Starring Esther Williams, Jack Carson, Fernando Lamas, and William Demarest
Directed by Charles Walters
Music by Arthur Schwartz; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
We continue to celebrate Esther Williams' 100th birthday with another hit vehicle from the same year. After the massive water ballets in Easy to Love, this one switches the focus to the cast and some nifty musical numbers. It also shows off animation, with MGM cartoon stars Tom & Jerry making their second appearances in a musical. This time we begin in Arkansas, as the Higgins family shows off their daily routine and we get an idea of what makes this one a little different...
The Story: The Higgins family are dairy farmers, but they're also big believers in health and exercise. Traveling salesman Windy Weebe (Carson) is impressed with their vigor and energy and enters them into a race to swim the English Channel. Oldest daughter Katie (Williams) is especially determined for them to win. Pa Higgins (Demarest) bought a lot of new equipment, and they need a new bull. Even when they do make it over, it turns out Katie's the only one who's in good enough shape to swim the rough currents on the Channel. Katie has her own problems fending off handsome Frenchman Andre Lanet (Fernando Lamas), while French swimmer Gigi Mignon (Denise Darcel) pursues her coach Windy.
The Animation: Pretty well-done, especially if you've seen a Tom & Jerry short from this era. Williams is mostly well-integrated, except for when a background inexplicably changes while she's trying to escape the octopus hanging onto her ankle. She interacts fairly well with Tom, Jerry, an angry shark who is likely supposed to represent Windy, and especially the amorous octopus who represents Andre and keeps trying to fondle her. In That's Entertainment III, Williams called Tom & Jerry "more animated than some of my leading men."
The Song and Dance: For all the weird story, this one has a lot of charm to it. It also feels like more of a musical than a lot of Williams' films, with songs for all of the leads and a couple of dance routines along with the big water sequence. There's even genuine tension in the finale, when Katie's finally in the race and may or may not make it across the Channel. As I mentioned in the Easy to Love review, Williams does best when she has leading men who are up to the demands of her ease in front of the camera and in the water. Carson is hilarious as the blow-hard salesman who's convinced a whole family of healthy people will really sell his tonic, while Lamas looks fetching alongside Williams and swims well with her.
Favorite Number: The film kicks off with the Higgins family's morning routine, preparing to swim as "I Got Out of Bed On the Right Side." Katie's sister Susie (Barbara Whiting) sings why "I Like Men" as Windy attempts to sell his vitamin tonic to the Arkansas farmers. The entire cast gets in on "Ain't It Grand," moving from Whiting with the boys in the lobby to Carson and Darcel teasing each other to Greenwood and Demarest showing off enviable high kicks and soft shoes to Lamas and Williams doing a water pas de deux.
Trivia: Williams married Lamas 16 years later, in 1969. They were married until his death in 1982.
What I Don't Like: As cute as the story is, it's also complete piffle, and a bit strange. Despite the well-done building of tension in the finale, you can still guess how it's all going to come out. The music, while sweet, isn't terribly memorable, either. The Tom & Jerry sequence is awkwardly inserted via Katie reading comics to her sister.
The Big Finale: No danger here; this makes up for the lack of extravagant water pageants with a great cast, nifty story, and that iconic Williams animated routine. Highly recommended for fans of Williams, Tom & Jerry, or the musicals of the 1950's.
Home Media: Available on at least three DVD collections of Williams' films and on streaming.
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