Sally, Irene and Mary

Director: William Seiter, William A. Seiter William Seiter

Overview

Three manicurists hope to become entertainers through the auspices of their wisecracking agent (Fred Allen). Sally (Alice Faye) is the smart one, Irene (Joan Davis) the funny one, and Mary (Marjorie Weaver) the cute-and-innocent one. The girls secure work in a Greenwich village nitery, where Sally falls for star singer Tony Martin. The threesome's career becomes stalled until Mary inherits an old ferry boat, which she converts into a floating nightclub. Among the highlights of Sally Irene and Mary is a jitterbug number by Joan Davis and supporting appearances by Jimmy Durante and Gypsy Rose Lee (billed under her real name, Louise Hovick). The film was based on a non-musical play by Eddie Dowling and Cyril Rood, previously filmed in 1925.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/16/2013
UPC:	0024543878193
Original Release:	1938
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Presentation:	[B&W, Full Frame]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:25:00
Sales rank:	49,936

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Alice Faye	Sally Day
Tony Martin	Tommy Reynolds
Fred Allen	Gabriel 'Gabby' Green
Jimmy Durante	Jefferson Twitchel
Gregory Ratoff	Baron Zorka
Joan Davis	Irene Keene
Marjorie Weaver	Mary Stevens
Gypsy Rose Lee	Joyce Taylor
J. Edward Bromberg	Pawnbroker
Barnett Parker	Oscar
Raymond Scott Quintette	Themselves
Eddie Collins	Captain
Andrew Tombes	Judge
Brian Sisters	Themselves
Mary Treen	Miss Barkow
Charles Wilson	Cafe Manager
Ray Scott Quintet	Themselves
Lige Conley	Actor

Technical Credits

Gene Markey	Producer
William A. Seiter	Director

Editorial Reviews

Trios were a mainstay of many "Golden Age" musical films, whether three gobs on shore leave in On the Town or the manicurists on the career make in Sally, Irene and Mary. This particular trio is a bit lopsided, as the first two of our titular heroines are played by the luminous Alice Faye and the daffy Joan Davis, while poor Mary has to settle for the sweet and pretty but not especially interesting Marjorie Weaver. Weaver's not bad, but in an entertainment of this sort, everything depends on personality, and she's simply a little deficient, especially compared to her co-stars. On the distaff side, Tony Martin is on hand to look masculine and provide a baritone counterpart for Faye; Fred Allen works his comedic shtick and clearly-defined persona to a fare-thee-well; Gregory Ratoff plays the not-so-tough producer role well; and Jimmy Durante brings out all the old "Schnozzola" charm. There's also a welcome turn from a very young (and totally clad) Gypsy Rose Lee while she was still known as Louise Hovick. All this talent helps to spruce up the picture to a fine degree, as does a generally agreeable score and some nifty production numbers. The screenplay? Well, it's a heck of a lot of nonsense, but the cast makes up for it.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler