Americanness & Responsibility in Three Men and a Baby

Even though the film, Three Men and a Baby, is a remake, it does not retain too many aspects of the original French film-Trois Hommes et un Couffin. In many ways Three Men and a Baby is a totally different film because it is distinctly American-the film follows the same basic plot as the original but the way the film is portrayed is different from the original. The scene in which Peter and Michael discover the baby is important to make us see how the film is uniquely American in that the two men are hesitant to accept the responsibility of a baby. This scene also foreshadows how the baby will affect their lives through the mise-en-scene, the dialogue and the cinematography.

In the opening scenes of the film and in the shots leading up to this scene, the men are portrayed as "players"-they chase and seduce women continuously and truly live the life of bachelors. In the shots leading up to the arrival of the baby we also see the men doing things that highlight their bachelor status: Peter is working out and staying in shape-focused very much on his body which is an American cultural trait. We also see one of Jack's love interests leave while he is away in Turkey. The film seem to move fast in these beginning scenes because the director uses a lot of editing and background music to show shots of the many different women the men have had relationships with. Furthermore, the film focuses very much on the men's social lives-something very important in American culture.