And Baby Makes Three (1949)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

A stylish drawing-room comedy, with Robert Young once again ideally cast as a harassed husband. He receives solid support all the way down the line from Janis Carter's brassy blonde to the uncredited guest appearance of Mary Treen as a puzzled patient. The film's best sequence is an hilarious 20 minutes dealing with a quest for pickled lychee nuts (and another uncredited guest appearance, this time by Victor Sen Yung as a shop-owner). Smooth direction combined with fine photography, classy sets and attractive costumes, give the film a highly polished veneer. And for your utmost enjoyment, please disregard three facts: (1) bad notices from sourpuss contemporary critics; (2) Henry Levin's reputation as a director of speed rather than style; (3) Humphrey Bogart's invisible hand in the production - his company produced and financed the movie, but probably he had as little to do with it as John Ford with Mighty Joe Young.

Those fondly familiar with Barbara Hale mostly from her role as Della Street in the "Perry Mason" TV series should surely enjoy her in this light comedy as divorcée Jacqueline Walsh, one of the all-too-few leading roles from her movie heyday.Here, she plays a woman who leaves her husband (Robert Young) for his presumed infidelity, and proceeds headlong toward a rapid rebound marriage to some rich guy (Robert Hutton) after a hasty Reno divorce. When she finds herself fainting on the way to the altar, attributed soon thereafter to pregnancy by her ex, custody complications ensue and provide fodder for "who's going to be the father next year." All parts are well-played, but Young shines here in a sympathetic role, wanting nothing more than to re-assume his rightful place as husband (and father). "Other man" Hutton is fine, too, but his signature role for me will always be that of Cpl. Ed 'Slim' Green, the star-struck soldier in "Hollywood Canteen". The "other woman", to round things out, is played by Janis Carter (not to be confused with Janis Paige, who also appeared in "Canteen").Lou Breslow's script offers sufficient twists and turns in romantic connections to justify the comedic wonderment, including a play on the title later in the proceedings, and one in the closing dialog if one is alert enough to catch it.

Despite a previous poster's claims, Young's character in AND BABY MAKES THREE is fairly conniving and noticeably different from his iconic FATHER KNOWS BEST persona. Among other things, Young toys with the emotions of several women he could care less about in order to make his wife jealous. He pretends to like children to trick that same ex-wife into coming back. His ex suspects he's had an affair and Young spends most of the picture trying to manipulate her, though the tables get predictably turned in light fashion. Young's not a heel as much as he's trying to win his girl back ("All's fair in love and war"), but he's definitely far from FKB's wholesome Jim Anderson.Fellow future TV-stalwart Barbara Hale (Perry Mason) is okay if bland as the object of Young's flailing efforts. Still, as things unfold she does a little scheming of her own. Her transformation from hating Young to trying to win him back is pretty sudden and not particularly justified by the plot. Really there aren't a lot of innocent or particularly likable people in this offering, though it's all fairly harmless and by-the-numbers charming.The production benefits from an obviously generous budget and a decent supporting cast. Among others, Billie Burke is immediately recognizable from her Wizard of Oz Glenda the Good Witch voice, though she's ten years older here. Of particular note is sometime-noir-femme Janis Carter as Hale's rival for Young's affections. Sexy, radiant and playing her own angles, Carter steals some of Hale's thunder (and Young's new fiancée near the denouement.) Though not out on DVD, the movie is not lost; it runs now and again on TCM. The forties was the golden age of romantic comedies, so even though this isn't in the class of the best of the era, it's still watchable with enough twists to keep things moving as long as you don't think too hard.

I enjoyed this movie. Robert Young played the role much like what he'd do later in "Father Knows Best" if I remember correctly. There was some delightful humor in the movie. I only saw it in 1966 though. Is the movie lost? I don't know too many Robert Young movies that are available on VHS besides "Secret Agent" from the 30s.