That's Entertainment! III (1994) User Reviews (30)

Nice Features In Here That We Never Seen Before

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 25 August 2006]

This last "Entertainment" installment offers a few different aspects that the first two "That's Entertainment!" packages didn't have, such as some song-dance routines that never made it on screen (and should have) or a behind-the-scenes look at cameramen filming a particular number. The latter is interesting to see as they filmed an Eleanor Powell dance ("Lady Be Good")

It also was interesting to see some of the stars in the early '90s when this was made, as they host certain segments of this 113-minute tribute. I am referring to June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Lena Horne, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney and Esther Williams. I'd say the person who most looked a lot like they did when they were much younger was Horne.

I also appreciated the fact they showed quite a bit of numbers in the widescreen format, something we never saw viewing these great musicals on VHS. We also see a very early edition of "Singin In The Rain," with the likes of Jack Benny and Joan Crawford.

Overall, a worthy edition to the "That's Entertainment!" package.

Enjoyable Mix of Classic Moments And Rarely Seen Footage

[gftbiloxi · 7/10 · 24 April 2005]

Opening with a Gene Kelly-introduced segment concerning early efforts to develop musical stars and material, this third installment of the THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT series quickly segues into celebrity-introduced film clips from MGM musicals--clips that range from familiar favorites to out-takes, rarities, and numbers that were cut from films before their release. The narrators are well scripted, well filmed, and often interject insightful personal notes by introducing clips from their own movies.

Such is particularly the case with the legendary Lena Horne, who presents a casually-spoken but quite powerful narrative about the racism that limited her career. But the real power of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT III is in it's "never-before-seen" footage--footage that includes memorable performances by Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, and Lena Horne among others. The film also offers the chance to see some truly rare bits of film, including Vaudeville acts hoping for film stardom, scenes from the early Technicolor and never-completed film MARCH OF TIME, and pre-code bathing-beauties. THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT III doesn't have quite the same dash and splash or variety as the original THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT, but it moves at a smart pace, and fans of movie musicals will find a great deal to enjoy. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Heartwarming yet Heartbreaking too

[MartynGryphon · 9/10 · 1 March 2007]

The original That's Entertainment was released in 1974 at a time when MGM were celebrating their 50th anniversary. The film was introduced by many MGM Stars of Yesteryear and it's aim was to highlight the quill of MGM musical magic from the 1930's - 1950's.

Two years later That's Entertainment II appeared with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire wonderfully singing and dancing their way through another nostalgic compilation that once again displayed the best MGM musical clips from the same era, that due to time constraints could not be included in TE1.

That's Entertainment III, released in 1994, looks at the MGM musical from a different perspective. Here we concentrate on scene's that never quite made it into the finished film, scenes that in all probability WOULD have made it into the finished film, had the film actually been finished. and Scene's that did make it into a finished film but because of time's indiffence have long been forgotten.

The highlight for me was watching Fred Astaire AND Fred Astaire in split screen format dancing to the song "I Wanna Be A Dancing Man" from the otherwise poor movie "The Belle Of New York". Although it was the same song and the same routine, (albeit in different costume), he is in perfect unison with his previously recorded counterpart, which perfectly shows the lengths Astaire went to achieve his perfection.

The film opens with Gene Kelly explaining about the birth of the musical back when Hollywood first started talking. Apart from MGM's Hollywood Revue of 1929, (widely believed to be the first all talking, all singing and all dancing movie ever made), it was in fact Warner Brothers that streaked ahead in the development of the movie musical with the Busby Berkeley choreographed Dick Powell & Ruby Keeler musicals of the early 1930's. However, a few of MGM's early efforts are shown here which if I were to be blunt and honest, seem nothing more than pale ghosts of a Warner Brothers big production number especially the risqué 'girls in the shower' sequence which Berkeley would sort of make his pre-code trademark.

RKO were the next studio to become the musical 'big boys' with the success of the Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers musical comedies. While Fred & Ginger were taking the depression out of the depression, MGM were getting serious with high brow operettas starring Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. Not surprisingly, Astaire & Rogers were shooing away 'nearly' all of their rivals with their light-hearted plot lines. I say 'nearly', because MGM had their own version of Astaire about to hit the big time, albeit female, in the form of Ms Eleanor Powell, the undisputed Queen of tap. Here we see her performing a couple of great numbers from the 1930's. Her brilliant routine to George & Ira Gershwin's "Fascinating Rhythm", had already been included in the original That's Entertainment, but it's here again in part three,with another split screen effect that shows us how much effort and off screen technicians we used to perfect the scene, such as men with trucks removing superfluous portions of the stage allowing the camera to move in closer to Ms Powell as her routine progresses.

It was the advent of Eleanor Powell, the birth of the Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland partnership in the Andy Hardy movies and the acquisition of Fred Astaire and the discovery of Gene Kelly two years later, that paved the way for MGM to dominate the movie musical for the next 20 years.

TEIII however, does have a heartbreaking side to it. Fred Astaire, who was so involved in the first two installments, had passed away only seven years earlier and needless to say, his absence from a presenting role is just as noticeable as his presence in his archived footage.

