Three of a Kind (1936) User Reviews

Fast and Amusing.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 15 December 2014]

You've never heard of any of the players in this movie except maybe Berton Churchill (the evil banker in Ford's "Stagecoach") and Billy Gilbert (the fat guy who brings the reprieve in Hawks' "His Girl Friday"). But it doesn't matter. The cast gets the job done, and it's a good job.

Richard Carle is the pompous F. Thorndyke Penfield who owns a laundry. His sassy blond daughter, Evalyn Knapp, intends to marry a canny chap who is flat broke and wants money to buy a subdivision or whatever you do with a subdivision. What is a subdivision anyway? Carle believes him to be a gold digger. He IS a gold digger. However, amor vincet omnia, and Knapp, who looks a bit like Celeste Holm, defies Dad, who cuts her off from all his money. There are a few nettlesome problems associated with having no income. She has to sell her diamond ring to bail the cad out of his hotel. She tries to sell her expensive new sports car but it is instead sold by fraud to the unwitting hero of the piece, Chick Chandler. Now, there's a name to conjure with. Chick Chandler -- just savor the syllables.

Chandler resembles Randolph Scott in his early films. He wears a constant grin and having won a thousand dollar bonus from his boss, namely F. Thorndyke Penfield, he quits the laundry delivery job and sets out to make money on his own, first buying a lot of spiffy new suits and then, again, unknowingly, buying Knapp's sports car from a stranger.

Much of the plot has to do with money and with double crossing others in order to screw them out of it, but this was 1936. (Kids, that's the time of what was called "The Great Depression.") Money was no less important then than it is now. One third of the nation was out of work in 1932. My mother had to quit school and trudge along the railroad tracks looking for pieces of coal for fuel at home. (Sob.) I admire the fast pace and the no-nonsense materialism of the characters. Billy Wilder might have directed it. When Knapp is trying to sell her sports car to "Honest Doc Adams", he heaps praise on the long, shiny convertible but tells her it's hard to sell because it's only a month old and has such low mileage. "Well, isn't that good?" No, he tells her, you don't get all the kinks worked out until you reach 10,000 miles, so he'll have to offer her less than the car is worth. That's just one instance of some clever writing, by Arthur Horman.

What follows is a general confusion of identities and motives on everybody's part, too complicated to get into. Not to worry, it ends in comedy and contentment.

Don't wash your dirty laundry in public.

[robinakaaly · 7/10 · 29 January 2013]

This was much better than expected, well cast and decently acted, though the father was too much of a buffoon to be really credible as the company president. As usual with these films, their interest lies in their social commentary on the thirties. When the hero who wins the annual works prize is offered the choice between $1,000 or stock worth $1,100, he asks if they are trading at par, the president huffs and puffs, so the guy grabs the dollars. A dubious character checks into a swanky hotel and the management vouch for him on the grounds he is wearing swell suits and carrying posh luggage. I particularly liked the scene at the used car lot when the girl is trying to sell her expensive new car and the dealer is offering a very low price on the grounds that it hasn't done much mileage so the faults won't have begun to show. But best of all I like the backless evening gowns all the broads wear (even when they're travelling with minimal luggage). Those were the days.

Go pleasantly back to the '30s with Evelyn Knapp and the gang

[glennstenb · 7/10 · 10 January 2019]

I just want to give this little movie a warm mention, as I found it to be a bright piece of fun with careful and consistent characterizations by especially Richard Carle as the laundry tycoon and the well-presented and appealing Evelyn Knapp as his daughter. Those two actors even fittingly display similarly unusual voice patterns in their performances. The movie's settings, whether indoors or out of doors, and the costuming and vehicles in view give a glimpse into what the world of the 1930s was like for some folks at that time. The movie just has kind of a clean and good-natured look and feel to it and this watcher felt as though he took a trip back to that time for a while. No mistaking that it is a B-picture, I enjoyed the film quite a lot.

