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Easy to Love


Easy To Love
MGM bigwigs put a lot of work, money, and imagination into turning Esther Williams into a star, despite the fact that she really didn't sing or dance, but one of their strongest efforts was deliciously entertaining water-themed romp called Easy to Love.

The story begins in Miami where Esther is playing Julie Hallerton, the star of an Aquatics Show (duh) who also works part-time as a model, who is engaged to her hunky co-star, Hank (John Bromfield) and is tired of her slave-driving boss, Ray Lloyd (Van Johnson) working her to the bone and tells him she's going to quit the show and marry Hank. In order to distract her, Ray offers to take Julie on a trip to New York, where she meets a slick nightclub singer named Barry Gordon (Tony Martin}, who fall in love at first sight with our heroine.

This movie was such a pleasant surprise because it wasn’t just barrage of water ballets, which we had come to expect from Williams, but this was an actual musical comedy with song, dance, clowning and romance. The story reminded me a bit of films like The Philadelphia story or Tom, Dick, and Harry, where we find the leading lady actually has feeling for three different men and we have to wait to the very end of the movie to find out who she really loved.

Williams really gets a chance to show off her comedic chops in this film between changing bathing suits. Julie's behavior in New York borders on tramp-ish, but we never stop liking her and are not surprised when all three guys stay in the battle until the final scene. Williams also got an unexpected opportunity to clown in a bonkers water ballet which feature Esther in full clown makeup, playing catch with a real seal and romping through the water with a mechanical alligator. This was foreign, but very welcome territory for Williams. Martin is no Olivier, but his singing voice is dreamy and director Charles Walters (Easter Parade, Summer Stock) takes full advantage of that giving Martin Six solos in the film with "Didja Ever" "Coquette", and "That's What aa Rainy Day is For. There's also a brief appearance from Martin's future wife, the legendary Cyd Charisse.

MGM spared no expense here, the MGM gloss is all over this one, including the best water ballet finale I've ever seen in an Esther movie, which, if you couldn't tell, was staged by Busby Berkley. Van Johnson works really well with Esther and, if you don't blink, you'll also catch appearances by Carroll Baker, Sandra Gould. and Benny Rubin. All you Esther Williams fans out there, this is appointment viewing.