Customer Reviews

TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Vol. 2 (Thrill of a Romance / Fiesta / This Time for Keeps / Pagan Love Song / Million Dollar Mermaid / Easy to Love)

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It is good to see that Esther William's films that did not make Volume 1 of her DVD collection are being given a general release with lots of extras rather than being put on DVD-R into the Warner Archive. The Archive is a good idea for obscure films in which visuals are not that important - Marie Dressler's films of the early 1930's are good examples of such films - but Esther's Technicolor musicals needed to be restored to their original visual splendor to be appreciated. The following is the press release for this film indicating extras, costars, and brief plot outlines.

Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
Esther Williams portrays real-life Australian swimming champ Annette Kellerman. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy and costarring Victor Mature, this film was nominated for Best Color Cinematography. The movie includes a Busby Berkeley choreographed water ballet extravaganza. This is considered to be Esther's signature film.
BONUS FEATURES:
AUDIO ONLY: Lux Radio Theater Presentation of Million Dollar Mermaid starring Esther Williams and Walter Pidgeon
Classic M-G-M Tom & Jerry Cartoon The Little Wise-Quacker (1952)
Classic M-G-M Short Subject Reducing (1952)
Original Theatrical Trailer

Thrill of a Romance (1945)
Van Johnson and Esther Williams star. The film include performances from Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra and operatic grandeur from famed Wagnerian tenor Lauritz Melchior in his film debut.

Newlywed swimming teacher Cynthia Delbar (Williams) has everything a girl could want for her honeymoon in the mountains. The only thing missing is her tycoon groom, who is in DC closing a deal. A pretty sorrowful situation - until a good-looking war hero staying at the hotel decides he needs swimming lessons.
BONUS FEATURES:
Outtake Musical Numbers:
Gypsy Mattinata (Lauritz Melchior)
I Should Care (Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra)
Please Don't Say No (The King Sisters)
Classic M-G-M Short Subject The Great American Mug (1945)
Classic M-G-M Tex Avery Cartoon Wild and Woolfy (1945)
Original Theatrical Trailer

Easy to Love (1953)
With the Cole Porter classic as the title tune, Esther Williams and Van Johnson star in their fifth film together. Julie Hallerton (Esther Williams) knows how to win the affection of indifferent Ray Lloyd (Van Johnson): Be his office secretary; be the star of his Florida aquacade and the heart's desire of a Manhattan crooner to make Ray jealous. Tony Martin lends his smooth vocal styling; Busby Berkeley guides Esther's aquatic routines, including a legendary sequence involving Florida's Cypress Gardens, dozens of water skiers, ramps, pyramid formations, gushing geysers, a helicopter, a trapeze and Esther in the air. Also note that this is Carroll Baker's screen debut.

BONUS FEATURES:
Classic M-G-M Short Romantic Riviera (1953)
Classic M-G-M Barney Bear Cartoon Cobs and Robbers (1953)
Original Theatrical Trailer

This Time For Keeps (1947)
This musical is centered on Esther's romance with an ex-GI (Johnnie Johnston). Settings include Michigan's Mackinac Island, with notable supporting stars providing specialty numbers. Famed tenor Lauritz Melchior brings his artistry to La Donna E Mobile, Xavier Cugat is there (with signature tea-cup Chihuahua at hand), and Jimmy Durante dismantles his piano.

BONUS FEATURES:
Outtake Musical Number: Little Big Shot (Jimmy Durante)
Classic M-G-M Short Subject Now You See It (1947)
Classic M-G-M Tom & Jerry Cartoon Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse (1947)
Original Theatrical Trailer

Fiesta (1947)
Williams portrays Maria, disguising herself as her twin brother Mario (Ricardo Montalban in his first credited U.S. film) and enters the ring in his place after he abandons bullfighting for classical music studies. The score was Oscar-nominated (including a restyling of Aaron Copland's "El Salon Mexico"). Cyd Charisse plays Mario's partner in dance and romance.

BONUS FEATURES:
Classic M-G-M Short Goodbye, Miss Turlock (1947)
Classic M-G-M Tex Avery Cartoon Hound Hunters (1947)
Original Theatrical Trailer

Pagan Love Song (1950)
Esther Williams and Howard Keel star.
Half-Tahitian beauty Mimi Bennett (Williams) is eager to leave the easygoing life of Tahiti for the excitement and bustle of the United States. But when Ohioan Hazard Endicott arrives to manage his late uncle's coconut plantation, her travel plans may be delayed.

BONUS FEATURES:
Seven Deleted Musical Outtakes:
Why Is Love So Crazy
Sea of the Moon
Tahiti Version One
Tahiti Version Two
Music on the Water Version One
Music on the Water Version Two
The House of the Singing Bamboo

Classic M-G-M Cartoon The Chump Champ (1950)
Classic M-G-M Short Subject Curious Contests (1950)
Original Theatrical Trailer

End of press release.

