Set as a flashback to in the Roaring Twenties, Uncle Max tells the story of Nanette Carter, a Westchestersocialite with show business aspirations. She offers to invest $25,000 in a Broadway show if her boyfriend, producerLarry Blair, casts her in the starring role. What she doesn't realize is Larry is two-timing her with ingenue Beatrice Darcy, whom he envisions as the lead. When he accepts Nanette's offer, she imposes upon her wealthy, penny-pinching uncle, J. Maxwell Bloomhaus, to lend her the money. He's willing to do so, on one condition - for the next 24 hours, his niece must answer "no" to every question she's asked. Comic complications ensue when the cast arrives at Nanette's estate to rehearse; and composer and pianistJimmy Smith, who has romantic designs on the girl, falls victim to the bet she's made with her uncle. Nanette wins, only to discover Uncle Max has lost all his money in the stock market crash. The only person still solvent is attorney William Early, and Nanette's assistant Pauline Hastings sets out to charm him into backing the show.
"Tea for Two " - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
"Here in My Arms" - sung by Doris Day
"No, No, Nanette" - sung by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
"Tea for Two " - sung by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae
Production
The film was the first in which Doris Day received top billing and marked the first time she danced on-screen. This was director Butler and leading lady Day's second collaboration, following It's a Great Feeling the previous year. The two went on to work together on Lullaby of Broadway, April in Paris, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and Calamity Jane. Ray Heindorf served as musical director for the film, and the musical sequences were choreographed by Gene Nelson, Eddie Prinz, and LeRoy Prinz. Art direction was by Douglas Bacon and the costume designer was Leah Rhodes. Both Gordon MacRae and Gene Nelson appeared together in the film version of Oklahoma!.
Box office
According to Warner Bros accounts the film earned $2,322,000 domestically and $1,330,000 foreign.
Critical reception
In his review in The New York Times, Bosley Crowther called the film "pleasant entertainment," "a sprightly show," and "quite a genial production" and added, "Miss Day and Mr. MacRae... complement each other like peanut butter and jelly." Time wrote, " sheds a Technicolor tear for the good old days of plus fours, prohibition and the stock-market crash. The story... employs nearly every musical-comedy cliché... as hot-weather entertainment, Tea for Two is at its best when concentrating on the old tunes of Vincent Youmans, George Gershwin and Roger Wolfe Kahn."