Another thing that made me quite emotional was to see such an obviously ailing Gene Kelly, this movie was made about 18 months before his death, and it's actually painful to watch Gene as the frail shadow of his former athletic self with even his speech at times sounding powerless and laboured.

Of the nine stars that donated their time and talent for a presenting role as of today's date only 3 of them remain.

So, given my last three paragraphs, it was very difficult to watch That's Entertainment III without having some degree of mixed emotions, as I ended up putting too much emphasis on Man's Mortality and maybe not enough emphasis on how the movies are both timeless and lasting, and a moving snapshot of a different time. MGM Musicals are certainly timeless, lasting and above all, seriously enjoyable.

I have, in fact, only given TEIII a 9 out of 10 rating as it includes a scene from Gigi that DIDN'T include Maurice Chevalier or Hermione Gingold. Pretty shallow huh?.

Pleasantly surprised

[Kalaman · 25 April 2003]

The third installment of musical clips from the MGM vaults. I'm a sucker for musicals and "That's Entertainment! III" was a huge surprise. I thoroughly liked the first part ("That's Entertainment!"); the second installment ("That's Entertainment, Part II") was decent but not that memorable, but this third compilation towers over its predecessors. One of the riches of the "That's Entertainment!III" is that the filmmakers are very critical and passionate about the subject. As much as they are paying homage to the glory of the MGM dream factory, they are also depicting the skill and the hard work that go along with it. This is perhaps the reason serious film critics seem to rhapsodize about it. Lots of pleasant & glorious moments, featuring many musical numbers, most of them cut from the original releases. Particularly revealing are: Eleanor Powell's tap dancing in "Lady Be Good" (in split-screen while the camera moving along with her); Lena Horne speaks about the prejudiced policies at MGM, introducing a nice censored bath scene from "A Cabin the Sky"; and Debbie Reynolds' rare number "You're My Lucky Star", cut from "Singin' in the Rain".

MGM at its best

[jotix100 · 10/10 · 30 November 2005]

Having seen the previous two installments of this series about MGM's great years, we hadn't seen the last one, but thanks to TCM, which showed it recently, we now have completed the cycle. The documentary, directed by Bud Friedgen and Michael Sheridan, brings us back to the golden years of the studio that boasted it had more stars than any one else in Hollywood.

This new version concentrates on the singing and dancing stars. Its 113 minutes running time flies by without noticing because of the quality of the material selected to be shown.

There is a magnificent black and white sequence showing Eleanor Powell performing a number and at the same time on a second screen we are taken to the actual filming of the routine as the technicians worked on it. Even for the time when it was filmed, it was revolutionary. Also, we see a dance routine by Fred Astaire with two different costumes and the same music shown on split screen where the "master" himself performs the exact same steps in both sequences. Amazing!

The only sad note of the documentary is to see how Lena Horne, a talented and gorgeous black woman who was employed by the studio, but was never given a starring role on films that involved other white actors. In fact, it's a shame she lost a plum role in "Showboat" because of the discrimination at the time.

It was great to watch the MGM stars narrating the different segments. Thus, we saw June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Esther Williams, Howard Keel introducing the different production numbers in the documentary.

Without a doubt, Hollywood was a factory of dreams and MGM was the best place where they came true.

A wonderful tribute to a simpler era.

[ozzy_marco-1 · 10/10 · 16 February 2007]

The movies highlighted in all 3 That's Entertainment! films makes you feel a bit sad. Sad that the world has lost so much innocence so quickly. The difference between the great MGM musicals and the effects-filled action films of today is incredible - and the last MGM musical was only made 49 years ago. And what a difference that 49 years has made! This instalment of the That's Entertainment! series is very interesting from an historical perspective. We see many deleted dance sequences, and a few behind-the-scenes views of great numbers. It was very nice to have Leena Horne featured so much as well, and her candid comments about Hollywood's attitude to her as a black performer was very moving. And its always pure joy to watch Fred Astaire doing what he does best - showing us all he was the greatest dancer who will ever live.

All-in-all, this film is a terrific addition to the That's Entertainment! series, and a film all movie buffs and movie historians must see. I don't think its as good as TE! 1, but its much better than TE! 2.

A fine evening of entertainment!

[gaityr · 7/10 · 3 February 2003]

Every THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT film has a hook to draw new viewers in--the first film had the sheer novelty of these film giants talking to us about the work they did in that glorious, music-filled period of movie-making, although these legends were reduced to reading off pre-written scripts. The second movie had a more intriguing main attraction: only two narrators, but when those two narrators were Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly actually dancing and singing their way through the gorgeous clips stacked up? Fantastic.

Well, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT III sure tries its best to live up to its predecessors. Retaining the narration technique used in the same film, albeit with the second generation of MGM musical stars (and only Gene Kelly, sporting enormous glasses!, retained from the first two films), the film's hook is the rare special footage it boasts--from a background tracking shot showing the vast amount of money and manpower invested in just one Eleanor Powell number, through to valuable outtakes such as Debbie Reynolds' 'You Are My Lucky Star' number (cut from SINGIN' IN THE RAIN but available on DVD now) and the Indians number in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN as originally performed by Judy Garland. There are other little treasure nuggets as well, all deleted scenes, such as Judy Garland's song 'Mr Monotony', meant for Easter Parade; and Lena Horne's risky bubble bath chanson filmed for CABIN IN THE SKY. And I do wonder what was so bad about Ava Gardner's lost vocals for SHOWBOAT--I thought she sounded pretty darn good myself!

