Neptune's Daughter

The movie features a marvelous cast, each doing his or her specialty. But I especially like the unheralded Betty Garret as the ditzy sister who manages to steal several scenes. Williams has a few abbreviated swim scenes, but does more acting than paddling. Then too, making her a swimsuit designer gives us guys an eyeful of the modeling scenes. Frankly, though, I was disappointed with the big aqua number, which has legions of girls diving into the pool but little more. It's far from any kind of ballet that Williams is so good at.

Of course, Skelton is made for movies like this where his slapstick comedy can blend into the overall shenanigans. However, a couple of his skits (mounting the horse & piling it on muscle- man Mazurki) went past their peak of hilarity. Good to see voice wizard Mel Blanc get a movie break after so many years of funny dialects on radio, TV, and cartoons. All in all, the movie's an entertaining and certainly colorful 90-minutes, but unfortunately not Williams' best.

Esther Williams had some fairly amusing comedies in the '40s that had her jumping into a pool every so often to keep her "Million Dollar Mermaid" label intact. She not only swims here, but joins in the fun and even lends herself to a funny rendition of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Ricardo Montalban while Red Skelton is doing his own version of the song with Betty Garrett. It's a wacky bit of fun about Red being mistaken for a polo player. He has some wild slapstick scenes--one of which has him joining a bevy of bathing beauties as he attempts to fit into a water ballet (reminiscent of his hijinks in "Bathing Beauty"). His partner in fun is Betty Garrett who delivers her own special brand of comedy with no strain at all.

Ricardo Montalban is an excellent foil for Esther's romantic scenes as the wealthy polo player. The blurb on the video jacket offers a quote from the N.Y. Times: "The most entertaining of all the aquatic spectacles in which Esther Williams has starred."

'Nuff said. Enjoy!

Lame musical comedy starring Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalbahn. Williams plays a bathing suit designer who wants to protect her sister, Betty Garrett, from Montalbahn, a polo star and Lothario whom Garrett has fallen for. Really, though, Garrett has fallen for Red Skelton, who pretends to be Montalbahn. While Williams thinks she's keeping Montalbahn occupied, the two, as you expect, fall in love. Williams is a pretty boring actress, famously only "something" when she's wet, and she's kept out of the water for 95% of the movie, and they even cut away from what promises to be an epic water ballet in the final moments. The only amusing moments come between Skelton and Garrett, though their antics never rise above slightly amusing. They have good chemistry, though. It's too bad their studio didn't recognize it at the time, because they should have been paired again. There are two bits of interest in the film: first, it won the Oscar for best song, Frank Loesser's "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Now there's a trivia question! The song doesn't even make sense in the movie. As far as I could tell, the movie takes place in California. Even if I'm incorrect on that, it certainly was never cold in the movie, and why would someone even write a song about the cold and snowstorms for an Esther Williams movie? Weird. It's a great song, of course, and the best part of the film. Both couples sing it in full back to back, with Garrett and Skelton reversing the roles the second time around. The second thing, there's this one character in the movie named Pancho, who works for the polo team or something. When he began to talk, I was thinking, "Wow, what a stereotypical accent. Sounds just like Speedy Gonzales." Then, "Wow, really a lot like Speedy Gonzales. Wait a second… that actor looks like…" Yes, it was! Mel Blanc, playing a guy who sounds just like Speedy Gonzales. I didn't know Mel Blanc did anything live action.

While not a great film, and it won't be for all tastes, 'Neptune's Daughter' was to me an entertaining film that ticked most of the right boxes.

'Neptune's Daughter' is at its weakest in the story department, where the silly and thin mistaken-identity story is purely functional at best, where a few parts border on the improbable. Keenan Wynn is given little to do and his acting and narration felt like they belonged in another (darker) film because they seemed at odds here. Most of the comedy is a lot of good-natured fun, but some falls flat due to being overdone somewhat.

However, 'Neptune's Daughter' is a beautiful-looking film, with opulent use of colour, handsome cinematography and elegant costumes and sets. The songs and music are pleasant and energetic, "Baby It's Cold Outside" being one of the most deserving wins in the Best Song category though Red Skelton and Betty Garrett's number with Xavier Cugat is a delight too.

While not all the comedy works, most of it does and in a way that's genuinely amusing and good-natured. The highlight is Skelton and Garrett's first date in her apartment, a hilarious scene and beautifully played and executed. The staging for the songs is suitably spirited and always pleasing visually, though while the big water ballet is beautifully photographed and performed and fun it wasn't quite the "aqua spectacular" that was expected, just lacking the continuous energy and imagination of the best Esther Williams water ballets.

Esther Williams is very charming and brightens up the screen whether in or out of the water, while Ricardo Montalban is suave, devilishly handsome and full of energy and charisma. Red Skelton seems to be really enjoying himself and is very funny, a riot even in his best bits, and bubbly Betty Garrett enchants the viewer from the moment she's introduced to her last second. Look out also for a rare live-action appearance from the immortal voice actor Mel Blanc, in case you don't spot him he's the mustachioed guy that sounds exactly like Speedy Gonzales.

In conclusion, a very enjoyable film that did make me feel warm inside, though it is not masterpiece status. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Hey, this is a topper. One of the best of WILLIAMS swim films, mainly because it has the great Betty Garrett. Her scenes are wonderful, and she and Red Skelton are wonderful together. The Red and Betty seduction scene where he's trying to act like a Spaniard is sensational and wait until he tastes Garretts appetizer. Sheer genius. The new DVD copy is terrific, sharp and clear. Yes, its MGM's clean-cut studio bound movie, but it's what MGM did best. Haven't seen the other WILLIAMS movies in the collection yet, but am looking forward. Also looking forward to another volume and hope that her best, yet under-rated SKIRTS AHOY is included. See this for pure fun.