Customer Reviews

Athena [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I enjoyed this movie, even though it does take some cheap shots at the musclemen and the health & fitness movement.Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds are delightful in their roles and their voices are at their peak. You will love hearing them sing.Edmund Purdom and Vic Damone add some worldly class to this film. Reeves definitely has presence here and it's easy to see why he became a star many years later. It was this movie that landed him the role of Hercules.At one point in the movie, Edmund Purdom lites up a cigerette and Reeves pulls the cigarette out of his mouth and says; "What are you trying to do, suffocate us?" In real life, Reeves was opposed to smoking.The movie also has a Mr. Universe contest which Reeves wins after successfully completing a continental clean and press of 400 lbs to break a deadlock with Lynn Lyman.Interesting because in real life back in 1948 Reeves was tied for first place with former weightlifter John Grimek in the Mr. Universe contest in London, England. Grimeks athletic prowess broke the tie and gave him the win, even though Reeves had the best physique.Athena is a good movie. It's a funny, clean movie. Has great songs by Damone, Powell and Reynolds and features many of the top bodybuilders of that era. Something for everybody. I hope they put this one on dvd.

My wife and I were watching this movie just a few days ago. Debbie Reynolds and Jane Powell are delightful. Music fans will enjoy Vic Damone.Although a far cry from "Singing in the Rain" and "7 Brides for 7 Women", this movie is moderately entertaining.For bodybuilding buffs, it's ridiculous to see Reeves get pounced by scrawny Edmund Purdom and Dick Dubois, a former Mr. America, actually at that time, current 1954 AAU Mr. America crawl away in fear from Damone. This movie didn't do much to inspire faith in bodybuilding or in the health movement. The movie does feature some of the greats of the day. Besides Reeves and Dubois, Jerry Ross, Mr. California, Zabo Koswieski, Mr. Abdominals and others.Nevertheless, it's a fun movie even if it did take a few pokes at musclemen.Would be nice to see a remake of the movie. Problem; who would or could play Reeves? Steve Reeves was a man of real substance. Most of the top champions of today are real substance abusers.

Another spirited musical-comedy in the great tradition of the MGM musicals. This bubbling, tune-filled pleaser is fresh on the heels of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" but this time it is seven sisters who take center stage.

Grandpa Mulvane (Louis Calhern) runs a health food and body conditioning spa whose clients are being geared for the Mr. Universe contest. His seven precocious granddaughters help run the establishment with flair. The entire Mulvane family are numerologists who maintain a strict vegetarian diet and have a high respect for things natural.

The apple-cart is upset when businessman Adam, a carnivore, (Edmund Purdom) falls for Athena (Jane Powell) and singer Johnny (Vic Damone) falls for her sister, Minerva, (Debbie Raynolds). The complications continue when Adam knocks Grandpa's prime contestant (Steve Reeves) to the floor over a backstage altercation over Athena at the Mr. Universe contest.

Jane Powell is her loveliest as Athena Mulvane. Her voice is at the peak of her career. She sings the lively "Vocalize", informs us in her own lyrical way that "Love Can Change the Stars", and shows her full musical prowess with Donizetti's showpiece "Chacun le sait" from "The Daughter of the Regiment". Vic Damone delights with "The Girl Next Door", "Venezia" and a reprise of "Love Can Change the Stars". Debbie Raynolds charms with "I Never Felt Better" and "Imagine".

The tongue-in-cheek merriment with the healthy lifestyle advocates, the delightful musical score by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, and the talents of some of MGM's top musical stars make this a tuneful package to enjoy anytime you need a light lift in spirits.

Athena is the story of a strange family whose charm and beauty captivates a famous singer and a potential politician. Adam Shaw (Edmund Purdom) wants to run for office, but in order to dispell his youthful image, he needs to be married. He chooses a lifelong acquaintence and settles in for a dull life. That is, until he meets Athena Mulvain (Jane Powell). She is like nothing he's ever known before; she believes the stars pattern everyone's lives and follows the strict advice of her grandfather to the letter. Despite how different she is, she is extremely happy, which catches Adam's eye. She manages to bring popular singer Johnny Nyle (Vic Damone) home to meet her sister Minerva (Debbie Reynolds), but she has more difficulty winning over Adam whose political career throws more than a few wrenches into the equation.

The cast is very good, particularly Purdom, whose handsome masculinity translates well into modern times. Powell's classically trained voice mixes well with Reynolds' jazzier style. The music is not perfect, though some of it is very catchy. "Love Can Change the Stars" is the most destined for a wide audience, though it never caught on. Most of the rest has potential, but the arrangements make the melodies much more like show tunes than popular music.

This movie was made 4 years after Steve Reeves retired from bodybuilding competition. When you see Steve in this small role, you'll understand why he became such a big movie star of the late 50's and early 60's. He definitely had that screen presence. This film is unique because, unlike the many films Steve made in Europe, this film uses Reeves' "real" voice. After hearing it, one wonders why the producers of his other films chose to dub his voice for years. The story is lightweight, nowhere near the caliber of a "Sound of Music" or "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and others, but enjoyable at the same time. It's typical of the musicals that were made during that era - harmless entertaining films made for general audiences. Too bad Hollywood has abandoned this formula. Highly recommended for Steve Reeves fans!

1954's ATHENA is something of a curious oddity in the world of the MGM musicals. Originally planned as a vehicle for Esther Williams (in which she would have played a reincarnated Grecian goddess), Williams' maternity leave instead saw Jane Powell step into the part, resulting in the film being re-written to accommodate the singing star. At this time, Ms Powell was more popular at the box office than ever before, thanks to the mega-hit "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". Co-starring once again with Debbie Reynolds ("Two Weeks with Love") not to mention future "Hercules" Steve Reeves, ATHENA is, as MGM originally billed it in advertising slogans, "the musical with young ideas".

