Pesky waiter Vince Barnett pushes the boiled beef and potatoes like it was ribeye and lobster, and it's his rubbery face that gets the laugh in this colorful but generic romantic musical. Van Johnson and Esther Williams do have their fans, but they're not Fred and Ginger or Judy and Gene. If he wasn't the most popular man in a uniform in the mid 40's and she wasn't the swimming sweetheart of the silver screen, this probably would somewhat bore me, but with Lauritz Melchoir popping in as a singing variation of Lionel Barrymore or Charles Coburn, the result is surprisingly sweet.
Frankly, outside of her swimming fantasies, Esther Williams in the water didn't interest me too much, and you have to wait far too long for that to happen. The chemistry between Johnson and Williams is serviceable, and yet he's certainly far more star material than Carlton Young who plays Williams' husband who goes away on business on their honeymoon. Frances Gifford is
Henry Travers and Spring Byington as Williams' family members are terrific, and Melchoir gets a romantic leading lady in veteran character actress Ethel Griffies, absolutely sensational. There's also Fernando Alvarado as one of Williams' swimming students, proving that kids do steal scenes, and Jerry Scott as the sweet resort page who wants to sing with Melchoir.
Lots of 40's big band and other specialties with Tommy Dorsey, Ethel Smith, Helene Stanley and the King Sisters performing. One of the male singers is a young Jeff Chandler. It's easy to dismiss films like this as being frivolous entertainment but when you see what was utilized to put it together, it ends up joyful at times, such as when Scott sings "Because" and goes from quaking knees to compete confidence.
Frankly, outside of her swimming fantasies, Esther Williams in the water didn't interest me too much, and you have to wait far too long for that to happen. The chemistry between Johnson and Williams is serviceable, and yet he's certainly far more star material than Carlton Young who plays Williams' husband who goes away on business on their honeymoon. Frances Gifford is
Henry Travers and Spring Byington as Williams' family members are terrific, and Melchoir gets a romantic leading lady in veteran character actress Ethel Griffies, absolutely sensational. There's also Fernando Alvarado as one of Williams' swimming students, proving that kids do steal scenes, and Jerry Scott as the sweet resort page who wants to sing with Melchoir.
Lots of 40's big band and other specialties with Tommy Dorsey, Ethel Smith, Helene Stanley and the King Sisters performing. One of the male singers is a young Jeff Chandler. It's easy to dismiss films like this as being frivolous entertainment but when you see what was utilized to put it together, it ends up joyful at times, such as when Scott sings "Because" and goes from quaking knees to compete confidence.