Doris Day's "Tea for Two"

It's been a few years since I've watched the 1950 film "Tea for Two" with Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, so I dug up the video and watched it this weekend while doing some needlework. Sometimes I forget just how much I love these old musicals! The songs are delightful, and the colorful costumes alone are reason enough to watch. I really love the forties and fifties fashions anyway, with all the big, swishy skirts, bolero jackets, cap sleeves, bow-tie collars, and pearls at neck and wrist.

Loosely based on the Broadway musical "No, No, Nanette," the gist of the film is this: Socialite Nan Carter wants to be on Broadway, but producers say they need $25,000 to put on the show. Big-spending Nan - who is known to throw money at any good cause that comes her way - bets her rich uncle she can go 48 hours saying "no" to everything and everyone if he'll cough up $25,000. Unbeknownst to Nan, however, the family's fortune has been wiped out in the stock market crash of '29.

Early in the film, Nan is called to the theatre to preview the musical she is being asked to sponsor. When it's suggested that Nan be treated to "Tea for Two," one of the theatre gentlemen says "What for? It's the only weak number in the show. I'm thinking of tossing it out." I'd never thought about it before, but wasn't that a bit of a play on words? "Weak" number? "Tossing it out," like a teabag? Perhaps I'm just slow to catch on! At any rate, you can get a taste of the film by watching the tea-riffic "Tea for Two" trailer here if you like.