Then, the 1944 MGM musical comedy-romance "Bathing Beauty" is for you. This is a great example of the type of musical films made for some two decades – the 30s into the early 50s, that were prized entertainment packages for the public. Some people seem to think this film needed more of a plot. Don't worry – if you know history and/or just plain enjoy great musical entertainment, with some top drawer comedy and all-around talent, you'll love this film. Just enjoy it for how it was intended and for what it remains today – wonderful entertainment.
Sure, there is a plot. It's a thin one with a simple romance and a silly premise. Voila! That was the Hollywood formula for most successful films of this genre. And here it's the basis for stringing together a marvelous run of top notch musical and dance numbers, aquatic scenes, and comedic skits. That's all these great showcases of entertainment had to have – or even should have had – in their day. And today, as well, for those of us who enjoy seeing such showcases of brilliant musical and film entertainment of the past. They aren't drama. They aren't mysteries. They aren't Westerns. They aren't war stories. They're musical comedies and that's the entertainment they delivered.
The end of WW II was more than a year away when this movie came out. The DVD includes the theatrical notice about the movie going to the warfronts for troops to view it behind the lines. For our troops, as well as the people at home, this movie was a chance to see these great musical performers whom the vast majority had only heard on the radio or juke boxes before. I was born just before the U.S. entered the war, and through the 1940s and early 1950s, radios and jukes still played mostly the great swing bands. Rock and Roll came on the scene in the mid-1950s.
"Bathing Beauty" is a classic film with some wonderful entertainers. All did fine with their light scripts. But it's in the "show" elements that this film excels. This is one of the finest films for showcasing a couple of top bands of the time. Harry James really wows us with his trumpet playing and some great swing numbers, and Xavier Cugat's orchestra shows why people so loved Latin music in the 20th century. Helen Forrest and others have very good song and dance numbers. And Red Skelton's comedy skits and scenes are classics unto themselves. Esther Williams seems so natural in her first starring role – even before and in between the swimming scenes.
MGM gave us this first swimming musical. And was it a lavish spectacle! It remains so today. The brilliant Technicolor production really adds to the spectacular swimming, dance and musical combination. And its choreographed swimming numbers and spectacular finale are reminiscent of the great musical productions of Busby Berkeley from the 1930s heyday of grand scale musicals. "Bathing Beauty" is a fun and highly entertaining film for the whole family – especially those who love great music.
Sure, there is a plot. It's a thin one with a simple romance and a silly premise. Voila! That was the Hollywood formula for most successful films of this genre. And here it's the basis for stringing together a marvelous run of top notch musical and dance numbers, aquatic scenes, and comedic skits. That's all these great showcases of entertainment had to have – or even should have had – in their day. And today, as well, for those of us who enjoy seeing such showcases of brilliant musical and film entertainment of the past. They aren't drama. They aren't mysteries. They aren't Westerns. They aren't war stories. They're musical comedies and that's the entertainment they delivered.
The end of WW II was more than a year away when this movie came out. The DVD includes the theatrical notice about the movie going to the warfronts for troops to view it behind the lines. For our troops, as well as the people at home, this movie was a chance to see these great musical performers whom the vast majority had only heard on the radio or juke boxes before. I was born just before the U.S. entered the war, and through the 1940s and early 1950s, radios and jukes still played mostly the great swing bands. Rock and Roll came on the scene in the mid-1950s.
"Bathing Beauty" is a classic film with some wonderful entertainers. All did fine with their light scripts. But it's in the "show" elements that this film excels. This is one of the finest films for showcasing a couple of top bands of the time. Harry James really wows us with his trumpet playing and some great swing numbers, and Xavier Cugat's orchestra shows why people so loved Latin music in the 20th century. Helen Forrest and others have very good song and dance numbers. And Red Skelton's comedy skits and scenes are classics unto themselves. Esther Williams seems so natural in her first starring role – even before and in between the swimming scenes.
MGM gave us this first swimming musical. And was it a lavish spectacle! It remains so today. The brilliant Technicolor production really adds to the spectacular swimming, dance and musical combination. And its choreographed swimming numbers and spectacular finale are reminiscent of the great musical productions of Busby Berkeley from the 1930s heyday of grand scale musicals. "Bathing Beauty" is a fun and highly entertaining film for the whole family – especially those who love great music.