All of Esther Williams's Movies
I did it! I've watched all of Esther Williams's movies!
Okay, that's a partial lie. I can't find The Gentle Web, Raw Wind in Eden or Magic Fountain, but I'm calling this complete until these pop up on a streaming service or CC Video. If anyone has any leads, drop them in the comments, but in the meantime, here are my thoughts on all of Esther Williams's movies!
Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942)
I mean, in the grand scheme of things, the vamp in an Andy Hardy movie was a perfect launch pad for MGM starlets and it's where Esther Williams earned her stripes. She more than holds her own here, as the swimming siren designed to distract the ever-annoying Andy Hardy and put upon the ever-put upon Ann Rutherford who loves him.
A Guy Named Joe (1942)
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Another small part for Esther, pairing her up with Van Johnson for the first time, but also seeing her act alongside the likes of Irene Dunne and Spencer Tracy. Honestly, if you blink you'll miss her, but it's still a worthwhile film to watch for the love story; and for the trajectory of Esther's career, it shows the faith MGM had in her that they thought she could hold her own amongst this cast.
Bathing Beauty (1944)
Thrill of a Romance (1945)
I've got a soft spot for Thrill of a Romance. It's perfect: Esther Williams, Van Johnson, lush mountain hotel location, romantic plotline, and happy ending. I love that the story takes place after the presumptive 'happy ending' (Esther's character is married to another man and on her honeymoon when she meets Van's character and he sweeps her off her feet). This is a perfectly sweet movie to dive into if you're looking for classic Esther Williams comfort.
Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
Esther's got a segment in this anthology film dedicated to the legacy of Florenz Ziegfeld and featuring dozens of MGM stars. Her segment is a quintessential aquaballet that you simply can't miss! (Special shout out to Lucille Ball's pink panther dance routine and Virginia O'Brien's 'Bring On The Wonderful Men' routine)
The Hoodlum Saint (1946)
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A return to dramatic fare for Esther here, who gets to star opposite William Powell and Angela Lansbury. I don't view it as 'essential' viewing material in terms of Esther's overall career, but it showed that she was willing to take risks away from the swimming tank on Stage 3.
Easy to Wed (1946)
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This is a musical remake of the (in my opinion) superior Libeled Lady from 1936, in which Esther plays the Myrna Loy character and Van Johnson the William Powell character. It's bolstered by a stellar supporting cast including Lucille Ball and Keenan Wynn and hits all the laughs but honestly? It's my least favourite of the Esther-Van films and I definitely prefer Libeled Lady to this.
Fiesta (1947)
In which Esther wants to be a matador, Ricardo Montalban wants to be a musician, and they engage in some early style Parent Trap/Freak Friday trickery to get what they want against the wishes of their overbearing father. This one's not my favourite, but it's fun.
This Time for Keeps (1947)
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There's a lot going on in this movie: opera, war service, water ballets, Esther Williams, Lauritz Melchior, a love triangle...it's pretty unmemorable when compared against the rest of Esther's movies.
On an Island With You (1948)
I love the tropical locale but not much else.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
What if Esther Williams owned a baseball team and Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra were a couple'a vaudevillians trying to romance her at the turn of the century? You'd get Take Me Out to the Ball Game, which is a fun lil musical!
Neptune's Daughter (1949)
Mistaken identity, dashing leading man in Ricardo Montalban, and the birth of that perennial holiday classic 'Baby It's Cold Outside' all add up to the many reasons why I love Neptune's Daughter. The end polo sequence is hilarious.
Duchess of Idaho (1950)
Duchess of Idaho is a top-tier Esther Williams movie and one of my top Esther-Van Johnson films (I think Thrill of a Romance has to occupy the top slot there). I love this movie to pieces: gal pals, fun romantic endeavours, Sun Valley, fun MGM cameos, and a charming leading man in Van's bandleader character. I especially love the ending!
Pagan Love Song (1950)
The optics of a half-Tahitian woman being played, with dark foundation caked on, by Esther Williams isn't great. I love the chemistry between Esther and Howard Keel in general, but I wouldn't rank this one in the top half of my list.
Texas Carnival (1951)
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Texas Carnival ranks up there near the top of my favourite Esther Williams movies just for the pure slapstick and fun. Red Skelton, Howard Keel, Ann Miller and Keenan Wynn are all in the cast and even one of them's enough to lure my attention, but all of them?
Skirts Ahoy! (1952)
Another fun musical about female friendship, but it doesn't rate as high for me as Duchess of Idaho does. Still worth a watch though!
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
The woman who made swimming fun in the mid-century starring as the woman who made swimming fun at the turn of the century (and changed long-held conventions about swimsuits for women) is a natural choice. I think Esther stuns in this traditional biopic.
Dangerous When Wet (1953)
The whole premise of trying to open air swim the English Channel is enough to exhaust me, and I'm always game for a Jack Carson appearance, so I'd say I quite enjoyed Dangerous When Wet. Plus, there's a fun swimming sequence with Tom and Jerry!
Easy to Love (1953)
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The final Esther-Van pairing is a fun one, but I love this movie for another reason: Cypress Gardens.
Jupiter's Darling (1955)
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This is a divisive answer, but I love Jupiter's Darling. It's not for everyone in that it's not the formulaic aquacade musical but there's an interesting story here if you manage to watch it; plus fun dance routines from Gomer and Marge Champion, and Howard Keel being his usual hunk self!
The Big Show (1961)
CAN'T FIND:
The Gentle Web (1956)
Raw Wind in Eden (1958)
Magic Fountain (1963)
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