TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Vol. 2 (Thrill of a Romance / Fiesta / This Time for Keeps / Pagan Love Song / Million Dollar Mermaid / Easy to Love) [DVD]

It is good to see that Esther William's films that did not make Volume 1 of her DVD collection are being given a general release with lots of extras rather than being put on DVD-R into the Warner Archive. The Archive is a good idea for obscure films in which visuals are not that important - Marie Dressler's films of the early 1930's are good examples of such films - but Esther's Technicolor musicals needed to be restored to their original visual splendor to be appreciated. The following is the press release for this film indicating extras, costars, and brief plot outlines.Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)Esther Williams portrays real-life Australian swimming champ Annette Kellerman. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy and costarring Victor Mature, this film was nominated for Best Color Cinematography. The movie includes a Busby Berkeley choreographed water ballet extravaganza. This is considered to be Esther's signature film.BONUS FEATURES:AUDIO ONLY: Lux Radio Theater Presentation of Million Dollar Mermaid starring Esther Williams and Walter PidgeonClassic M-G-M Tom & Jerry Cartoon The Little Wise-Quacker (1952)Classic M-G-M Short Subject Reducing (1952)Original Theatrical TrailerThrill of a Romance (1945)Van Johnson and Esther Williams star. The film include performances from Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra and operatic grandeur from famed Wagnerian tenor Lauritz Melchior in his film debut.Newlywed swimming teacher Cynthia Delbar (Williams) has everything a girl could want for her honeymoon in the mountains. The only thing missing is her tycoon groom, who is in DC closing a deal. A pretty sorrowful situation - until a good-looking war hero staying at the hotel decides he needs swimming lessons.BONUS FEATURES:Outtake Musical Numbers:Gypsy Mattinata (Lauritz Melchior)I Should Care (Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra)Please Don't Say No (The King Sisters)Classic M-G-M Short Subject The Great American Mug (1945)Classic M-G-M Tex Avery Cartoon Wild and Woolfy (1945)Original Theatrical TrailerEasy to Love (1953)With the Cole Porter classic as the title tune, Esther Williams and Van Johnson star in their fifth film together. Julie Hallerton (Esther Williams) knows how to win the affection of indifferent Ray Lloyd (Van Johnson): Be his office secretary; be the star of his Florida aquacade and the heart's desire of a Manhattan crooner to make Ray jealous. Tony Martin lends his smooth vocal styling; Busby Berkeley guides Esther's aquatic routines, including a legendary sequence involving Florida's Cypress Gardens, dozens of water skiers, ramps, pyramid formations, gushing geysers, a helicopter, a trapeze and Esther in the air. Also note that this is Carroll Baker's screen debut.BONUS FEATURES:Classic M-G-M Short Romantic Riviera (1953)Classic M-G-M Barney Bear Cartoon Cobs and Robbers (1953)Original Theatrical TrailerThis Time For Keeps (1947)This musical is centered on Esther's romance with an ex-GI (Johnnie Johnston). Settings include Michigan's Mackinac Island, with notable supporting stars providing specialty numbers. Famed tenor Lauritz Melchior brings his artistry to La Donna E Mobile, Xavier Cugat is there (with signature tea-cup Chihuahua at hand), and Jimmy Durante dismantles his piano.BONUS FEATURES:Outtake Musical Number: Little Big Shot (Jimmy Durante)Classic M-G-M Short Subject Now You See It (1947)Classic M-G-M Tom & Jerry Cartoon Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse (1947)Original Theatrical TrailerFiesta (1947)Williams portrays Maria, disguising herself as her twin brother Mario (Ricardo Montalban in his first credited U.S. film) and enters the ring in his place after he abandons bullfighting for classical music studies. The score was Oscar-nominated (including a restyling of Aaron Copland's "El Salon Mexico"). Cyd Charisse plays Mario's partner in dance and romance.BONUS FEATURES:Classic M-G-M Short Goodbye, Miss Turlock (1947)Classic M-G-M Tex Avery Cartoon Hound Hunters (1947)Original Theatrical TrailerPagan Love Song (1950)Esther Williams and Howard Keel star.Half-Tahitian beauty Mimi Bennett (Williams) is eager to leave the easygoing life of Tahiti for the excitement and bustle of the United States. But when Ohioan Hazard Endicott arrives to manage his late uncle's coconut plantation, her travel plans may be delayed.BONUS FEATURES:Seven Deleted Musical Outtakes:Why Is Love So CrazySea of the MoonTahiti Version OneTahiti Version TwoMusic on the Water Version OneMusic on the Water Version TwoThe House of the Singing BambooClassic M-G-M Cartoon The Chump Champ (1950)Classic M-G-M Short Subject Curious Contests (1950)Original Theatrical TrailerEnd of press release.These six musicals are usually very light in plot, involve exotic settings, and have plenty of opportunities for musical interludes besides Esther's water ballets, which are beautiful. The time of Esther William's peak popularity was a time of upheaval for MGM, which is where these films were made. After the war, MGM began a downward spiral brought on largely by the competition of TV but also by MGM's inabilities to conform to the public's changing tastes. One place where MGM continued to do well was in their musicals, at least until the late 1950's, and Esther's films were among their peak product in this department.

