Bellezze al bagno

BATHING BEAUTY offers lots of eye candy and a couple of hilarious RED SKELTON routines proving he's a master at physical comedy. The musical interludes are on the dull side and don't give strong enough material to Ethel Smith (at the organ), Harry James, Xavier Cugat and Carlos Ramirez--a Latin tenor with a strong voice but no charisma.

The slender plot is the usual misunderstanding that occurs in these type of ESTHER WILLIAMS movies. She thinks her newly wed hubby (Red) is the father of three boys, thanks to a practical joke played by BASIL RATHBONE (who looks as if he'd rather be elsewhere in a thankless role). She tries throughout the film to get Red dismissed from the all girl college he enters just to be near her. The highlight of the film is Red's bashful entrance into a class of ballerinas, clad in pink tutu and ballet slippers--all the while being slapped around by a ruthless instructor and going through ballet paces with hilarious results.

The supporting cast is largely wasted--including Bill Goodwin, Margaret Dumont and Janis Paige in a brief role. Jean Porter gets to do more than usual and even has a song and dance number with Red.

The water ballet at the finale is nicely done in typical MGM manner but not as ostentatious as usual for an Esther Williams film. This was her debut as a leading lady and she has lots of confidence and poise, both in and out of the water. In fact, it's one of her better performances--but the spotlight belongs to Red Skelton who deserves his top billing.

The lack of plot is part of what is fun.

Released during the middle of WWII, it is a rather obvious excuse to show beautiful women in bathing suits and have lots of really good musical numbers.

There are several wonderful location shots, even though most of it was filmed on a sound stage. One of the locations look likes it was filmed in Palm Springs.

Red Skelton is adorable if a bit typecast. Ester Williams is stunningly beautiful and graceful.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable, if silly, movie. A great movie for family viewing especially with younger children.

One MGM musical of the time launched a career that flourished for the balance of the decade… A champion swimmer and a tall, strikingly pretty woman, Esther Williams had played small roles in two MGM films when she was starred in "Bathing Beauty." She played a swimming teacher at a girls' school whose husband (Red Skelton) enrolls at the school to be near her...

The plot was merely an excuse for knockabout antics by Skelton and especially for Williams' aquacades… The pattern was fixed for the rest of the series of popular light musicals she starred in: Williams as a smiling mermaid moving balletically underwater to the strains of a pleasing melody…

Bathing Beauty's finale is a lavish water spectacle with the star as the focal point of intricate underwater formations

I was fourteen-years-old when this film was released and naturally eager to see the fabulous Esther Williams. However, I was totally mesmerized by Harry James, premier trumpeter of his day. His playing was absolutely dynamite. I had never heard anything like it. I made up my mind then and there that I wanted to do that. I went on to a successful trumpet-playing career largely due to the initial influence of the great James. In those days (Mid 1940's) everyone wanted to be a trumpet player (unlike the deluge of guitars today)mainly due to the influence of Harry James. I am impressed to this day whenever the film is shown on TV. For those of you unfamiliar with the film or of Harry James, I strongly recommend it, especially for young budding trumpet players.

Although 'Bathing Beauty' was intended as a Red Skelton vehicle it's known more for the introduction of Esther Williams, who became a star overnight.

No wonder too. Williams is a sheer delight, in and out of the water. Her aquatic dancing is dazzling, and she has an immensely charming presence that handles comedy and romance very well. This is not knocking Skelton though, because while he could easily have mugged he is suitably subdued here and is very funny, his ballet dancing scenes are some of the best things he ever did on film and still come over as riotous.

Basil Rathbone is underused and has been better, but is still amusing and suave. Other standout supporting turns are from a dynamite Harry James, Ethel Smith and Helen Forrest.

Visually, 'Bathing Beauty' is a beautiful-looking film, with opulent use of colour, handsome cinematography and elegant costumes and sets. The songs and music, while not exactly memorable or timeless, are still very pleasant to listen to and performed with zest, sensitivity and assurance.

Scripting-wise, it is amusing and fun enough while resisting mawkishness in the more romantic elements. George Sidney directs assuredly, and the film maintains interest and rarely loses it. A definite highlight element is the water ballet sequences, the final one being the very meaning of "aqua-spectacular".

However, the story is paper-thin flimsy, contrived and pure nonsense. While a few supporting cast members acquit themselves well, most of them are wasted (Bill Goodwin, Donald Meek) or forgettable, though Carlos Ramirez does stick out as somebody on vocally glorious but entirely charisma-free form.

Overall, Technicolor and aquatic beauty and worth seeing for Skelton and Williams. 7/10 Bethany Cox