SPLASH!: ESTHER WILLIAMS PAGE.: DUCHESS OF IDAHO (1950)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

DUCHESS OF IDAHO (1950)

Duchess of Idaho (1950). Musical/romantic/comedy. Directer: Robert Z. Leonard, it was the fourth film with Esther Williams and Van Johnson together. It was shot mainly on location in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Christine Riverton Duncan, the star of the "Melody in Springtime" water ballet, shares her apartment with Ellen Hallet, a secretary to railroad tycoon Douglas J. Morrissen, Jr.. While dining at a nightclub with Linda, Douglas pretends that Ellen is his fiancee to scare her off. Ellen returns home drunk thinking that Douglas is just using her. The next day, Ellen and Douglas make plans to go on a business trip to Sun Valley. When Christine, hears the news she tells her to run out and buy a dress with a "low, cut neck line." No sooner does Ellen bring home the new dress, Douglas calls to cancel their plans. The two girls decide to get even with Douglas. The misadventures begins when Christine falls in love with bandleader Dick Layn.

This is the first time I have seen the film Duchess of Idaho. The songs are wonderful, as well as the swimming numbers. And a couple of fun cameos. Which I want to keep a secret. :)

Soundtracks:
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"Let's Choo Choo Choo to Idaho"
Written by Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston
Sung by Van Johnson, Connie Haines and The Jubilaires

"You Can't Do Wrong Doin' Right"
Written by Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston
Sung by Van Johnson and Connie Haines

"Of All Things"
Written by Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston
Sung by Connie Haines

"Baby Come Out of the Clouds"
Written by Henry Nemo and Lee Pearl
Sung by Lena Horne

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Click picture to view movie clip. Bathing Beauty (1944). Musical. Cast: Red Skelton, Basil Rathbone and Esther Williams, Harry James and his Music Makers, Ethel Smith, Helen Forrest and Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra. Director: George Sidney. This was not William's screen debut, but it was her first musical. The film was initially to be titled "Mr. Co-Ed" with Red Skelton having top billing. However, once MGM executives watched the first cut of the film, they realized that Esther Williams' role should be showcased and changed the title to "Bathing Beauty". The film is Janis Paige's film debut.

Neptune's Daughter (1949). Musical/ romantic/ comedy Cast: Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalbán, Betty Garrett, Keenan Wynn, Xavier Cugat and Mel Blanc. Directer: Edward Buzzell. Features the Academy Award winning song Baby, It's Cold Outside by Frank Loesser. Neptune's Daughter was the third movie that paired Williams and Ricardo Montalbán together, the other two being Fiesta (1947) and On an Island with You (1948), and the second to co-star Red Skelton (1944's Bathing Beauty).

Thrill of a Romance (1945) Romance. Cast: Van Johnson, Esther Williams and Carleton G. Young, with musical performances by opera singer Lauritz Melchior. Director: Richard Thorpe. Written by Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman. This was the first of four films that paired Williams and Johnson together. Made over a period of eight years, those that followed were Easy to Wed (1946), Duchess of Idaho (1950) and Easy to Love (1953).Thrill of a Romance was a box office success, becoming the eighth-highest grossing film of 1945. Click to view trailer.

Jupiter's Darling(1955). Musical /romance. Director: George Sidney. Cast: Esther Williams , Howard Keel and Marge Champion. The film features Roman generals Fabius Maximus and Scipio Africanus who appear briefly. Carthaginians Mago Barca and Maharbal also appear. Jupiter's Darling was based on Robert Sherwood's anti-war comedy film The Road to Rome (1927). The film was the last of three films Williams and Keel made together, the other two being Pagan Love Song (1950) and Texas Carnival (1951) .Click picture to view movie trailer.