Main Cast: Esther Williams, Van Johnson, Tony Martin, John Bromfield, Edna Skinner
Release Year: 1953
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
Plot
The Cole Porter title tune is but one of the musical highlights in the (literally) splashy Esther Williams musical Easy to Love. Reshuffling plot devices utilized in previous Williams vehicles, the film casts Williams as Julie Hallerton, the star of Ray Lloyd's (Van Johnson) aquacade. She loves Lloyd, but he hardly knows she exists. Only when she inaugurates romances with swimming instructor Hank (John Bromfield) and singer Barry (Tony Martin) does Lloyd wake up and smell the chlorine. The plot's finale is top-heavy with "good sport" behavior involving the three male leads. However, if you've come to an Esther Williams movie for the plot, maybe you'd better try another theatre. Easy to Love is the film that includes Busby Berkeley's legendary "motorboat/hang-glider" production number, performed at Florida's Cypress Gardens--though, incredibly, this aquatic tour de force is not the end of the picture! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Esther Williams fans will want to catch Easy to Love, if for nothing more than the extraordinary waterskiing production number that serves as its finale. Those who are immune to the aquatic ballerina's charms will probably want to skip Love, however, for there's not a lot in the plot that will keep them entertained. As a matter of fact, Love's plot is quite uninvolving, and at times irritating. While there certainly are people whose unrequited love causes them to behave like doormats, Williams' character just goes too far; viewers may get frustrated at her indecisiveness and her willingness to do anything and everything for Van Johnson, and no one will believe the last minute change-of-heart that causes Johnson to suddenly decide he's in love with her. Musical aficionados will also be bothered by the musical imbalance of the piece, with some 95 percent of the singing going to one person (Tony Martin). Still, anyone with a fondness for Williams knows that all that really matters are the moments in the water, and Love has plenty of these, culminating in the aforementioned finale, one of the most well-known (and deservedly so) production numbers in the Williams canon. There's also some delectable Helen Rose costumes and smooth Charles Walters direction to help patch up the many rough spots in the screenplay. If Williams is enough for you, Love will keep you entertained; otherwise, you should probably pass. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Carroll Baker - Clarice; King Donovan - Ben; Paul Bryar - Mr. Barnes; Eddie Oliver - Band Leader; Margaret Bert - Mrs. Huffnagel; Cyd Charisse; Edward Clark - Gardener; Lillian Culver - Flora; Sandra Gould - Ben's Wife; Byron Kane; Joseph Mell - Sleepy Waiter; David Newell - Makeup Man; Emory Parnell - Mr. Huffnagel; Reginald Simpson - Photographer; Dorothy Vernon - Women Guests in Lobby; June Whitley - Costume Designer; Fenton Hamilton - Fat Man; Benny Rubin - Oscar Levenson; Helen Dickson; Peggy Remington; Violet Seton
Credit
Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, Jack Martin Smith - Art Director, Busby Berkeley - Choreography, Charles Walters - Director, Gene Ruggiero - Editor, Lennie Hayton - Musical Direction/Supervision, George Stoll - Musical Direction/Supervision, Ray June - Cinematographer, Joe Pasternak - Producer, Laszlo Vadnay - Screen Story, Laszlo Vadnay - Screenwriter, William Roberts - Screenwriter