Athena Mulvain (Jane Powell) meets aspiring politician Adam Calhorn Shaw (Edmund Purdom) whilst tapping sassafras trees at a local nursery, when she overhears him complaining about his dead peach trees. "You need mulching", Athena declares, so she offers to visit Adam's house. Peach trees aside, Athena and Adam's stars perfectly align. You see, Athena's a numerologist, and conducts her life based on the principles of numbers and the stars.

The rest of the Mulvain clan are just as committed to their causes. Grandpa Ulysses (Louis Calhern) runs L.A.'s premier health food shop along with Athena's six sisters, and also trains bodybuilders. Whilst Adam initially chafes at Athena's views, he slowly begins to open his eyes to another approach to life. But their romance hits a snag when Adam drags Athena to a big party - where his old girlfriend Beth (Linda Christian) lays in wait to 'expose' Athena to the snooty society set...as *gasp* a vegetarian! Can "love change the stars"? It's worth a try...especially when Athena's younger sister Minerva (Debbie Reynolds) can't marry her crooner boyfriend Johnny Nyle (Vic Damone) until Athena and Adam sort their own relationship out!

ATHENA became notorious for it's offscreen dramas as well... This is where Linda Christian (at the time married to Tyrone Power) first met Edmund Purdom, and when their torrid affair started. Steve Reeves, playing champion bodybuilder Ed Perkins, was discovered by the daughter of "Hercules" director Pietro Francisci, who heartily recommended Reeves for the part of the Grecian hero after watching him in this very movie! Sadly this would be one of Jane Powell's last musicals at MGM. After a small guest role in "Deep in My Heart", and the lavish CinemaScope "Hit the Deck" in 1955 (co-starring again with Debbie Reynolds and Vic Damone), Powell left the studio.

Thanks to it's progressive ideas and a sparkling musical score from Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane ("Imagine", "Vocalize", "Love Can Change the Stars", "I Never Felt Better"), ATHENA is a charming oddity that's in a world all by itself...

This is one great movie. I saw "ATHENA' when it first came out, and still remember the father talking about "yogurt, wheat germ!", which were strange and exotic foods then. The idea of finding such "health" foods in local supermarkets seemed, then, totally absurd....but perhaps this movie made a small step toward this happening!

Tuneful, upbeat, and sparkling, 'ATHENA's messages of postive thinking and positive, optimistic living, (including real love and romance!), filter through the fog of years which has forgotten too much of the plot.
But this is one wonderful movie...which I truly would like to see again....and be able to buy, to view, on Amazon. As I live in the USA, and not in Austrailia, I could not view the movie on my DVD player, even if I did buy the movie, (in this format), now. Please, DVD manufacturers and copyright owners.....make a version that we in the US, and Canada, can see, (too!) This is one movie -- with the beautiful and charming JANE POWEL at her lovlies -- that most people would really like to see now! (By the way, about a year ago, I saw the REAL Jane Powell's picture on the cover of a health-food magazine! Working on this movie, way back when, may even have sparked her interest in it! As of this writing, (25 April, 2008), Ms. Powell is still gloriously, energetically, and quite beautifully, alive, well, and kicking! And probably singing, too!

I wish I could write a more detailed review of this movie, but, as mentioned above, I haven't seen it in many years. Please, powers that
can do it, re-issue AThENA! Many, many people will always enjoy seeing this movie!

It would have been a good movie if they had changed about 10 lines of the script.

Jane Powell's character is into numerology. Lines about that should have been dropped. It makes her too flaky.

Her grandfather says: People should eat nuts and berries so that they act like nuts and berries. When people eat animals, they act like animals.

That awful line should have been dropped. In real life, advocates of vegetarianism don't say people should act like nuts and berries.

SPOILER BELOW

The movie ends with the Jane Powell character asking the leading man: How about some eggs and bacon?

That line should have been dropped.

At least they should have clarified if it means that she's given up vegetarianism, or just decided to encourage other people to eat meat without doing so herself.

SPOILER ABOVE

Not a good movie. With proper editing of the script, it would have been.

The best thing about the movie is that Debbie Reynolds looks great. Reynolds has a supporting role as a sister of Athena, who is played by Jane Powell.

"Athena" is probably one of the dullest musicals ever produced. The story of two sisters from a family of health nuts slowly plods along from pitfall to pitfall as each sister(they are 2 of 7 but fortunately the musical focuses on only them since they are played by Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds)tries to land the man the stars has predicted is the right man for them. The plot is predictable, the songs are nice but there is never that spark that brings the film to a higher level. It's a very watchable film nonetheless and then DVD transfer is OK-no one is going to spend alot of time re-mastering this film to prefection. If you enjoy musicals, you will certainly want to see this, mostly as a relic from a bygone era. And yes, pre Hercules Steve Reeves has a small supporting role.

Wow, this film is a departure from most MGM musicals I have seen. Not to say it's bad but clearly different. Even the dialog is different. This movie strikes out on its own and for the most part wins. Jane Powell (by the way I have a color negative of Jane Powell at Disneyland in 1959 where she looks like the most beautiful woman in the world!), Debbie Reynolds and the rest the girls are as cute as cupcakes as they make you smile with their sweet ways. Just like the film State Fair a most pleasant fun film to watch on a rainy Sunday morning...