st-shot
There's an impressive line-up of marquee stars in this triumvirate of love stories that leans heavily on Rachmaninoff's music and little else as it listlessly moves from one tale to the next with little time to develop plot or character.In the first we have The Red Shoes meets The Seventh Veil as Moira Shearer and James Mason do what they do best (dance and display disdain) in a would be Svengali scenario short circuited by a bad ticker. The second has little Ricky Nelson in a Cinderella situation where he becomes Farley Granger for the night romancing his previously detested French teacher Leslie Caron. The third features Kirk Douglas as a French trapeze artist attempting to rescue cold and detached Pier Angeli from herself.Unimaginatively tied together by an ocean liner each improbable brevity sinks as fast as the Lusitania without ever gaining any depth. Performances are rushed and forced with Douglas and Mason chewing scenery up as fast as they can in their alloted time. Old pros Agnes Moorehead and Ethel Barrymore do the most with the crumbs they are thrown and Ricky Nelson is surprisingly effective as a bratty child while Caron, Shearar and Angeli along with a two sentence performance by Zsa Zsa Gabor provide window dressing in this lushly designed but soulless production.
moonspinner55
Trio of stories--a popular movie gimmick in the 1950s--linked by an ocean-liner and three disparate characters on-board. James Mason is intense and snarling as a demanding ballet impresario who falls for ill-fated ballerina Moira Shearer, who, unbeknownst to him, is suffering from a bad ticker; Leslie Caron plays governess to ungrateful brat Ricky Nelson, both magically touched by the powers of Ethel Barrymore, reputed to be a witch; Kirk Douglas (as Pierre!) is a former star of the trapeze who trains suicidal Pier Angeli to be his new partner under the Big Top. The first two episodes are hurt by a weak narrative (the protagonists appear to recall information they should not be privy to), while the last chapter is hurt by miscasting (neither Douglas nor Angeli looks quite comfortable doing these gymnastic moves). However, the M-G-M production gloss is in peak form, and the picture looks good enough to eat. After a lengthy credits sequence (illustrated with the silhouette of a tree branch!), the color visuals take over, as if in a dream, and the effect is hypnotic. Not so the dialogue, which is heavy on the melodramatic flourish (Agnes Moorehead to the doctor: "Paula must dance or she will die!", to which the doctor replies gravely, "If she does...she will!"). Douglas is so mercurial in his angst that he's amusing unintentionally, while sullen Angeli is made up to look like a corpse in a silent movie. Still, one is drawn into this sumptuous bag of tricks almost against his will, and the overall results are fun for '50s connoisseurs. *** from ****
ellenburr
This is one of the few movies that I've watched repeatedly or when I need an attitude boost. (Others are Harold & Maude and What a Wonderful Life.) I walk away with renewed sense of empowerment, purpose and determination. In addition to that, I enjoyed: 1) the timing--the movie consists of three shorts and I appreciate the order in which the three are presented; 2) sense of humor--the second short is quite charming and I thought well written from a child's point of view--it avoids being an adult pretending to be a child; 3) long dance scenes--there must be several three minute scenes with no editing cuts (the music is so strong that whenever I hear a piece by Faure, if it's not the piece in this one scene it reminds me of it, that I must stop a few seconds because the memory is so alive); 4) the deep exploration of "what is right" --I not only appreciate the presentation of the two sides of every decision presented in all of the shorts, but also that a quick Hollywood solution is resisted; and finally 5) a young Kirk Douglas--which is the old fashioned manly-man. My only wish is that is would be shown on the big screen more often.
harry-76
The first of three stories, "Jealous Lover," offers sheer bliss as the great ballerina, Moria Sherer, dances to Rachmaninov's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini." One is reminded of the exquisite beauty of Sherer, who thrilled audiences for many years at the Sadler's Wells. What a treat for moviegoers when she graced the screen, which was all too rare. Of all the prima ballerinas of the 20th century, Sherer stood out. Her light came from within, and her graceful executions became a spiritual experience. James Mason is perfectly cast as Charles Coutray, and their scenes together are richly romantic, under Gotfried Reinhardt's sensitive direction.
Vincent Minnelli lovingly guided the remaining two episodes, whose writings were unevenly crafted, yet ardently realized by as fine a cast as MGM could offer. Miklos Rozsa's original score was vibrant and knowing, melodiously underscoring the action. "The Story of Three Loves," remains a good piece of work, unusually artistic coming from a major studio.
AD
