One, Two, Three

One, Two, Three

15/12/1961 1h 49m 7.5/10

Overview

In Cold War-era West Berlin, American Coca-Cola executive C.R. 'Mac' MacNamara is tasked with playing babysitter to his boss' spoiled 17-year-old daughter Scarlett, who proves more difficult than anticipated when she reveals that she is pregnant by a Communist.

Director

Billy Wilder

Top Billed Cast

Pamela Tiffin

Pamela Tiffin

Scarlett Hazeltine

Horst Buchholz

Horst Buchholz

Otto Ludwig Piffl

James Cagney

James Cagney

C.R. MacNamara

Liselotte Pulver

Liselotte Pulver

Fräulein Ingeborg

Arlene Francis

Arlene Francis

Phyllis MacNamara

Hanns Lothar

Hanns Lothar

Schlemmer

Reviews

John Chard

2/8/2017

4/10

Amazing Cagney performance in a film that has no resonance now. C.R. MacNamara is the head of Coca-Cola's bottling interests in Germany, he is a forceful man who wants to be all that he can be. He hopes to be the head of European operations for the company and is well on his way until the teenage daughter of Coca-Cola big wig Wendell P. Hazeltine shows up and he is asked to baby-sit her for a two week trip thru the continent. I wish I could have been around to watch this on its release in 1961, for I'm sure I would of laughed my head off at the relevant jokes of the time. Full of communist bluster dialogue and jokes in keeping with the times, One, Two, Three has all the trademarks of a classic Billy Wilder/I.A.L. Diamond picture. Yet viewing it now, one finds that the jokes are tired and weary, and although the frenetic pace of the film is incredible {it really is like a scattergun exploding upon the viewers senses}, the film is something of an archaic oddity. Boasting a quite brilliant performance from James Cagney, the picture is never less than watchable, but the advent of time means the film is stuck firmly in 1961, regardless of the fine work from lead man and director alike. 6/10

Similar Movies

Bonnie Scotland

6.6

Bonnie Scotland

1935

The Olsen Gang on the Track

7.2

The Olsen Gang on the Track

1975

Cocoon: The Return

6.5

Cocoon: The Return

1988

One Too Many Mornings

4.2

One Too Many Mornings

2010

The Second Civil War

6.0

The Second Civil War

1997

Pack Up Your Troubles

6.7

Pack Up Your Troubles

1932

Zigzag of Success

6.3

Zigzag of Success

1968

Promises! Promises!

4.4

Promises! Promises!

1963

Single Mother by Choice

7.0

Single Mother by Choice

2021

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

7.4

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

1976

Wedding For One

5.8

Wedding For One

2008