this bizarre feather muff that she keeps on her fore arm and then has herself wrapped in this net scarf. The one dance sequence is a little weird too with Nanette doing this weird ballet stuff with pin-up girl imagery superimposed on top of her. Actually one more bright spot of the film was the artist Guillespe who dreams of being a fine artist but it currently condemned to drawing pin-up girls for money. I like how Guillespe keeps it old school, and disses Nanette when his masterpiece, the piece that was to make his career, is sold by Nanette for a paltry $5250. Doesn't she realize that that piece was his immortality? Silly rabbit/girl with your feather rabbit ears on your hat. When will you learn? Why doesn't he just pencil in a cigarette before the ad men take the Work away?

This is one of the strangest 'musicals' I've ever seen. I saw that one commenter had played Jimmy Smith in a production in 1974. I myself was one of the twin pianists in the Broadway show for the last 6 months of the run, in which I worked with Ruby Keeler, Helen Gallagher, Bobby Van, and Patsy Kelly, and after Keeler left, for Martha Raye, who was taking Patsy Kelly's maid role over but was given Ruby's big 'I want to Be Happy' number. It didn't work, but this had been a great experience for me.

I had watched 'Tea for Two' a few years ago, thought it was just fair, nothing special, I was watching just a bunch of old Doris Day things from that period. This was not one of the best, unlike 'Love me or Love Me' or 'Calamity Jane'. I don't remember how much of the score it kept, not nearly all, but here you don't even get a single whole song, except maybe one full verse of 'Tea for Two', sung by Tom and Nanette in different places. That's fairly nice, but 'I want to Be Happy' is never but a snippet, there's a little of the title song that Neagle sings at the very beginning, still only a line or two; and I think later in the movie there is a snippet of 'Take a Little One Step', which was Ruby's other big number in the B'way show, but it is not even sung as a fragment. I really don't understand this, because the sets and costumes didn't look shoddy or cheap at all. Ms. Neagle is extremely pretty and quite charming, I thought. Victor Mature is stunningly handsome at that age, he really is very much the hunk already, and very sexy. Richard Carlson is also very handsome in a different, lighter kind of way. Beautiful young people and wonderful costumes and luxury are what are on display to enjoy. I looked at the cast of the 1930 version and that at least had Bill and Lucille Early from the original production, but this plot had almost no resemblance to the show I did. Nanette did not ballet (Ms. Neagle's dancing is not terribly distinguished) and both Tom and Nanette are much more naive and 'pure ingenue'. I was surprised I enjoyed as much as I did. I just gave up on it early on as having anything much at all to do with the show I enjoyed doing live. I think it had less music than any musical I ever saw: at least 'Louisiana Purchase', although it leaves out a lot of Berlin's songs, has a couple of big numbers, even if most of the songs are left out (and that's quite a good film.)

Having read the negative comments regarding this film, I can only say that these people are expecting too much. I found this film to be a delightful and funny comedy featuring many great character players from the past. Especially good was ZaSu Pitts, who was reprising her role from the 1930 original film, now lost. As to the negative comments regarding Anna Neagle, what"s not to like? I find her to be a competent actress, singer and dancer as well as being extremely attractive. All in all, not a bad film, especially for the $1.00 I shelled out for the DVD. Also hilarious in the film was Eve Arden, whose presence uplifts any film that she happens to be in.

This version is likely available at your local dollar store on DVD. The print is not great, nor is the sound, but if you have $1.00 and 90 or so minutes to spare, you'll get your money's worth (which is not saying an awful lot). Anna Neagle is extremely vapid as Nanette. Whatever her charms may have been back in the day, they are not evident in this film. A great number of fine character actors appear in this film (Helen Broderick, Zasu Pitts, Even Arden), but the material falls remarkably short of their talents. Still, it is interesting to see how such accomplished performers make the most of the weak writing. The musical numbers (there are really only two) are quite horrible. Clearly the studio did not feel compelled to cash in on the rich musicality of the original "No, No, Nanette". For what it's worth, the DVD can be had for $1.00. It's worth that much just to say you've seen it.

Okay, so there is a front view of a Checker taxi, probably late 1930s model. It has the great triangular shaped headlights. There also is a DeSoto cab in this black and white, character driven, almost a musical love gone wrong story.

The real pleasure here is the look at 1940s room interiors and fashions and hotel elevators. The hair styles, male and female are gorgeous. If Dolly Parton had Victor Mature's hair she could have made it big. There is an artist loft that would be the envy of every Andy Warhol wannabe.

If you watch this expecting a great Casablanca storyline or Sound of Music oom-pah-pah, you will be disappointed. There is a nice little story beneath the runway model approach in this film.

