Main Cast: Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante, Cyd Charisse
Release Year: 1948
Country: US
Run Time: 107 minutes
Plot
The title of this MGM musical alone should tip you to the fact that Esther Williams is the star. In this one, she plays a movie star (what an innovation!), Rosalind Reynolds, who is on location in Hawaii to shoot a picture. Peter Lawford plays the film's naval technical advisor, Lt. Lawrence Y. Kingslee, who naturally falls deeply in love with Rosalind. As a means of expressing his ardor, Kingslee genteelly kidnaps Rosalind by "accidentally" marooning her on a desert island. To the dismay of feminists everywhere, Rosalind comes to enjoy being Kingslee's prisoner, and all ends happily. Jimmy Durante breaks up da joint in the role of an assistant director, while music is provided by MGM's all-purpose bandleader Xavier Cugat. The Technicolor process is shown to supreme advantage whenever it concentrates on Esther Williams' form-fitting gold-colored swimsuit. On an Island with You was one of MGM's premiere moneymakers of 1948. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
On an Island With You will delight fans of the aquatic film star Esther Williams and continue to mystify those who don't understand how any sane person can tolerate a film that exists solely to showcase musical swimming numbers. Truth to tell, while screenplays are often a major culprit in Williams vehicles, the one for Island is among the weakest. Also, to modern audiences at least, it's a bit unsettling, for the manner in which Peter Lawford pursues the fair Williams could easily be considered stalking and abducting. This might be less of a problem if Lawford brought some sort of warmth and humanity to the role -- or even, for that matter, if he bothered to give a performance that indicated he had any more interest in the script than in the phone book. Lawford's somnambulant performance is actually more damaging than the silly screenplay; fortunately, Williams is in terrific form and makes up for her co-star's utter lack of interest. She's aided by Ricardo Montalban and, especially, by Cyd Charisse. Charisse gets the chance to set the screen on fire with two dance numbers that get to show off her uncanny ability, and Montalban does surprisingly well in tandem with her. With Jimmy Durante on hand for comedy, some typically grand water numbers, and some lovely sets and costumes, the result may be silly, but it's quite entertaining. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
