Overview
MOVIEmeter: 
Up 8% in popularity this week. See
why on
IMDbPro.
Contact:
View
company
contact information for One, Two, Three on
IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 December 1961 (USA)
more
Tagline:
Billy Wilder's Explosive New Comedy
Plot:
Comedy about Coca-Cola's man in West Berlin, who may be fired if he can't keep his American boss's daughter from marrying a Communist.
full summary |
full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
Another 5 nominations
more
Crew verified as complete
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Eins, zwei, drei (Austria) (West Germany) [de]Ahat, Shtaim, Shalosh (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]Bir, iki, üç (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]Cupido Não Tem Bandeira (Brazil) [pt]Egy, kettö, három (Hungary) [hu]En, to, tre og et lillebitte hop (Denmark) [da]Ena... dyo... tria (Greece) [el]Ett, två, tre (Sweden) [sv]Um, Dois, Três (Portugal) [pt]Un, deux, trois (France) [fr]Uno, dos, tres (Spain) [es]Uno, due, tre! (Italy) [it]Yks', kaks', kolme (Finland) [fi]
more
Runtime:
115 min | Finland:108 min (1962) (banned version) | Canada:108 min (Ontario) | UK:108 min
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In
James Cagney's autobiography, he says that
Horst Buchholz was the only actor he really hated working with because he was uncooperative and tried all kinds of scene-stealing moves, which Cagney depended on
Billy Wilder to correct. Had Wilder not firmly directed Bucholz, Cagney said that he "was going to knock Buchholz on his ass, which at several points I would have been very happy to do".
more
Goofs:
Factual errors: In the Grand Hotel Potemkin scene, Peripetchikoff says "We cannot interfere with internal affairs of sovereign Republic of East Germany." The correct formal name of the country was the German Democratic Republic.
more
Quotes:
Peripetchikoff:
While they are putting Uncle Sam in cuckoo clock, we will put Soviet cosmonaut on moon.
C.R. MacNamara:
Okay, so you guys may be the first to shoot a man to the moon, but if he wants a Coke on the way, you'll have to come to us.
more
Soundtrack:
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
more
FAQ
What does Cagney say about alligator shoes offered as possible executive attire for young Horst?
more
more (97 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on
IMDb message board for One, Two, Three (1961)
more
Recommendations
Related Links
Howard Hawks usually gets the palm for the fastest dialogue in comedies but Wilder probably ties him here. This must be one of the funniest comedies to come out of Hollywood, at least during the sound era. The gags come fast -- and thick. If one doesn't work you don't have time to be disappointed because the next one is already underway.
It's one of those movies in which the gags would be spoiled if they were described to a person who hadn't yet seen the film. For the most part they are tied closely to the plot and often build on one another. But I'm compelled to give one example. Cagney is an executive in Berlin and his first-hand man is Schlemmer. Schlemmer has a habit of clicking his heels before and after addressing Cagney. At one point Cagney chews him out and asks him, "just between us," what Schlemmer did in the war. "I was in the underground," says Schlemmer. "Oh, the resistance?" "No, the underground. The subway. I was a conductor." Cagney says supiciously, "And I suppose you never were a supporter of Adolf." Schlemmer: "Adolf who? You see, I was always in the underground. They never told us anything down there."
The dialogue is shouted rather than spoken. Heels are clicked, people leap to attention, fingers are snapped, orders are flung about. The only person who doesn't run around frantically is Lilo Pulver who does not have to run to attract anyone's attention. She can simply stand still and get the job done. She's Cagney's secretary and tells him she's thinking of getting a job elsewhere as a translator. "Don't forget I am bilingual." "Don't I know it," Cagney mutters ruefully.
But I won't go on because I'll just wind up giving away more gags. Check the trivia entries too. This was Cagney's last major role and one of Wilder's best comedies. It's simply hilarious and not to be missed.