‘Baby’ Takes a Bath

“They threw the bath water out and kept the baby,” wrote film critic Anne de Gaspari of Quotidien de Paris in her pan of Disney’s “Three Men and a Baby” when the American remake of France’s biggest commercial hit, “Three Men and a Cradle,” opened there recently.

“Cradle” sold more than 12 million tickets. By comparison, the U.S. version--launched two weeks ago with a $1-million-plus campaign in a major 200-screen French nationwide break--sold only 80,000 tickets (a modest $6,000 per screen) its first week. It dropped 40% in its second.

“Basically there’s little excitement for the picture,” claimed Paris Variety’s Lenny Borger. “Few of the reviewers were outraged by it in the way, say, ‘Blame It on Rio’ (based upon the French “One Wild Moment”) was received.

“It’s considered to be an efficient remake with less charm and appeal than the original.”