These six musicals are usually very light in plot, involve exotic settings, and have plenty of opportunities for musical interludes besides Esther's water ballets, which are beautiful. The time of Esther William's peak popularity was a time of upheaval for MGM, which is where these films were made. After the war, MGM began a downward spiral brought on largely by the competition of TV but also by MGM's inabilities to conform to the public's changing tastes. One place where MGM continued to do well was in their musicals, at least until the late 1950's, and Esther's films were among their peak product in this department.

Thanks so much to TCM and Warner Home Video for producing the long overdue and much anticipated second volume of Esther Williams films.

I am thrilled that "THRILL OF A ROMANCE" (no pun intended) is included - my all-time favourite Esther film.

This lady has brought continuous joy and pleasure to millions of people with her warm, engaging personality and excellent swimming and athletic talents and the films all boast lovely music scores and songs, and many other talented players.

The films were originally produced when Metro Goldwyn Mayer was at its zenith, providing the world with delicious family and general entertainment.

Much appreciation also to the previous Reviewer who has provided us with all the feast of information about the very generous extras on the individual DVD pressings.

WELL DONE!

I had these on VHS and have been WAITING what seems like forever for this Volume 2 set. PLEASE DON'T MAKE US WAIT SO LONG FOR THE NEXT - VOLUME 3!!!!! I would really love it if they moved as fast with Esther Williams as they did with Doris Day. Please give us the rest by spring 2010 at the very latest.

I can't wait for this new set to be released..This my friends is real art. Vol 1 was just great...Thanks

It's been a long time coming, but finally volume 2 has arrived and hope it's a great seller so Warner's will release a third and final volume which would include the underated SKIRTS AHOY. Also included should be TEXAS CARNIVAL; JUPITER'S DARLING and the very good DUCHESS OF IDAHO. Howewver, because Warner's has taken a new stand of releasing their classics in a burned edition and at a ridiculous price of $20.00 each plus shippping a tax, I doubt that they will release this third collection. For shame.
But back to tis volume. Very impressive titles here except for PAGAN LOVE SONG. Good that it has a short run time. FIESTA isn't really a SWIM movie, but good just the same. The others are typical fun comedies with some wonderful water ballets.

This is a must have if you are an Ester fan!The women of today have no idea what true beauty and class really is!
Ester is like Grace Kelly in a class of her own.This is a great box set I have the first set as well- a must have if you are a fan of hers.Only wish the Duchess of Idaho was on this one as it wasn't on the first set either-wonderful movie they forgot!!!Enjoy I truely do!!!You won't be discouraged

Esther, Esther, Esther...what a unique joy you brought to the movies. There was never a more spectacular genre than that fashioned around this talented swimstar. She cheerfully lived in a world inhabited by man-hungry younger sisters, opera stars and leading men who'd burst into song at the drop of a cliche, and prestigious family members and friends like Jimmy Durante, Walter Pigeon, Mary Astor, Rita Moreno and Cyd Charisse. By day, she was in the water but always managed to dry off before moving to night clubs where, inevitably, some big-name band conducted by Xavier Cougat or Tommy Dorsey was playing the latest hits. Collection Number Two doesn't let us down. Here, we have her chemistry with Van Johnson demonstrated yet again in "Thrill of a Romance" and "Easy to Love" I lunched with Van on his last visit to Australia, and still boyish at 80, he made it quite clear that the best years of his career were spent at MGM, and some of the most enjoyable movies were with Esther Williams. There are two diversions from the formula. In "Fiesta", Esther gets wet for just a moment, but still has the lush technicolor treatment in a crazy mix of sibling devotion and bull-fighting in Mexico, and - like "Million Dollar Mermaid" - is not strictly a musical. But by "Million Dollar Mermaid" Esther had learned her chops as an actress and as the world's first mermaid, Aussie Annette Kellerman, gives a creditable dramatic performance inbetween the Busby Berkeley aquatic spectaculars. I have to admit "Pagan Love Song" is my favourite.....Esther in Tahiti (shot in Hawaii), sun-drenched, splashing around in the ocean, serenaded by Howard Keel at his handsome best...it's like taking an utterly carefree vacation with people you love. So. Is there to be a Volume Three? One hopes so. We still await "Texas Carnival", "Skirts Ahoy". "Duchess of Idaho" and "Jupiter's Darling"...surely enough reason to complete the trio.

i cant recomend this enough. the movies are great. the color and sound is tops. they have done a wonderful job on these dvds. now i want jupiters darling.

And "The Duchess of Idaho", "Texas Carnival", "Skirts Ahoy!"? This Vol. 2 has six DVDs, and Vol. 1 contains only five DVDs; TCM could add at least "Jupiter's Darling" on Vol. 1, a wonderful Esther Williams film. When will they release it on DVD?

Well I like swimming and this has it all, beautiful scenery, lovely ladies, romance, lovely gowns, and of course, swimming in all it's glory, Ester Williams is great in these shows, and a pleasure to watch. Lovely few hours of enjoyable viewing