Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, Bette Davis

After being apart for years three women, friends at school, meet and bring each other up to date on their lives. Mary has been in reform school and is an entertainer. Vivian is married to an attorney ...( read more  read more... )and has a son she idolizes. Ruth works as a secretary. Vivian invites her friends on a cruise. Vivian runs off with Mary's gangster boyfriend; she is then divorced and her former husband marries Mary. The gangster hires three men to kidnap their son. Vivian must sacrifice her life to prevent this.

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73% liked it

438 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 4 min.

Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy

Release Date: October 29, 1932

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DVD Release Date: March 4, 2008

Stats: 49 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (49)


  • April 14, 2008
    "three on a match" is a tragic fable of urbanite incurrences upon three females. the major conspicuous performances are from ann dvorak who plays the nymphmaniac sister of paul muni in "scarface"...that was promoted by joan crawford who introduced her the chance to meet howard hu...( read more)ghes then she got the role. dvorak is one of the most underrated and undertreated actresses in cinematic history, used to be frequently casted leading lady in the 30s at warner bro.

    dvorak plays a weary housewife who takes her luxurious marital ease for granted, yearning for the thrill and gayety of life...then her considerate and generous lawyer husband arranges a extravagent cruise trip alone to alleviate her dreariness, then she goes astray into degenerated adultery with a sweet-tongued crook on the ship....thus her doom begins.

    on the other hand, her other two pals, played by joan bondell and bette davis. bondell is the prodigal playgirl who squanders her adolescence in reform school, conformed to the right track by marrying dvorak's deserted husband, demonstrating great scale of maternality to dvorak's son. bette davis appears almost as oblivion, being characterless as a diligent stenographer and a pleasant friend at her early stage of warner bro. after all, it's not a davis movie but dvorak's.

    dvorak is usually typecasted as the rebellious do-wronger who descends into depravity, provided with roles to showcase her flapper burlesque which is also in "g-men" and "scarface"....there's a scene she dances frivolously upon the hotel room desk to a lesser standard. dvorak's part involves the gloomy sequence of decaying, accentuated by her traumatized catastrophe that would be the highlight of dvorak's career.

    "three on a match" is inevitably melodramatic as the rot in the dark alley during the depression period. it features cameos of bette davis and humprey bogart who would later be smashing hollywood legends. the major star who exerts herself has been forgotten for good.
  • July 25, 2009
    Before censorship stories were better.....
  • July 29, 2008
    this was a great movie!!
  • May 1, 2008
    Effective morality tale that shows the extremes of where adultery and drug use can take you.
  • April 6, 2008
    Early Bette, she is strictly secondary here but Ann Dvorak is extraordinary in this pre-code melodrama.
  • March 8, 2008
    Very fascinating pre-code movie about three former schoolmates who meet up as adults and a look into how their lives turned out. This film explored a lot of heavy topics for the time, including infidelity, drug use, child abuse, violence and suicide. Great script and acting, re...( read more)ally makes you think about the consequences of your actions. Cast includes a very young Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart before they were stars.
  • February 12, 2008
    I don't think this really can classify as a Bette Davis film. The only significance her character gives to the plot is to be the thrid person on the match whoch brings about the doom of Vivian. Humphrey Bogart plays a small role.
  • January 14, 2008
    Hmmm a 1932 classic Bette Davis & Humphrey Bogart movie which I have never seen! Wasn't she lovely as a young woman! I applaude her daring I am a huge fan!
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  • July 19, 2007
    All CLASSICS are GOOD

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