Honeymoon for Three

Slim comedy that boasts terrific comic performances by stars Sheridan and Brent as bickering secretary/boss who confront a hoard of adoring women fans who flock to see their favorite author (Brent). Good support from old reliables like Charlie Ruggles, Walter Catlett, Lee Patrick, and Jane Wyman in a small part. The stars are definitely better than their material here, but the film has a lot of funny lines and cute confrontations. Ann Sheridan--one of the most underrated actresses of her time--is especially gorgeous!

Who would ever think that amiable, but rather wooden, George Brent could have a deft comedic touch? In this, as a put-upon author, he is terrific, engagingly silly, with great timing. Maybe it is the truly snappy dialogue by the Epstein brothers, who worked on so many great Warners films, including Casablanca. Or maybe it was playing opposite Ann Sheridan (a year or so after the movie was made the two were married for a year). As Brent's long-suffering secretary, Sheridan also shines, as she did in most of her films, and is absolutely gorgeous as well. The film is fast-paced farce, with a double-dinner restaurant scene that is positively manic. If you ever get a chance to see this movie, grab it. It will leave you smiling.

The plot has been used before and since but the dialogue is extremely funny. George Brent does a good job but Charlie Ruggles steals every scene he is in but even so Ann Sheridan is gorgeous and I couldn't

stop looking at her. She was a beautiful woman.. I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend it to lovers of good clean comedy.

Successful author Kenneth Bixby (George Brent) is on a book tour with his wisecracking secretary Anne Rogers (Ann Sheridan). She insists that they get married sooner or sooner. He keeps getting notes and flowers from Miriam which is the title of his book. He is hounded by his many fans and acquaintances which leads to some sitcom ideas.

This starts out fine with a fun Ann Sheridan and a stiff George Brent. I can see some dagger dialogue from her being thrown at him. She's the best. He's less. Once all the other characters enter, she has less space to work. This is a bit of screwball fun. It's a passable comedy.

The individual scenes and performances are hilarious, but if you sit back and look at the big picture it really doesn't make much sense. Author Kenneth Bixby (George Brent) has proposed to his secretary Anne (Ann Sheridan), and in the first scene she accepts. Apparently Ken has a roving eye for the ladies, and Anne knows this yet is ready to marry this guy. Now maybe that might make sense because love generally trumps common sense. What doesn't make sense is when Ken's now married old flame of eight years ago, Julie (Osa Massen), shows up acting like a groupie with Ken not even remembering her at first, yet he still agrees to have a romantic rendezvous with her. Ken is supposed to be such the ladie's man yet he acts like Julie is a hot potato he would just as soon get rid of - so why doesn't he? Ken behaves more like a kleptomaniac than a great lover - carting Julie around like a stolen watch where the thrill of the crime is much more exciting than the ill gotten loot to which he is largely indifferent. Likewise, secretary Anne seems to enjoy catching Ken in the act of lying about other women and doesn't seem disappointed in his behavior at all.

The individual scenes, witty dialogue, and performances make up for all of this to a degree. There is the great Charlie Ruggles as Julie's husband who is grateful that someone has come along - Ken - to finally rid him of her annoying presence without him having to pay alimony. Then there is Jane Wyman as Julie's cousin and William Orr as her overbearing fiancé who want to insert themselves into the Julie/Ken romance as the keepers of decency with their elaborate schemes to keep the two apart.

It's a good thing this is a comedy because there is nobody to sympathize with in this film. Julie would be a sympathetic figure if she just wasn't so manic and emotionally needy. Likewise I'd feel sorry for Anne if she didn't have the annoying habit of undoing Ken's one positive character trait - that of being a big tipper. Anytime Ken leaves a tip she takes it out of the waiter's hand and replaces it with something much smaller.

I'd recommend this one if you are just willing to take off your thinking cap, laugh, and enjoy.