They're not just a kind. They're every kind.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 7 January 2020]

This fascinating B grade screwball comedy from poverty row Invincible (and sold to Grand National upon the demise of Invincible) is an absolute delight, featuring some of the most underrated, forgotten character actors of the 1930's, perhaps familiar for their face or voice, but not by name. Berton Churchill, best known for playing pompous southern "gentleman", is the perfect choice to play a phony colonel whose daughter Patricia Farr is the Barbara Stanwyck to his Charles Coburn, an early version of the shyster team from "The Lady Eve".

Evelyn Knapp is on the run from her wealthy father (Richard Carle), meeting up with con-artist Bradley Page. Chick Chandler plays the truck driver from the Carle's laundry business who checks into the same hotel as Knapp and thinks that she's stolen the boss's daughter's identity. More wackiness follows when Carle arrives at the same hotel and Chandler encounters Churchill who sold him Knapp's car without her knowledge.

There's quite a lavish look to this film, far more than some of the comedies from the A studios and defiantly a better script than normal. The cast is perfect with Carle a complete wimp of a millionaire even when he bellows, Churchill the perfect blowhard and Page an obvious scamp even if Knapp is oblivious to his character. Billy Gilbert is instantly recognizable in a smaller role This easily deserves to be called a forgotten classic that is one of the best comedies of the late 1930's.

Tries Hard

[dougdoepke · 8 December 2018]

Congested little comedy from budget-minded Invincible Productions. The chuckles, such as they are, come mainly from occasional funny lines, while actor Churchill blusters his way through the generally unfunny. The best part is the first where laundry tyrant Penfield is shown as a fumbling hypocrite. His attempted turn around from uncaring to caring while addressing employees is humorously revealing and central to the premise. Then too, the amusing used car set-up shows buyer and seller trying to out-fox each other at a time when 500 bucks was a small fortune. In fact, the subtext amounts to a 30's era attack on class deceit, as the various confidence schemes show big money pretenders trying to bilk one another, while ordinary folks struggle along. And that's after a sympathetic character has ironically committed to hard work as the key to getting ahead.

Anyway, nothing special here, even though leading lady Knapp shows real presence. Too bad she left the industry while still young. All in all, the flick's mainly a 30's cheapie with better production talent than results.

Poor Pacing

[boblipton · 5/10 · 2 August 2019]

Richard Carle doesn't want his daughter, Evalyn Knapp, marrying Bradley Paige, because he's a lazy confidence man and Bradley Page besides. Meanwhile, Chick Chandler gets a thousand-dollar bonus from Carle's laundry, and quits to enjoy a bit of the high life. He gets evening clothes and buys Miss Knapp's car, stolen by con man Berton Churchill and his daughter, Patricia Farr, leaving Miss Knapp to be picked up by Chandler in her stolen car and taken to a resort, where all them them pretend to be each other, except for Carle.

It's certainly an appealing outline for a screwball comedy, but director Phil Rosen can't get them up to speed for the insanity to roll. Churchill, in his deliberate manner, has the best pacing; Miss Farr starts out too slow, although she improves by the end, and Miss Knapp seems to be channeling Myrna Loy, but without any snap.

It's a puzzlement, because all of these performers have shown themselves to be capable farceurs in other movies. I imagine the problem lies in a combination of slowing down the performances to bring the movie up to decent second-feature length, concerns over the audience understanding what was going on, and lack of rehearsal time. Rosen directed nine other Poverty Row movies that year. That couldn't have helped. The result is an amusing, but far less interesting a movie than it should have been.

Story potential for a great comedy

[SimonJack · 5/10 · 13 April 2020]

Not far into "Three of a Kind," one can't help but think what a great comedy this could have been with a few changes. First, a screenplay rewrite to strengthen it. Second, some cast changes, with any or all of the following. Cary Grant or Fred MacMurray in the Jerry Bassett role. E.E. Horton or Ed Arnold in the Rodney Randall role. Edmund Gwenn as Con Cornelius, and Clarence Kolb or Eugene Pallette as Thorndyke Penfield. Carole Lombard or Constance Bennett as Barbara Penfield. And, Una Merkel in the Prudence Cornelius role.

