User reviews

Jane Wyman is perky, freshly-scrubbed and impertinent (as usual) playing an stewardess-trainee with American Airlines. She clashes lightly with pilot Howard Keel and passenger Van Johnson up in the air before having a run-in with Barry Sullivan on the ground. All three men--each named Mike--quickly come around with romantic notions--this is the kind of '50s comedy where men can't wait to get hitched--but Wyman is so busy hatching ideas and shooting from the hip that she barely notices all their attention. What begins as a smartly-written and executed glimpse at a stewardess's life in the sky is soon hustled right into romantic comedy territory. The question is obvious: which Mike will our heroine choose? However, I didn't find any of these potential suitors capable of handling Wyman, who is continually mouthing off in a wide-eyed, nonchalantly feminine way. This puff-piece, directed with snap but no flair by Charles Walters, is nearly impossible to critique seriously; if pressed, I would have to say the fistfight in the photographer's apartment wouldn't really be worthy of front page news in the paper (did the fight last long enough for the reporters and shutterbugs to show up?). Walters captures first-day-on-the-job jitters exceptionally well, but Sidney Sheldon's screenplay goes soft too fast. The final line between the men is amusing, but what we don't get see at the fade-out is a career girl who feels alive up in the air quickly tied down in suburbia with kids tugging at her apron. **1/2 from ****

Have you ever noticed the amount of movies from the 1950s that were shot on location, showing grand landscape shots in aerial views, and sometimes out of airplane windows? Airplane travel wasn't what it is now; back in the day, it was an event, not an everyday occurrence. People dressed up in "travel clothes", looked forward to the meal served on the plane, and forged a connection with the stewardess for a few hours. If you're at all curious about the training and occupation of a 1950s stewardess, Three Guys Named Mike gives you a great education.

Jane Wyman stars as a young passionate woman starting her career as a stewardess in American Airlines. She balances over-confidence with total fear in order to cope on her first few trips, and while I normally can't stand her as an actress, Jane does give every emotion as her character's supposed to. Still, I absolutely hate her classic haircut, and I find her posture and mannerisms off-putting. Had the movie starred Claudette Colbert, Loretta Young, or Doris Day, it would have been understandable that three men would fight over here-but Jane Wyman? I don't get it.

The three men are Howard Keel, Van Johnson, and Barry Sullivan. Howard is an incredibly handsome airline pilot, Van is a poor science researcher, and Barry is an advertising executive. If you're wondering how Jane will ever choose between such fantastic prospects, you obviously have never laid eyes on Howard Keel in his captain's uniform. He should have just grinned into the camera for ninety minutes straight; the movie would have been fantastic. As it is, I couldn't understand why Jane would ever look at another man after meeting Howard!

I didn't end up liking the movie because Jane's character was an idiot and always made mistakes. But if you like movies that follow the same vein as Tom, Dick, and Harry, you can give this one a shot. At least you'll have eye candy to drool over.

Jane Wyman was one of the cutest actresses ever to grace the silver screen and she proves here that she still had IT in abundance in this anachronistic 1951 romp in which she portrays a stewardess adapting to the heady life and unique romantic opportunities that the flight attendant profession once represented for smart career-minded women a long, long time ago. American Airlines would have paid a hefty product placement fee in 2005 for all the great promotion they receive in this film, parts of which were shot aboard a real DC-3 (The Spirit of Washington) as it cruises the skies. The sunny natural cabin lighting does not do Van Johnson any favors inasmuch as the nasty scar across his forehead which MGM's make-up people always managed to conceal so adroitly is prominent to the point of distraction. I found his sardonic graduate-level researcher character to be a bit of an imperious drip. Sullivan is rarely anything more than a plot device: he never seems to be seriously in the running for her hand while Pilot Howard Keel is at his handsomest and he and Miss Wyman seem to share a real chemistry, so I was kept pleasantly off-balance throughout. There are some exciting scenes of downtown Chicago from the air (look for the River winding along Wacker Drive past the Merchandise Mart) and they have a camera fixed beneath the DC-3's fuselage which provides some stunning footage of actual landings. The uniforms are fun, and it effectively shows us the world of air travel that existed just prior to the dawn of the jet age. It's a memorable little trip for commercial aviation buffs, made only five months before Wyman's ex went back to the altar with Nancy Davis and turned her into the second Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

Honestly, there was no way I couldn't like this movie. As soon as I started watching it, I was hooked. Naturally, it was cheesy and unrealistic (IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE AND YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHICH MIKE SHE PICKS, DON'T READ ON!). Look, I wasn't expecting a surprise ending. Van Johnson was the first of the "Mikes" in the credits, so naturally my money was on him. I was just hoping for a better explanation of why he got the girl. He didn't do anything the other two Mikes didn't do. Through out the entire movie, Jane Wyman never even showed any favoritism toward him. I hate to say it, but this was an obvious case of "the biggest star" gets the girl. But don't get me wrong. I just think that with a little bit of better writing, they could have pulled it off better. But don't think this movie wasn't worth watching. I loved it!