My copy on DVD with another movie for $1 was very viewable. The title sequence was cute but not up there with Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World or The Pink Panther. This was an RKO movie but it did not have the nice airplane logo that RKO used to use.

I liked Victor Mature in One Million, B.C., and Sampson and Delilah and especially in Violent Saturday. See if you can find that one. He was wonderful in the comedy with Peter Sellers called Caccia Alla Volpe or After The Fox.

Richard Carlson went on to do I Led Three Lives on TV in the early 1950s.

Vic Mature was offered the part of Sampson's father in the remake of Sampson and Delilah. He supposedly was asked if he would have any problems playing the part of the father since he was so well known as Sampson. Victor replied, "If the money is right, I'll play Sampson's mother."

Tom Willett

This sad little film bears little similarity to the 1971 Broadway revival that was such a 'nostalgic' hit. Keep in mind that when Burt Shevelove directed that revival, he rewrote the book extensively. I have a feeling that this screenwriter wrought as much of a change from the original 1925 version as well. I played the 'innocent philanderer' Jimmy Smith on-stage in 1974, and thought this $1 DVD would bring back memories. Not a chance. Even the anticipated delight of seeing "Topper" Roland Young play 'my' part was a major disappointment. Three songs from the play remain, and are done very poorly. Even the classic duet, "Tea For Two", is done as a virtual solo. The many familiar faces in this 1940 fiasco do not do themselves proud at all, and the star, Anna Neagle, just embarrasses herself. When I feel gypped by spending a dollar, I know the film must be bad. Another commentator mentioned the Doris Day version, which is actually called "Tea For Two" and is about doing the stage play (the original, of course), so those who are seeking the true "No No Nanette" might find a more recognizable version there.

Perhaps some nostalgia shielded me from the grainy picture and outrageous sound in this picture which came out a year into the European World War II, probably intended as escapist fare for the Allied side of the combattants. It is a funny story, but probably the plot is as old as history. Anna Neagle, a very versatile (still) young actress,who could do Queen Victoria, Nell Gwynn and many other roles,shows herself mistress of fluid dialogue and continuity,vivacious,charming and witty, and knocks our more modern imports like the "propah, Oh so British Sounding" Julie Andrews and Elizabeth Taylor (the poor man's Vivian Leigh) into a cocked hat. There is a nice dance sequence while she dreams while being painted,and her voice is quite pleasant. There are sufficient conflicts and the film is not devoid of a moral issue: to paint for art's sake,or put out meretricious subjects in order to advertise smoking. Helen Broderick,Zasu Pitts,Eve Arden, who rather hams her part,are in nice supporting roles,with Richard Carlson (who has a passable voice) and Victor Mature as the male juvenile leads.

Well I just paid a dollar for a DVD of this movie, and it wasn't even worth that. It seems to be from a poor print and is in the public domain, I am guessing.

Neagle - despite her glory, awards, and reputation - is a homely British gal who can't sing or dance or act.

Some of the fine old Hollywood character actors on display here must have thought they were doing a classic. Director Herbert Wilcox (Neagle's husband) always thought Anna was the most exciting and talented femme on the screen. He was mistaken. She was improbably popular in Britain before and after WWII. Her "serious" roles are even more ludicrous than her musical appearance here.

Only a couple of the famous songs are included and neither one is well presented. Skip this one and find the one that stars Doris Day. At least you get some real comedy and professional style dancing!

This film, originally released at Christmas, 1940, was long thought lost. A very poor copy has resurfaced and made into a CD, now for sale. Don't buy it! The film is unspeakably terrible. The casting is poor, the script is awful, and the directing is dreadful.

Picture Roland Young singing and dancing. And that was the highlight.

Perhaps this movie was lost deliberately.

This is a sprightly glittering musical comedy with above all splendid music and great comedians at their best, especially Roland Young as the incorrigible millionaire constantly getting mixed up with unbearable divas and risking a constant divorce. Anna Neagle is at her most charming, Victor Mature is still young and handsome here, but his part is small, but there are many hilarious scenes. One misses the great days of comedy of the old Hollywood of the 30s, continuing shining with splendour all the way up to Pearl Harbour, which changed everything for the worse. Richard Carlson plays the most sympathetic part as the artist painting her portrait, leading up to 'Tea for Two'. Helen Broderick plays the wife of Roland Young, another ace of a comedienne. Today it's a bit oldish and outdated, but its charm is definitely irresistible and will endure through many more decades.