I personally thought the best thing about this film was the way some of this rare footage was displayed--the split-screen technique was quite the stroke of genius. It was used to simply brilliant effect, for example, in showcasing two versions of a number filmed to the same dubbed vocals, the first starring Joan Crawford (for TWO-FACED WOMAN, in rather astonishingly Technicolour and camp blackface) and the second Cyd Charisse (for THE BANDWAGON). No guessing which number SHOULD have been retained (hint: Charisse is one of the best dancers of any time; Crawford is... not), but it was hilarious watching the very VERY different ways in which the same song was approached in the two different films.

My favourite part of the whole film was a number similarly presented, except this time it pitted Fred Astaire against himself. The sand-enhanced song-and-dance, to the tune 'I'm Just A Dancing Man', was filmed once, but deemed not classy enough. So there are two versions--one of Fred in top hat and tails, the other in overalls. Guess what? Astaire keeps to his own internal rhythm perfectly, and proves in this juxtaposition of the two scenes that he is his own best partner. It's pretty damn amazing, and probably the best and most jaw-dropping part of the film.

The rest of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT III is pretty run-of-the-mill in comparison. It's not stuff we haven't seen before (we've seen better clips in the previous two films), and there are still the prerequisite sections dedicated to Fred Astaire, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly (oh yes, and Esther Williams, of course). It's a shame that there wasn't a Cyd Charisse segment, or one dedicated to Ann Miller. Considering that both these dancing ladies were presenters during the film, it'd have been nice to recognise the great contribution their long legs made to film musical history. I did enjoy the clip from THE KISSING BANDIT that had Charisse and Miller pitted against each other in a catfight slash dance-off, which was very cool, very intense and great fun to watch. But otherwise, it's all stuff that would work better in the original films.

So while THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT III again succeeds in doing what it sets out to do (leave the audience in a happy glow), it's less accomplished than its predecessors. It's not as engaging to new viewers as either of the first two (showcasing lesser-known numbers and films), and is of only average interest to the hardcore classic film buff. It's a hard line to straddle, and the film manages to do it, don't get me wrong. But well. You can't go wrong with this film, but it's all been done before, and dare I say it...? Done better. 7.5/10

Not as good as Part 1, better than part 2

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 29 August 2016]

None of the three 'That's Entertainment' films are without flaws, but they all live up to their name and achieve their main goals to entertain and fascinate.

The best of the three is the first, not only being first-class entertainment but also being nostalgically affectionate and very moving (especially Liza Minnelli talking about her mother Judy Garland). Part 2 is a disappointment, due to the badly written hosting segments, a too sprawling structure, those unnecessary travelogue segments and a couple of scenes too short and hastily cut, but has a lot of interest points and a lot of treasures (including the best title sequence of the three films).

Part 3 is not as good as Part 1, though there are a couple of things it actually does better, but it is better than Part 2. There is not a huge amount wrong actually, the 'Brigadoon' dance sequence does look phoney which jars with the lavishness of the rest of the film and while the hosting is charming, subtly witty and affecting it was sad to see Gene Kelly in one of his last appearances on film looking so frail and ill, lacking his usual exuberance (before looking it up, and finding that it happened after the film's release, did think that it was due to having a stroke). While it was interesting seeing so much footage that didn't make it into the films they were meant to be part of, there could have been more of the classic moments.

Where it improves over Part 1 is that it has the best hosting segments of the three, both in the writing and pacing. Here they were the most informative, thought-provoking and said the most about the commitment and difficulties behind the scenes of making these scenes and films possible and personalities behind the stars which were glossed over in comparison in the previous two films. Also it is the film with the best editing. A vast majority of the scenes are used to their full potential instead of being too short and it is not as hasty or jumpy. It also returns to the more logical, ordered and thematic kind of structure the first film had, a welcome return indeed.

Like the first two films, a delightful couple of hours, a nostalgic trip down memory lane it is affectionate, hugely entertaining and also moving and makes one want to watch or re-watch the films included. What immediately captivated was seeing the who's who of musical/dance/singing talent being featured. The production values are lavish and just beautiful to look at, the music dazzles and is full of emotions and the choreography is often enough to make the jaw drop. Scenes are mostly great, with far fewer missteps than with Part 2 (though there are only a few there), the only notable one is the scene from 'Brigadoon'.

Judy Garland's scenes (especially the 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Easter Parade' scenes, though her rapport with Mickey Rooney is charming too) are clear standouts, as are Eleanor Powell, Debbie Reynolds, "Can't Help Loving Dat Man". Debbie Reynolds and Ann Miller at this point show all the shining qualities that made them such stars, it was nice to see Mickey Rooney too but he doesn't look at his best either if not as sad as Kelly.