Personally, I would have picked Howard Keel =P

"Three Guys Named Mike" is a story about a fledgling airline hostess from a small town who gets to fly the friendly skies and expand her horizons. Marcy Lewis (Jane Wyman) embraces her new way of life, experiences the joys of interacting with the public (people from different lands with their varied views) and meets three bachelors who happen to have the same first name. Marcy knows that married women cannot be hostesses, but she's not really trying to find a husband--she's too busy revolutionizing the ad world and the flight industry. But that doesn't stop men from throwing themselves at her. Particularly Howard Keel (a pilot), Van Johnson (a graduate student in scientific studies), and Barry Sullivan (a successful adman).

All four major players play their roles well, but the script is a trifling that is more interesting as a documentation of the flight procedures and customs of the time. While watching Wyman in this role, I kept thinking of June Allyson and, according to notes in the trivia section, the role was written for her. Ms. Wyman's voice also reminded me of Doris Day's at times.

Even with its paternalistic and sometimes sexist approach to the training and employment of stewardesses, the airlines industry (especially American Airlines) get a commercial from Hollywood in this film.

Keep the brain inoperative, and then may be one can somewhat enjoy it. Not too much though. The situations were too contrived to be true, even in 1950s. Can one really imagine a single stewardess in a flight ? Even small ATRs have more and that too a green-horn, on her first voyage ? No airline in their mind would risk it. Then the second part of the same episode - whose job it is to load the food trays ? Definitely not stewardess, the ground staff does it, Stewardess can at the maximum put them in the oven. But failure to load in the craft can't be her fault. And of course ven turning back the flight... was it neecssary ? Cleveland to Nashville would be only a couple of hours (at that time, not now) - and it must have reached the midway till the decision to turn-back was made ! (By the way, though the starting point wasn't mentioned, it is there at the terminus board, about 14:30). Too contrived and pulpy, even at the end to keep the neuronic network active. But keep it shut, and it is almost OK.

Jane Wyman is great as Marcy Lewis, an ambitious flight stewardess, in the golden era of flying, where flight attendants and flight crew were somewhat celebrity. Those days are gone obviously. Most people fly the friendly or unfriendly skies. The film shows Marcy, a young woman from Ohio, with aspirations to become one of the best flight attendants anywhere. During her fabulous career, she is courted by three men who all happen to be called Mike. There is Captain Mike Denison, the pilot who she offends as he offers her a lift to the airport on her first day. Then there is Mike Tracy, the science scholar and bartender, and Mike Lawrence, the advertising executive. They are played by some of Hollywood's leading men like Van Johnson. The supporting cast is equally impressive with Phyllis Kirk. It's a good film despite the fact that it's outdated by decades. Of course, there is one scene where Marcy is constantly sexually harassed by two male passengers aboard the flight.

For a picture that deals with flying, this one never gets off the ground.

With a writer like Sidney Sheldon on the screenplay (he wrote THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER along with some potboiler best-sellers), I expected at least a fair quota of witticisms. Wrong.

How JANE WYMAN selected this as a project in 1951 (three years after winning an Oscar for JOHNNY BELINDA), I have no idea. It gets worse as it plods on. All of it is entirely artificial, unappealing and witless.

Howard Keel and Van Johnson acquit themselves well despite the tiresome attempts at comedy made by the script--but Wyman is completely out of her element as a somewhat wacky dame who, on her first flight as a stewardess, forgets to bring the lunches aboard. This is supposed to be a cute situation that gets the story off to a hapless start. She soon finds herself being romanced by three different Mikes.

Barry Sullivan has another one of his thankless roles at MGM. And let's face it--Jane Wyman is a bit overage to be playing a perky young stewardess. It's the sort of fluffy role she would have been perfect for fifteen years earlier.

