THREE WISE FOOLS

US, 1946, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret O’ Brien, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Thomas Mitchell, Edward Arnold, Ray Collins, Jane Darwell, Charles Dingle, Harry Davenport, Henry O’ Neill, Cyd Charisse, Warner Anderson, Billy Curtis, Barbara Billingsley, Billy Barty.
Directed by Edward Buzzell.

Three Wise Fools is a magical story rather than a realistic story, despite the appearances. It is also a fairy tale, Harry Davenport and a whole range of actors appearing as the Little People and telling the story about humans – with some of the young fairies sceptical about ever seeing human beings, just as the human beings are sceptical about seeing the fairies.

The film starts in the 1870s with an Irish singer, The O’ Monahan (Warner Anderson) singing and drawing Cyd Charisse away from her three suitors. She goes off with the singer to Ireland and forty years later her granddaughter arrives with The O’ Monahan’s servant, played by Thomas Mitchell, on the doorstep of the three suitors who were blessed (but actually cursed) by The O’ Monahan and have become successful as bankers, doctors and judges. They live together, crusty and dissatisfied with their successful lives. Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone and Edward Arnold are the doctor, judge and banker respectively.

Many character actors fill out the supporting roles including Ray Collins as the judge and Jane Darwell, mightily feisty, as Sister Mary Brigid, the superior of the convent. It is a pleasure to see Cyd Charisse at the beginning of her career as Rena Fairchild.

However, the film is a Margaret O’ Brien vehicle. As soon as she comes on the scene, she commands all attention, even from the veteran actors, and controls the film. She even has an Irish accent in this film. It is extraordinary how Margaret O’ Brien, at a very young age, had such a successful career and such a strong screen presence.

There are machinations by the three wise fools about property, a Greek amphitheatre for the university, money deals. Margaret O’Brien? as the orphan, challenges them, softens their hearts, is dismayed when they don’t believe in the fairies and the banker contrives a travelling troupe to impersonate them. She decides then that she wants to go to the convent and make her vows as a nun.

The film is in many ways tongue-in-cheek – but is also quite twee in its presentation of characters and sentiment.

1. An MGM entertainment of the 1940s? A Margaret O’ Brien vehicle? The veteran MGM stars? A family-oriented film?

2. The 1870s, 1910, sets and décor, an atmosphere of period? The American city? The musical score?

3. The prologue, the Little People, The Ancient and his telling the story, the disbelief of the young fairies? The Irish tone? Their reappearance throughout the film? The boy betting The Ancient about the humans seeing the fairies? Sheila and her belief in the fairies? The fairies giving the story a fantasy tone?

4. Rena, her love for The O’ Monahan, the ball, the three suitors, her making her decision, leaving and going to Ireland? The O’ Monahan and his blessing on the three, really a curse, giving them material success but unhappiness in their lives?

5. The O’ Monahan, his singing, his character? Terence O’ Davern with him as his servant?

6. Forty years passing, the three in the house together, crotchety old men? The write-ups in the paper and Paul Badger and his wanting to get them? The professor, the promise of the money for the Greek amphitheatre for the university? The trick? The marshy lands?

7. Terence O’ Davern and his arrival with Sheila? Margaret O’ Brien’s performance as Sheila? Charm, strength? The Irish accent? Her being presented to the three? Her stipulating the conditions? Her grandmother entrusting her to the three?

8. The situation, the character of the doctor in his wheelchair, the wise judge, the moneymaking Theodore Findley? Their interactions with each other? The press, the university? Their avoiding Sheila? Her going to their rooms, being nice to them, wishing them goodnight, tucking them in…? Their hearts melting?

9. Terence O’ Davern and his helping Sheila, his drinking, his antagonism towards the three? Protecting Sheila, wanting to take her away?

10. Sheila, the issue of the money, the papers for the adoption? The fairies, Findley and his organising the troupe? Sheila discovering the truth, her despair, running away? Aided by Terence? Her going to the convent, the nuns and their welcome, the picture of the nuns and their way of life, Sister Mary Brigid and her tough style, forthright? Going to see the men, confronting them, telling them off? Terence and his hurrying after Sheila?

11. The issue of the tree, the home of the fairies, Sheila not wanting it cut down, its being in the middle of the property, the workers? The professor? The doctor and his chaining himself to the tree, the judge joining him? Findley and his watching, giving the money to buy the property and saving the tree? O’ Davern fighting him, discovering the truth, trying to stop Sheila going away with the sisters to the orphanage?

12. The judge, the discussion of the situation, the three wanting to adopt Sheila, her unwillingness, his decisions?

13. The happy ending, Sheila seeing the fairies – and the others saying that they did? And the fairies seeing the humans?

14. Popular entertainment – but of its period?