In conclusion, a real treat. The first 'That's Entertainment' is the best of the three, but this is almost as good and even makes improvements in a couple of areas. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Not as Good as the Others, But Still Worthwhile

[bobtaurus · 7/10 · 14 May 2007]

As others have commented, the strength of TE3 is the special, never-before-seen footage, which is very, very interesting. However, the standard MGM excerpts are often less than remarkable, and occasionally downright boring. It makes sense: The original TE used much of the very best numbers available. TE2 used what didn't fit into the original. By the time they got to TE3, they had to settle for some "also-rans." BARELY A SPOILER ***Fred Astaire had a nice way with a song, but when you see an entire number with him singing and *not* dancing, that's a sign that the pickings were slim.*** END OF "SPOILER" Still, there's enough good stuff in here for a very enjoyable viewing. And since you're not watching it in the theater, you can fast-forward to the next number if you're feeling a bit bored.

By the way, if you're a "That's Entertainment" fan, you *must* check out "That's Dancin'," which rises to the standard of the original TE.

The best of the bunch

[mountainkath · 9/10 · 2 January 2009]

This is the best of the That's Entertainment movies and that's because of all the extras they packed into this film.

My favorite extra was seeing Fred Astaire dance the same number in split screen, but in different costumes and different stages. This one clip alone shows what a true professional he was: he was perfectly in synch with himself throughout the whole dance and it was delightful.

The oddest extra was the split screen showing of Cyd Charisse and Joan Crawford "singing" and dancing to the same vocal of the same song. Inexplicably, Charisse's was the one cut by the studio and Crawford's was used. Crawford's version was as horrible (she's in blackface, for starters) as Charisse's was elegant.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed seeing footage of the Vaudeville acts. While I can understand why they never 'made it big', I'm happy they were included in this film.

As some other reviewers have mentioned, it was a bit bittersweet seeing the aging MGM stars who hosted this show (especially those who are no longer with us). This hit home for me while watching Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse dance. Gene, of course, has been gone for 12 years, but we just lost Cyd in the past few months. Seeing them together again made me very grateful that we have all of their lovely dances preserved forever on film.

As always, I don't agree with some of the choices the powers-to-be made in terms of the clips they chose. For example, they chose the Gene Kelly/Donald O'Connor Fit As A Fiddle dance from Singin' In The Rain. The Moses Supposes dance from that movie is far superior to Fit As A Fiddle. I would also have liked to see more of Donald O'Connor. We only got one other brief glimpse of him during someone else's segment.

As with all of the other That's Entertainment movies, this is definitely worth watching. If you have to chose just one TE film, I would chose this one and that's because of all the extras.

On The Bounding Mane

[writers_reign · 7/10 · 18 December 2009]

One of the most attractive features of the three TE movies is that their very format, clips isolated by top-and-tail commentary, make it that much easier for buffs to select their particular favorites, ignore the others and burn a brand-new movie for their own delectation. This could then be supplemented with clips of Fred and Ginger at RKO, Fred with anyone from anywhere, Sinatra, Garland and/or individual faves. But we're here to talk about TE3 and whether or not it works and/or if and/or why/why not/how it measures up to the other two. First off, it DOES work because it adds to the mix by throwing in outtakes, rehearsals etc the highlight of which is, no contest, Fred's brilliant 'Dancin' Man sequence from Belle Of New York in which he soft shoes to a just-right Johnny Mercer lyric. This isn't to say the rest is chopped liver but there is only one Fred. If some of the other outfits, Fox, Paramount, Warners, RKO, Columbia for openers, would offer something similar - a mixture of genres rather than just musicals - then all vintage movie buffs could die happy.

That's Entertainment! III was a great final coda for M-G-M's compilation series

[tavm · 10/10 · 18 June 2010]