I kept hoping that after the first fifteen minutes the story would pick up and breeze along as a comedy should--especially with these players. Wrong again.

Skip it. You won't be missing anything.

Jane Wyman has dreams of being a stewardess, but, when her father tells her she talks too much and that could be a detriment, she almost didn't pass the interview. They want people who talk and are interested in people and in helping them. Well, that's Jane, plus more, a lot more. She's not your usual stewardess, as she has a mind of her own and gets into trouble for doing highly unconventional things. Then, she meets Howard Keel, who's named Mike, and who's a pilot. She doesn't know this yet and makes remarks about pilots. They have a antagonistic relationship from thereon, like a rooster and a chicken. Then, she meets Van Johnson, another guy named Mike, an up and coming and promising scientist. Then she meets Barry Sullivan, another guy named Mike, who's in advertising. From there, it takes off. For such a forgotten and inconsequential little film, this is actually very funny and enjoyable, courtesy of writer Sidney Sheldon's script, with quick and snappy one-liners. Of course, one wonders who does Jane pick? She has a good time with each and their scenes together are very sweet, particularly with Van and Howard. So sit back, enjoy the ride and let Jane and company do the rest, in this outing that's great fun!

Three Guys Named Mike is a pleasant and amusing comedy about an airline stewardess who gets romanced by Three Guys Named Mike. Jane Wyman is the stewardess and she sparkles as usual. The three guys she has to choose from are Van Johnson: research scientist, Howard Keel pilot: and Barry Sullivan advertising executive.

The story is based on the real life experiences of American Airlines stewardess Ethel Welles who told them to none other than C.R. Smith the charismatic president of American Airlines. He commissioned a story and then a screenplay.

The resemblances and that's a kind word to RKO's Tom, Dick, and Harry are unmistakable. But in terms of quality of production look at these two films back to back and check the production values from and RKO film to an MGM film. But Jane and her guys do their usual performances and are fine in the parts.

Howard Keel in his memoir says that in his first screen fight he got a little over enthused and gave Barry Sullivan a mouse over his eye. Keel was not left unbruised either. Neither of these guys were schooled in how to pull punches.

One thing that surprised me about Three Guys Named Mike was the lack of a nomination for musical score since the instrumental version of it is entitled Confetti. Many orchestras recorded it in the early fifties and the theme was repeated in many MGM productions.

Three Guys Named Mike holds up well today because the problems of the stewardesses flying today's 747s versus the DC-3s you see here are the same. This film could use a remake, I could see Reese Witherspoon as the one trying to choose between Three Guys Named Mike.

Jane Wyman is a fledgling airline stewardess -- note the tie-in to American Airlines. She is bright, creative, a bit ditzy, and has three beaux, all named Mike: Van Johnson, Howard Keel and Barry Sullivan.

We're definitely entering the cultural 1950s, with Miss Wyman's character considered an oddball, with a view to marriage, and "no ambition to be the oldest stewardess in the business." Careers for women are temporary matters, and her choices are good providers -- an airline pilot and a successful ad executive -- and an idealistic teacher. This was an era far different from ours, when people dressed well to travel on airplanes, and smoked cigarettes while doing so. Airlines were looked on as travel, instead of our modern idea of transportation, when every passenger, from infant to wheelchair-bound nonagenarian is looked on as a potential bomber (given how people dress these days). Stewardesses were the smiling faces of the airlines, sexy drink servers who could deal with emergencies. And that is what this movie offers.

Miss Wyman offers an amusing shadow of her 'ditz' personna from her bleached-blonde-comedienne phase from the early 1940s. Charles Walters demonstrates that his excellence as a director of musical drama does not carry over particularly well into comedy.

Just watched this M-G-M romantic comedy that's now in the public domain on YouTube. It stars Jane Wyman as Marcy Lewis, a flight attendant-called stewardess then-just beginning her career as she encounters the title characters almost all at the same time: Mike Jamison-pilot (Howard Keel), Michael Lawrence-research scientist/bartender (Van Johnson), and Mike Tracy-advertising exec (Barry Sullivan). All three fall for her and they all ask for her hand as she makes her pick unlike today when she would have probably picked none of them at least during that ending moment. Anyway, this was quite funny as the film went on though also a bit contrived the way things get set up. Still, it's enjoyable enough and so on that note, Three Guys Named Mike is worth a look for fans of old-fashioned fluff like me. P.S. I noticed Barbara Billingsley as Wyman's instructor. This was years before she became Beaver and Wally's mom and even more than that before stealing a scene in Airplane! as that jive-talking elderly woman! Also, I chuckled a bit when Jane's character mentioned to those three Mikes of a sudden phone call to board a plane to Dallas as any viewer of a show with that name would instantly know about Mr. Keel's involvement in that program some 30-plus years later!

