Growing up watching Esther Williams movies, first at the theater and then on television, many little girls were inspired by the beautiful swimmer turned actress. Her accomplishments and style are celebrated in this second collection of films presented by Turner Classic Movies and Warner Brothers DVDs.
This is an excellent set to own, as each feature is teamed with short subjects and a classic cartoon making it suitable and fun for a family and friends movie night event. Pop some popcorn, or bake a pizza, sit back and enjoy the talented Miss Williams in a variety of colorful and entertaining adventures.
This attractive set of six movies is housed in a fold out case, illustrated with stills from the features, and program notes for each disc. Each film is presented in standard format, as it appeared in theatrical release.
First up is THRILL OF ROMANCE. War hero Major Thomas Milvane (Van Johnson) is captivated by the beautiful Mrs. Delbar (Miss Williams) who gives him swimming lessons at a luxurious vacation resort. The story is enhanced with music from legendary bands led by Tommy Dorsey and Xavier Cugat.
Three deleted musical numbers are included as well as the theatrical trailer. A vintage Passing Parade short The Great American Mug and a classic cartoon Wild and Woolfy round out this first disc. Running time for the feature is 105 minutes.
The second film FIESTA is a departure from the usual swim-themed stories. In this movie, Miss Williams as Maria Morales becomes a matador, secretly taking the place of her twin brother Mario (played by Ricardo Montalban) in the bull ring.
This disc contains another Passing Parade, short Goodbye Miss Turlock as well as the film trailer and a classic cartoon Hound Hunters. Running time for the feature is 102 minutes.
THIS TIME FOR KEEPS is the story of a former GI Dick Herald, Jr. (Johnny Johnston) who wants to be a Jazz singer rather than follow in his father’s (Lauritz Melchior) footsteps in an opera company. He falls in love with Aquacade star Nora Camberetti (Miss Williams) and hopes to join her show. Will he be able to shake his high society connections and follow his dream?
This feature has an Oscar-nominated Pete Smith Specialty short Now You See It, and an Oscar-nominated cartoon Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse. There is an outtake musical number Little Big Shot, and the theatrical trailer. Running time for the feature is 105 minutes.
PAGAN LOVE SONG pairs a favorite leading man of the time Howard Keel with Miss Williams in an escapist story full of color and music. Keel plays Hap Endicott, a Midwestern schoolteacher who inherits a plantation in Tahiti, and then finds it is not the luxurious place he imagined. He falls for Mimi Bennett (Miss Williams) among scenes of swimming and dancing and singing in the beautiful setting of the island.
This disc has another Pete Smith Specialty short Curious Contests as well as a classic cartoon The Chump Champ, and seven outtake musical sequences from the film. The running time for the feature is 76 minutes.
MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID is one of Esther Williams’s best known films. It is a biopic of swimmer Annette Kellerman who went from having a crippling childhood disease to becoming a swimmer/performer of international stature. Of special note is a wonderful Busby Berkeley staged water ballet sequence featuring Miss Williams.
This disc contains a Pete Smith Specialty short Reducing, and a classic cartoon The Wise Little Quacker. Also there is an audio feature of a radio show with film stars Esther Williams and Walter Pidgeon, and the theatrical trailer. The film running time is 110 minutes.
EASY TO LOVE is the final film in the collection. This romance set in Florida’s Cypress Gardens, where Miss Williams plays an aquatic performer named Julie Hallerton who is in love with her show’s producer Ray Lloyd (Van Johnson) who has no intention of being caught in a romance.
The disc included a FitzPatrick Traveltalk short Romantic Riviera and a classic cartoon Cobs and Robbers, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer. The running time is 96 minutes.
Esther Williams: Volume 2 is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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