Have just now rewatched That's Entertainment! III on HD DVD and I declare that while the first two compilations had the best musical numbers from the various M-G-M classics, I consider this one the best simply because of the many outtakes/alternate scenes that-for the most part-were revealed here for the first time. Also, the tributes for the studio and the various performers that resided there were much better written then the occasionally stilted one from the original That's Entertainment! Many of those outtakes were quite fascinating to watch like Debbie Reynolds' number called "A Lady Loves" from I Love Melvin where she's a farmgirl as opposed to a more sophisticated figure in the final version. Or Judy Garland's two scenes-"Doin' What Comes Natur'lly" and "I'm an Indian, Too"-from the aborted version of Annie Get Your Gun though Betty Hutton's final versions are more preferable. Speaking of whom, her duet with Howard Keel on "Anything You Can Do" was one of the most hilarious numbers here. And, unlike the previous series entries, TE3 acknowledged the other studios players like Fred Astaire and Ann Miller worked for before coming to the one with Leo the Lion as the trademark. And that one of the movie's hosts-Lena Horne-admitted the limitations of opportunity she had compared to the others because of the Production Code of the time. Great editing on the "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" numbers from Ava Gardner with dubbed voice of Annette Warren to her own good voice to Lena Horne's rendition from 'Till the Clouds Roll By. Oh, and nice unearthed outtake of "Ain't It the Truth" from Cabin in the Sky though I've seen this before on a short called Studio Visit which appeared as an extra on the movie's DVD disc. The other excised Garland numbers-like "Mr. Monotony" from Easter Parade or "March of the Doagies" from The Harvey Girls are also excellent, so much so that one wonders why they were cut. I also liked some of the more obscure performers showcased like Joan McCraken dancing to "Pass that Peace Pipe" from Good News or Delores Gray in the "Thanks a Lot, But No Thanks" number from It's Always Fair Weather. And how about Carmen Miranda-who was once a Fox player-doing the "Baiao (Ca-Room' Pa Pa)" number in Nancy Goes to Rio. All the hosts-Gene Kelly, Esther Williams, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Ms. Horne, Ms. Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, and Ms. Miller provided some interesting tidbits during their segments. But the last host, Mr. Keel, delivered the great coda to the M-G-M musical when he talked about the competition with television by mentioning the wide screen furor which segues to the "Stereophonic Sound" number with Mr. Astaire and Janis Page and then mentions the Rock 'n Roll trend as the famous clip from Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock is shown before we go to the last classic M-G-M musical-Gigi. All in all, this was a great enterprise for producers/directors/writers and editors Bud Friedgen (also head cutter on the first two TE films) and Michael J. Sheridan (his associate on both). Oh, and how nice to see Mr. Kelly-in his final feature film appearance-sum the experience like so: "M-G-M's dream factory created a rich, romantic, compelling world of illusion. And although we may not see anything like it again, we're blessed with memories and miles and miles of film. In the words of Irving Berlin, 'The song has ended, but the melody lingers on.'" Truer words have not been spoken. So if you're reading this under my username that you clicked, I may review for the next few days something associated with Mr. Berlin or maybe with any of the contract players like maybe director Vincente Minnelli...

A Real Treat

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 6 January 2014]

I enjoyed the first That's Entertainment! a lot. The second was OK but a huge step down from the first. The third doesn't match the first but it does surpass part 2. The most interesting aspect of this compilation was the inclusion of outtakes and deleted scenes. So classic film fans get to see a lot of hidden treasures. A few of my favorites were the Lena Horne bubble bath number from Cabin in the Sky, Ava Gardner's unused vocals from Showboat, and the opening dance of Fred & Ginger in The Barkleys of Broadway without the annoying title credits. Also some interesting behind-the-scenes footage of Eleanor Powell's "Fascinating Rhythm" number from Lady Be Good and a side-by-side comparison of Joan Crawford and Cyd Charisse performances of the same song. But the true highlight of the film would be the Judy Garland numbers she filmed from Annie Get Your Gun before being fired and the "Mr. Monotony" number cut from Easter Parade. It's a great compilation that will please most fans of classic musicals.

you're just begging for sarcasm, buddy

[lee_eisenberg · 3/10 · 31 March 2015]

If you've read any of my reviews of musicals, then you'll know that I watch them for the purpose of heckling them like Mike, Servo and Crow do to the crummy movies that Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank send them on "Mystery Science Theater 3000". My repeatable snark to "That's Entertainment! III" included:

(when Gene Kelly tears a newspaper apart): Agh! Why'd you have to rip me up?!

(while the water rises around Esther Williams): No, no! I'm drowning!

Beyond that, I noticed a whole bunch of politically incorrect material. To be certain, "Show Boat" was nothing more than a whitewash of the Jim Crow south. I made sure to reference Princess Leia when Debbie Reynolds appeared, to shout "KHAN!" when Ricardo Montalbán appeared, and to say "You've got some 'splainin' to do!" when Lucille Ball appeared. And really, can you think of Hedy Lamarr and not hear "it's Hedley"? One thing that's worth noting is that Yip Harburg, who co-wrote "Over the Rainbow", later got blacklisted. So did Lena Horne.

I'd like to see a tribute to cult movies and horror movies. The hosts would have to be Elvira, Bruce Campbell, Robert Englund, Linnea Quigley, etc.

Long story short, I just don't take happy-go-lucky movies seriously, and so there's no way that I could take this documentary seriously. Sorry about that.

Highly Enjoyable MGM Entertainment...socko!!

[Doylenf · 21 June 2001]

It's easy to see why Siskel & Ebert gave this one a big two thumbs up. And even the hard to please Rex Reed said: "Two hours of paradise regained--pure magic!"

Easily among the best of the 'That's Entertainment' compilations, it features June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Lena Horne, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney and Esther Williams all giving us a guided tour of some of their best MGM moments. The late Gene Kelly is included among the hosts.

Especially fascinating is the dance sequence showing how the crew worked hard to keep up with Eleanor Powell's dance routine in "Lady Be Good"; Esther in an underwater number for 'Jupiter's Darling'; and outtakes of Judy Garland's attempt at 'Annie Get Your Gun'. Elvis fans will get a chance to see his 'Jailhouse Rock' routine.

Also intriguing is an early glimpse of the first Hollywood musicals, with Joan Crawford, Jack Benny, Marion Davies and others doing an awkward version of 'Singin' in the Rain', complete with overweight chorus girls and early color.