Perky but accident-prone Jane Wyman (as Marcy Lewis) gets a job as an American Airlines flight attendant - herein known as a "stewardess". Car trouble on her first flight nets Ms. Wyman a ride with handsome Howard Keel (as Mike Jamison), who turns out to be her pilot. Like most men, Mr. Keel finds Wyman attractive. Next, she meets science student Van Johnson (as Mike Lawrence) and businessman Barry Sullivan (as Mike Tracy). This makes it "Three Guys Named Mike" for Wyman. So... who will she pick to make her a happily ever after housewife? This dated situation would seem livelier today if done by Lucille Ball in less than 30 minutes.

**** Three Guys Named Mike (3/1/51) Charles Walters ~ Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, Howard Keel, Barry Sullivan

Jane Wyman plays Marcy, a screwy but incredibly likable young lady. When the film begins, one of her big dreams comes true...to become a flight attendant. However, at first she is just awful....and it's a wonder she even kept her job. What helped her, however, was that no matter how ditsy she seemed, she also exuded a certain likability and throughout the film, people just seem captivated by her. In fact, she meets three guys...each named Michael and each eventually falls in love with her! Mike (Van Johnson) is a graduate student, Mike (Barry Sullivan) is an advertising exec and Mike (Howard Keel) is a pilot...and all are gaga for her at the same time! Why and what she does about all this is something you'll just have to see for yourself.

The film works because it is charming. The acting is quite nice and the film clever. It's just a lovely slice of life picture...and ends marvelously with the line "Well, we have each other"...see the film and see what exactly that means!

So which one of the three Mikes will new stewardess Marcy end up with as she tries to learn the ropes of feeding people 30,000 feet in the air.

It's a romantic comedy that's really a Wyman showcase. She's coming off her Oscar-winning Johnny Belinda so her screen time is not really surprising. Her airline stewardess Marcy doesn't have to do much except be charming, which she does in subdued fashion. Since none of the four leads-- Wyman, Johnson, Keel, and Sullivan-- are comedic actors, it's the humorous situations that provide the fun.

As a result, the first part is best (at least in my view) where Marcy has to break-in as a new air hostess. Naturally, it takes a bit of doing like remembering to get the food aboard, so there are plenty of chuckles as she fumbles around. Almost all the scenes in this part focus on air travel; thus we get a good view of American Airlines passenger planes, circa 1950, both inside and out. The second part, however, gets her involved with each of the three Mikes, her air travel left mostly behind. Here, unfortunately, we get more blandly romantic overtures than chuckles.

Of the three Mikes, Johnson is best equipped for comedy, while I expected Keel's baritone to break into song any moment. For me, seeing Sullivan as something other than a gangster took some getting used to. Looks like MGM was more interested in screening stars than undergirding comedy, which may be why the film remains pretty obscure. Too bad the script didn't engage the sprightly girls more than they did, especially Donnell and Kirk, who could have added comedic spirit. Then too, I'm surprised MGM, the king of Technicolor, filmed in b&w, not the usual format for their top stars of the time. Frankly, I suspect there's an interesting backstory to this odd production.

Anyway, the 90-minutes is mainly for fans of Wyman and her cute nose.

Three Guys Named Mike is an unapologetic romantic comedy with a strong twist of chick-flick, but turns out to be way more than that in the final act.

After fulfilling her childhood dream and becoming a stewardess the sprightly Marcy encounters three men, the Mikes, as she takes to the skies. Each comes to represent different possible futures not so much for what they are but for what Marcy herself is at her core. When all three come together at once her decision-making will doubtless determine her future. A false step here and she will be trapped in the "wrong life." But how to decide? Well, fortunately with a good bit of humor! While Marcy's adventures start out pretty slow they pick up pace in the second reel, and when the girls get an apartment in Hollywood the dialog starts to explode with humor and wonderful comedic situations. We start to see not only the original sprightly nature but the wits and building character of this young woman, coming to the rare case of a film that leverages our love for the characters, our concern for what they do, and our sheer entertainment with great lines all sweeping into an ending that we may have--or may not have--guessed.