Of course, to have gotten all of that, it would take a major studio. In the 1930s, those were Paramount, MGM, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, RKO, Columbia, and Universal. Only they would have had the cash for stories and screenplays, the top writers, the physical plants and top technical artists, and the bevy of stars and actors. This film is a good example of the output of many films from the Poverty Row studios of Hollywood through the 1940s. Invincible Pictures Corporation made just 31 films from 1932-36. And, its distributor, Chesterfield Motion Picture Corporation handled just 120 films from 125 to 1936. It was absorbed by Republic Pictures which began in 1935 and it lasted until 1967.

The plot for this film is a dynamite one. In the hands of a major studio with appropriate casting, writing, direction and technical work, this could have been a smashing comedy. As it is, it's barely passable. Most of the cast couldn't act in major feature films. The only role played fairly well is Berton Churchill as Con Cornelius. Evalyn Knapp is at times amateurish and Chick Chandler is either stiff or undecided most of the time. Bradley Page is stiff and lifeless as a board in the Rodney Randall role. Richard Carle's Thorndyke Penfield is far too nervous with his whining and shrill utterances..

Again, in the hands of top talent and a major studio, this could have been a very big comedy hit. My five stars are mostly for the originality of the story as a great comedy idea.

I've heard of a film with a mistaken identity...but this one has MANY cases of mistaken identity!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 1 August 2018]

"Three of a Kind" is a cute comedy...but it's also one you need to pay attention to as it runs. So, don't do housework or your taxes while you're watching this one!

Barbara Penfield (Evelyn Knapp) is a spoiled and headstrong rich girl. Her father owns a cleaning company and is worth a fortune. However, Barbara is also a bit dim. Everyone around her knows that Barbara's boyfriend is a cheap swindler....yet she insists on helping him with his latest get rich venture. She tries to get her father to invest in the scheme...but he absolutely refuses. So, she plans on selling her lovely new car and giving the money to her worthless boyfriend. However, her plan starts running amok while she's trying to sell her car. You see, a con-man (Berton Churchill) sells the car while she's test driving a replacement car....and the guy who buys it is a nice guy who just insulted Mr. Penfield and quit his job working for him. Does it get more complicated....you betcha...a lot more complicated. There's also the Kentucky Colonel and his daughter and Mr. Penfield shows up and then there are the cases of mistaken identity. I am sure you kinda get the idea.

The film is quite clever and while I would never call it a laugh out loud sort of picture, it is very good and well worth seeing.

Unassuming comedy features nutty cast and clever plot

[csteidler · 8/10 · 29 November 2017]

Chick Chandler wins an award from his employer and is given a choice —$1000 cash or 11 shares in the company. To the chagrin of his employer, Mr. Penfield himself of Penfield Peerless Laundry, Chandler takes the money and runs.

Old Mr. Penfield is already upset with daughter Evalyn Knapp—despite his forbidding it, she has informed him that she is planning to marry shady Bradley Page (who is, in fact, a con man after Penfield's money).

Chandler and Knapp inevitably meet up in one of those cute situations—she thinks he's rich and he thinks she's broke, when in fact it's just the other way around.

Appearances can be deceiving in this charming B picture that features a neat little plot and a great cast of character actors.

Richard Carle is blustery and eccentric as Mr. Penfield, the laundry king. Burton Churchill is hilarious as another fast talking schemer who rolls onto the scene looking for some dishonest winnings. Knapp and Chandler are bright and attractive as the two leads.

So it's a little slow at times—it is definitely a cheapie. But what a fun plot! Enthusiastic performances all around and some clever dialog really make this one a lot of fun.

From smiles to a non-stop chuckle, a really fun movie

[dakota_linda · 8/10 · 26 June 2021]

I'm fascinated by the wonderful character actors in so many of the '30s and '40s B movies, and they had me laughing all through this. I especially loved Carle -- he totally inhabits the part and his character in consistent in every scene he's in. Bigger stars and a bigger budget might have made a movie that was a big hit instead of simply charming, but that would have been a very different movie. For me, I was again impressed with what creativity and very good character actors having fun with their parts could create on a small budget. Like so many of the B's, it has lots of small delights. I started watching it with a smile and by the end, was chuckling at every scene.