Film nostalgia of the highest kind--a treasure for fans of MGM musicals. Those were the days!!

"On with the biggest party ever given in Hollywood"

[ackstasis · 8/10 · 5 September 2008]

I figured that, after the wonderful first two films in the "That's Entertainment" series, the stock of magic in MGM's musical vaults would be starting to run dry. However, directors Bud Friedgen and Michael J. Sheridan have managed to keep the series as fresh as it ever was, by striking on a singularly brilliant idea: show 'em something they've never seen before! The series' first two entries, aside from their modern-day interludes, had been comprised almost exclusively of clips that any well-bred musical cinema buff would already have seen on numerous occasions. However, by presenting "never-before-seen footage" of deleted scenes, abandoned films, undubbed songs and behind-the-scenes action, the documentary manages to enthrall the audience with something new {of course, pretty much everything was new to me, anyway}. The style of the film's presentation is closest to Part I, with a succession of MGM stars - Gene Kelly, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Lena Horne, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds and Esther Williams – providing the commentary.

The films starts too much like a television special for my liking, with Generic Narrator #1 introducing the material, and thankfully throwing promptly to Gene Kelly, who has considerably more interesting things to say. A lot had taken place since Part I and II of 'That's Entertainment!' found their way into theatres; the advent of home video ensured that no household was without an assortment of family entertainment, including countless classic MGM musicals, and, among others, Fred Astaire was no longer with us, having passed away in 1987. Gene Kelly is almost unrecognisable from the Gene Kelly of decades past, and certainly didn't look as though he was going to start tappin' away any time soon; however, it's just good to hear his contribution. The other hosts, most of them "second-tier" performers (I don't intend this negatively) who wouldn't usually get such an opportunity, provide some useful information on the clips that we are seeing. There's also the usual tributes to Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, and the obligatory selection from Esther Williams.

While 'Part II' had been somewhat haphazardly edited, 'Part III' has a solid structure and good progression. Some of the archival wells do, indeed, seem to be running dry – we get the "Fit as a Fiddle" number from 'Singin' in the Rain (1952)' – but, otherwise, the footage is fascinating. Fred Astaire taps away in two alternative versions of "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man" from 'The Belle of New York (1952),' showing such perfect rhythm and timing that, side-by-side, both Astaires are faultlessly synchronised; Eleanor Powell dances to "Fascinating Rhythm" from Lady Be Good (1941),' as a behind-the-scenes camera captures the frantic crew members shifting pieces of the stage back and forth; in an unfinished early musical 'The March of Time (1930),' an elaborate musical sequence calls to mind Elvis Presley's 'Jailhouse Rock (1957).' If you pressed me to make a decision, I'd probably rank 'That's Entertainment! III' as the third-finest entry into the series, which has been remarkably consistent in quality. I think I'll always love 'Part II' best of all – how can anybody pass up Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire dancing together?

A film that will make the grayest day considerably brighter!

[arbarnes · 8/10 · 12 June 2008]

This last edition to the That's Entertainment family of films celebrating MGM is a magnificent coda, and pays particular tribute to a number of those MGM stars who were somewhat neglected in the other two. All the greats are there too though, like Fred and Gene and Judy and Frank, and there are some wonderfully unusual and fascinating clips and a number of very illuminating behind-the-scenes extracts and revelations.

The editing and the sound editing is particularly well done, and the various introductions are all rather touching. Whatever your level of interest in musical films you should certainly make time to see all three "Thats Entertainment" movies. The talent on display is staggering, and the craftsmanship of all involved is so vividly apparent. Marvel at the costumes, lighting, choreography, direction, singing, art-direction and sheer energy of MGM film musicals.You are definitely left gasping for more ...

My favourite bit? How does one choose? Gene Kelly's newspaper dance from the often overlooked film "Summer Stock" always excites me into immediately trying the same dance with whatever newspaper is at hand -and it is certainly not easy!

Third trip to the well - the water still hasn't dried up

[gridoon2024 · 7/10 · 26 December 2016]

You would think that after two "That's Entertainment!" films (not to mention the more obscure "That's Dancing!"), all the major singing and dancing numbers from the best MGM musicals must have been shown already, but this third attempt comes up with enough material to make it an enjoyable compilation. My absolute favorite part is without a doubt the witty, funny "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" from "Annie, Get Your Gun". I also noticed - once again - what absolute knockouts Esther Williams and Doris Day were in their heyday, despite their "chaste" filmic reputations. I loved the pre-code "Clean As A Whistle" number, and almost started singing (not out loud, thankfully for others) alongside Elvis Presley in "Jailhouse Rock". The film also shows that even MGM at its peak could make some blinding errors of judgment: would you believe they kept Joan Crawford's version of "Two Faced Woman" and dropped Cyd Charisse's??? Or that they dubbed over the beautiful singing voice of Ava Gardner in "Showboat"? Or that they cut Judy Garland's leggy "Mr. Monotony" out of "Easter Parade"? Anyway, it's probably for the best they haven't made another one of these compilations - in this one the recipe still works, but a fourth time would be really pushing it. *** out of 4.