Esther, Esther, Esther...what a unique joy you brought to the movies. There was never a more spectacular genre than that fashioned around this talented swimstar. She cheerfully lived in a world inhabited by man-hungry younger sisters, opera stars and leading men who'd burst into song at the drop of a cliche, and prestigious family members and friends like Jimmy Durante, Walter Pigeon, Mary Astor, Rita Moreno and Cyd Charisse. By day, she was in the water but always managed to dry off before moving to night clubs where, inevitably, some big-name band conducted by Xavier Cougat or Tommy Dorsey was playing the latest hits. Collection Number Two doesn't let us down. Here, we have her chemistry with Van Johnson demonstrated yet again in "Thrill of a Romance" and "Easy to Love" I lunched with Van on his last visit to Australia, and still boyish at 80, he made it quite clear that the best years of his career were spent at MGM, and some of the most enjoyable movies were with Esther Williams. There are two diversions from the formula. In "Fiesta", Esther gets wet for just a moment, but still has the lush technicolor treatment in a crazy mix of sibling devotion and bull-fighting in Mexico, and - like "Million Dollar Mermaid" - is not strictly a musical. But by "Million Dollar Mermaid" Esther had learned her chops as an actress and as the world's first mermaid, Aussie Annette Kellerman, gives a creditable dramatic performance inbetween the Busby Berkeley aquatic spectaculars. I have to admit "Pagan Love Song" is my favourite.....Esther in Tahiti (shot in Hawaii), sun-drenched, splashing around in the ocean, serenaded by Howard Keel at his handsome best...it's like taking an utterly carefree vacation with people you love. So. Is there to be a Volume Three? One hopes so. We still await "Texas Carnival", "Skirts Ahoy". "Duchess of Idaho" and "Jupiter's Darling"...surely enough reason to complete the trio.

Packaged with extreme care in bubble wrap and box, the movie set came in promptly and in perfect condition as described: original pristine packaging. What a delight to finally find a copy of "Easy to Love," the reason for purchasing this particular set. It's a stellar example of 1950s Florida tourism marketing and a cute movie recalling plenty of childhood memories from Cypress Gardens. Thank you!

These classic movies not only highlight Esther Williams extraordinary athletic skill in dazzling production numbers but showcase leading bands like Xavier Cugat and Benny Goodman, talents like Jimmy Durante, Fernando Lamas, Ricardo Montanan, Cyd Charisse, opera singer Laurence Melchior and more.

"Thrill Of A Romance" and "This Time For Keeps" are the absolute best films in this box set because they also feature Metropolitan Opera star Lauritz Melchior ("Romance" was his film debut -- and also stars Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra). Melchior is adorable and manages to make opera music accessible to the masses. I recently met a new rising star in opera who counts Melchior as one of his heroes, so that's another reason to love these two films. Plus "Thrill" has Van Johnson.There is only one film here which is a real head-scratcher, but it's still fun in its ridiculous way: "Fiesta." In that film Esther and Ricardo Mantelban are twins -- but he speaks with a Spanish accent while she does not. Must be something in the water. The other films are all a lot of fun -- gotta love Esther -- the girl who inspired the entire world to swim!