The original stage version of NO, NO, NANETTE was a flop in its Chicago try-outs until its producer (who did not sell Babe Ruth to the Yankees to finance the show; he had sold the contract five years earlier) called in Irving Cesar and Vincent Youmans to write "I Want to Be Happy" and "Tea for Two". The meringue tunes fit the nonsense plot and it became a hit. So when Herbert Wilcoxon got his hands on the property to film it as a vehicle for Anna Neagle for RKO, he felt free to dump its Code-problematic plot about scandal in Atlantic City for a bit of nonsense.

Roland Young is married to Helen Broderick, who owns all the bonds, but he keeps offering to help out predatory young women; Miss Neagle keeps getting him out of jams, which gets her pursued by show producer Victor Mature and artist Richard Carlson in a comedy that is way more forced than funny. There are plenty of comics in the supporting cast, including Billy Gilbert, Zasu Pitts, Eve Arden and Torben Meyer, but none of them get much of a chance to distinguish themselves. Wilcoxon's directorial eye is all on Miss Neagle, and while she is, as always, lovely, charming and very Irish in her singing -- which always surprises me, given that she was as English as they came -- the movie suited neither her, the contemporary audience, nor me.

This almost-musicless but highly enjoyable musical, though released in 1940, contains all the conventions of the thirties comedies: A perky heroine who meddles in everyone's lives with sociopathic "pranks", and exotic gold-diggers whom she's combatting; a ludicrously lecherous uncle, and a knowing, wisecracking wife; anti-cultural attitudes, yet hilariously pseudo-cultural touches in numbers; sublimely silly plot complications and coincidences with surrealistically unlikely outcomes; and an environment where airplanes have sleeping-bunks, all women own enormous wardrobes of real fabric and real fur, and homes and hotels are all done in snowy white. Plus it's great fun to see some of Hollywood's then-abundant great "character" players working together, and to catch later stars before their images were forever fixed. Just imagine the innocence and aspirations of a world where an airline stewardess is clothed in an expensive military-style uniform, all of white!

This is a terrible movie, terrible print with strange edits. Made in 1940 it has all the froth and stock characters from 30's musicals without the music. Not familiar with Anne Neagle but here I wasn't impressed with her English accent coming and going. She was far too old for the role and looked it, especially in a hairdo and clothing for a 19 year old. Her only gown that didn't make her look ridiculous was the painting, dream sequence. And that was awful I don't know whether it was the choreography or her dancing but it did not work. Without fabulous musical numbers you are left to follow the plot which was unfathomable. So unless you are studying the period do not bother.

"No, No Nanette" is a dull little film--though it certainly didn't have to be. It has lots of likable supporting actors and should be a cute comedy, but it never stirred my interest. Because it isn't a particularly distinguished movie, I can understand how it slipped into the public domain.

Anna Neagel stars as Nanette. During much of the film, she's helping her uncle (Roland Young--playing a VERY typical sort of role for him) untangle himself from problems resulting from too much flirting. Although he doesn't seem to want another woman, he likes flirting and unless he can do something about these women, his marriage will be over, In the process of helping the uncle, Nanette meets a couple men who fall for her (Richard Carlson and Victor Mature).

The film isn't funny. And, the songs are pretty forgettable. I have rarely been this bored by a film that sure looked good. Much of it was the kooky style of comedy and much of it was that Neagel seemed to try a bit too hard to be a doofus. All I know is that poor writing made this one quite forgettable.

Having watched Victor Mature in Cecil B. DeMille's 'Samson and Delilah', I wanted to see what his track record was like leading up to 1949. That's why I watched this film. Don't waste your time. DeMille obviously got the best out of Mature, and most of his films before and after 'Samson and Delilah' are insignificant. I know he made 'One Million B.C.' which was rubbish, but the reason why this film has not stood the test of time is because it comes nowhere near the quality of 'Kiss of Death'. Although Mature can act, he was lucky to get into the films he did because they weren't very good. Even 'My Darling Clementine' wasn't very good. What made 'Samson and Delilah' work was a good script, but this film lacks good writing.

Looks like RKO was showcasing lead actress Neagle. She's in almost every frame, trying hard, all bounce and giggles as aging ingenue Nanette. Trouble is she may be trying too hard without let-up. Then too, the airy farce is itself trying too hard, almost frantic in its machine gun editing and pacing. Too much spark speeds by without time to digest or to maybe even enjoy. The rapid-fire also undercuts a good chance to dig into a stellar cast of supporing players, like Pitts, Arden, and Gilbert. Nonetheless, there are compensations, such as occasional snappy dialogue, women's hat stabbers, and a sexy character named Sonyabich (How'd they get that one by the censors). Anyway, had the pacing slowed without trying to crowd in so much, along with more and better musical numbers, the musical farce might have scored, instead of speeding its way into movieland obscurity.