BATHING BEAUTY

Bathing Beauty
MGM, 1944, Color, 101 minutes, ***½
Premiere release June, 1944
General release July, 1944

While on honeymoon in California, Esther Williams discovers reason to believe that new hubby Skelton has been unfaithful, so she leaves him and returns home where she works at all-girl Victoria College. Skelton later follows and, due to a technicality in the college's charter, manages to enroll in Victoria College in order to be near his new bride. Esther is still angry and does her best to get him kicked out, but eventually she ends up defending him. In the meantime, there are many comical situations and antics by Skelton. The big musical number, "I'll Take the High Note," is a definite show-stopper!

Skelton is at his funniest, and that's pretty funny! He pretty much steals the film, but Esther provides good support, as does the rest of the talented cast.




Producer: Jack Cummings
Director: George Sidney
Screenplay: Dorothy Kingsley, Allen Boretz and Frank Waldman; adaptation by Joseph Schrank; based upon an original story by Kenneth Earl, M. M. Musselman and Curtis Kenyon
Musical Supervision and Direction: Johnny Green
Orchestrations: Ted Duncan, Calvin Jackson, Johnny Thompson
Dance Direction: Jack Donohue, Robert Alton
Director of Photography: Harry Stradling
Recording Director: Douglas Shearer
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Stephen Goosson, Merrill Pye
Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis, McLean Nisbet
Costume Supervision: Irene, Kay Dean
Water Ballet Costumes Designed by: Sharaff
Water Ballet: John Murray Anderson
Assistant Technical Director: Merwin Daynes
Make-Up Created by: Jack Dawn
Film Editor: Blanche Sewell

Cast: Red Skelton [Steve Elliott], Esther Williams [Caroline Brooks], Basil Rathbone [George Adams], Bill Goodwin [Willis Evans], Jean Porter [Jean Allenwood], Nana Bryant [Dean Clinton], Carlos Ramirez [Carlos], Donald Meek [Chester Klazenfrantz], Jacqueline Dalya [Maria Dorango], Francis Pierlot [Professor Hendricks], Ann Codee [Mme. Zarka], Margaret Dumont [Mrs. Allenwood], Bunny Waters [Bunny], Janis Paige [Janis], Ethel Smith [Herself], Harry James and His Music Makers with Helen Forrest [Themselves], Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra with Lina Romay [Themselves], Additional Cast: Almira Sessions [Miss Phillips, faculty member], Harry Hayden [Jonathan, the gate keeper], Joe Yule [Bartender], Margaret Adams, Margaret Adden, Karin Booth, Lucille Casey, Linda Deane, Dolores Dey, Bonnie Edwards, Alice Eyland, Dorothy Ford, Mary Ganley, Charmienne Harker, Betty Jaynes, Gloria Lake, Vicky Lane, Ann Lundeen, Peggy Maley, Beryl McCutcheon, Muriel Morris, Helen O'Hara, Mary Perine, Noreen Roth, Naomi Scher, Erin Selwyn, Beverly Tyler, Constance Weiler [Co-Eds]

Musical Program: [0:00] Overture (played by MGM Studio Orchestra behind titles); [0:03] Bim, Bam, Bum (sung by Lina Romay with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra); [0:05] Te Quiero Dijiste (sung in Spanish by Carlos Ramirez with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra; instumental reprise played by Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra as Esther Williams swims); [0:17] Trumpet Blues and Cantabile (played by Harry James and His Music Makers); [0:31] By the Waters of Minnetonka (played by Ethel Smith at the organ with the MGM Studio Orchestra offscreen); [0:33] Tico Tico (no fubá) (played by Ethel Smith at the organ with the MGM Studio Orchestra offscreen, co-eds on percussion onscreen); [0:38] Red Skelton comedy sketch - "A girl waking up in the morning"; [0:42] Loch Lomond (excerpt sung by Girl's Chorus); [0:44] I'll Take the High Note (sung and danced by Red Skelton, Jean Porter, Janis Paige, Carlos Ramirez, Helen Forrest and Buddy Moreno with Harry James and His Music Makers and Ethel Smith on Organ); [1:00] Alma Llanera (sung by Lina Romay with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra); [1:05] Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker Suite (excerpt played in background as girls practice ballet movements in Madame Zarka's Eurhythmics class); [1:06] Red Skelton comedy sketch: ballet practice in Madame Zarka's class, Waltz of the Flowers played during part of this sketch; [1:14] Hora Staccato (played by Harry James on trumpet with His Music Makers); [1:19] I Cried for You (sung by Helen Forrest with Harry James and His Music Makers); [1:33] Finale: instrumental reprisal of most of the song score (played by Harry James and His Orchestra and by Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra, swimming ballet by Esther Williams and Chorus Girls)