Is the third time the charm? Sure.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 14 August 2012]

I was rather dubious about watching "That's Entertainment! III". After all, there were two previous films in the series and you wonder how much more is worth seeing. After all, the best singing and dancing scenes MGM made were in the first two films--so why watch this one too?! Well, there IS a good reason! Instead of showing just having old stars introducing the typical clips of old musicals, the Turner Entertainment folks did some REAL digging and brought out many, many clips that you never could have seen! They found alternate versions of dance numbers, film showing the sets being moved while Eleanor Powell danced and many numbers that never made the final cut--but were still very good song and dance numbers. Because it's a treasure chest of hidden material, it is a must-see for lovers of the genre. Others might not be so impressed...especially if they are the sorts who are unfamiliar with classic Hollywood films and have the mistaken belief that the only good films are newer ones.

By the way, of all the clips I saw, the one I enjoyed the most was by some of the most obscure folks. The Ross Sisters did the most amazing dance number--and when you see it, you'll understand what I mean!

Very different from I and II

[richard-1787 · 7/10 · 3 January 2022]

When That's Entertainment I and II came out in 1974 and 1976, there were only two ways of seeing a movie. New releases appeared in movie theaters, of course. Older movies could only be seen on tv or in the very rare movie retrospective house. So no, you couldn't see Gone with the Wind, or It's a Wonderful Life, or The Wizard of Oz, or any other old movie at your leisure and convenience. You had to wait for some tv station near you to program it. Because there was no cable tv in our sense of the term either.

As a result, I and II were a real delight to old movie buffs, because they gave them a chance to see scenes from old movies with bygone performers that were otherwise virtually impossible to see.

By the time That's Entertainment III was released in 1994, all that had changed. VHS tapes were first released in 1977, the year after Part II. Almost overnight, across the land, first in little mom and pop stores and then in large, nation-wide chains like Blockbusters, you could rent old - and even recent - movies and watch them at your convenience. American Movie Classics appeared on tv cable in 1984. Turner Classic Movies replaced it in 1994, the year Part III appeared. In short, by the time Part III was released in 1994, it was relatively easy to watch many older movies at your leisure. It was, therefore, no longer enough, in Part III, just to present clips from old MGM musicals. Fans of such movies could, by then, access them elsewhere. They were no longer rare.

DVDs were introduced in 1997. YouTube was launched in 2005.

So, That's Entertainment III had to offer something more, and different, from what had worked in I and II. And that was good. It meant that they offered things like outtakes. And there are some very interesting ones here, featuring Cyd Charisse and Judy Garland. (There are also a few not-so-good ones, such as Garland in the two musical numbers she recorded for Annie Get Your Gun.)

What I still regret here, as I did in I and II, is that the stars read scripted speeches, rather than being allowed to tell us "the truth." Especially in cases like Lena Horne, I had the feeling that if they had been allowed to say what they wanted, we would have learned a lot more. What we do see still raises a lot of questions that are left unaddressed.

Still, I thought this was the most interesting of the three movies. By now, after 25 years of TCM, over two decades of dvds, and Netflix, not to mention the vhs and dvd holdings of public libraries, there isn't a lot of revelation to be had in the excerpts contained in Parts I and II. Most old movie fans have seen them already. Part III at least offers us something we might not already have discovered.

Spellbinding! Almost a 10! Better Than Part II !

[mike48128 · 9/10 · 16 December 2013]

This came out in 1994 and was a Turner Production. It beats part II by a mile for several reasons, and I can honestly say that I would never have seen it, but luckily, it was the third disc in the Blu-Ray release of all three films. Missing from all three is the "Easter egg" surprise of the extended scarecrow dance from "The Wizard of Oz", but you probably own this already on your DVD of that movie. This is far better than part II which always had a "patchwork quilt" feel to it. Here, there are many stars introducing, including perhaps the last time Gene Kelly appeared on camera in a movie segment. Most "clips" are shown uncut, which is a vast improvement. On the Blu-ray, you can play them conveniently like on a juke-box. So many Easter eggs here. Uncut scenes. Outtakes. The same song sung by different artists in different films. Joan Crawford in blackface (both horrid and scary). Candid commentary by Lena Horne. Very little repetition for the most part. "Hosts" you didn't know were still around in 1994! Finally, a scene from "Brigadoon". Minuses: Different scenes from movies already seen in the other two editions. Like part II, almost an "infomercial" at times, but it does make me want to buy or see some old movies I have long overlooked. Also, you have to admire the physical conditioning of Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller and Doris Day. Wow! When watching both previous parts, I found myself, occasionally, looking at the "elapsed film time" and yawning. Parts of this one are so spellbinding that 15 minutes goes by in an instant. Very well "cut" with fewer abrupt musical breaks. Well,I guess in 18 years, sound editing technology has improved! Better than part II and almost as good as part I. Maybe better?

What a glorious feeling the last of the series was.

[mark.waltz · 10/10 · 7 August 2014]

The ribbon is tied on the large cake celebrating MGM's upcoming 70th Anniversary when this came out. It is amazing that it has been 20 years since the fourth installment in MGM's salute to their glorious past came out and all but a few of these great stars are now gone. Gene Kelly is the groom on the wedding cake, having appeared in all four films, and looking dashing as the veteran older statesman of the golden years of the MGM musical. Mickey Rooney is like the wacky uncle of the family, filled with great stories, yet sometimes sentimental and sad. Toss in the most glorious group of "Auntie Mame" types you could have in your old movie family: June Allyson, Ann Miller, Lena Horne and Debbie Reynolds, with "little sister" Liza Minnelli representing the younger line of Hollywood royalty.

The glorious aspect of "That's Entertainment III" is the inclusion of some extremely obscure clips, as well as out-takes of musical numbers which didn't make it into the final print. Audiences who have clamored to see some of Judy Garland's cut numbers from "Easter Parade" and "The Harvey Girls", as well as her uncompleted version of "Annie Get Your Gun!" need look no further. They are all there, and for me, the delight was "March of the Doagies", a big number from "The Harvey Girls" that seems a shame to have lost. "How long is too long?", Angela Lansbury once asked audiences after seeing a clip cut out of "The Wizard of Oz", so you wonder what made the editors make that decision to snip out such a huge moment that a lot of people worked hard to get on-screen, only to have it disappear from view.

Fun-filled and nostalgic, this came out just as Turner Classic Movies was taking off, and home video audiences clamored for more of old Hollywood. At this time, I was working at a huge video store in Los Angeles where classic movies were the specialty, and our customers began asking for "More! More! More!". It was a great feeling to share the new releases coming out (particularly from Turner Home Entertainment) with them and hearing their usually satisfied responses upon their return. To mention the name of one of the title songs from one of the movies utilized, this was really one terrific "Hollywood Party".

nostalgia part three

[didi-5 · 9 April 2004]

The final instalment in MGM's nostalgia fest of old musical clips is presented in much the same way as the first one twenty years earlier, as several luminaries from the studio's past are wheeled out in front of the cameras to reminisce on their time under contract. The film also marks the final appearance of an obviously ailing Gene Kelly, who introduces and closes the proceedings with some poignancy.

Others involved are Donald O'Connor, Mickey Rooney, June Allyson, Lena Horne, Ann Miller, and Esther Williams, and the clips include outtakes and unused material for the first time (a lavish production number intended for The Harvey Girls; Judy Garland's ‘Mr Monotony' from Easter Parade, where she wears her trademark tuxedo and tights for the first time; and early clips from 1930s musicals which were junked).

We also see how an Eleanor Powell number was filmed, with stagehands rearranging the set to allow the camera to get close; and see a comparison of a Fred Astaire number in two different set-ups.

A good attempt to tidy up all the clips we hadn't already seen in TE 1 and 2, and worth a couple of hours of your time.

Surprisingly good

[preppy-3 · 8/10 · 7 May 2006]

Gene Kelly, Esther Williams, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Debbie Reynolds, Lena Horne, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller and Howard Keel introduce even more clips not included in Part 1 or 2. I thought they had covered everything but I was wrong.

There's nothing real bad here but highlights are: the color ending of "Hollywood Revue of 1929"; musical clips from unfinished, unreleased films; a fairly explicit (and quite funny) shower song sequence from 1932 with shower spray covering certain body parts; Eleanor Powell dancing to "Broadway Melody"; Esther Williams films; the Roth Sisters number; cut numbers from musicals; the song Two-Faced Women done by Cyd Charisse (cut from "The Band Wagon") and Joan Crawford shown side by side; Horne's talk about racism in 1940-50s Hollywood; Ava Gardner singing Can't Help Lovin That Man from "Showboat" with her actual voice and Horne doing it as a tryout; two Judy Garland numbers from "Annie Get Your Gun" (she had a nervous breakdown so Betty Hutton took over); Mr. Monotomy cut from "Easter Parade"; the Stereophonic Sound number and Elvis Presley doing "Jailhouse Rock". It seems strange to see a Presley number here but it's SO good and energetic I won't complain.

As about as good as part 2. Enjoyable.

For some reason MGM dumped this in 1994. It played in California and New York--and then the company just abandoned it. It never even played in Boston--a small independent cinema in Newton had to show it! I think the reason why was because some of the critics were shocked at how bad some of the hosts looked (Kelly, Miller, Horne and Rooney DO look terribly old) and MGM backed away from it. That's not a good reason but it was just ignored. Now it's back behind it. Strange but I'm glad this is out. Worth seeing.

Pretty hot stuff!

[David-240 · 8/10 · 5 June 1999]

Glorious moments from MGM musicals are mixed with rare footage cut from classics, and even a sequence showing how they filmed an Eleanor Powell dance routine.

The hosts are great too, including Gene Kelly in his last film appearance.

But why cut and edit so many of the sequences? Some of them jump about all over the place. I loved seeing the cut footage - especially Judy Garland in "Annie Get Your Gun", but some of the sequences don't work well out of context.

Still who cares? This is great fun. Film buffs won't learn much but you'll get to see footage never before released.