Bathing Venus
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Bathing Venus |
| Original title | Bathing Beauty |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1944 |
| length | 101 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | George Sidney |
| script |
Kenneth Earl M. M. Musselman Curtis Kenyon Joseph Closet |
| production | Jack Cummings |
| music |
Herbert Stothart Alberto Colombo |
| camera | Harry Stradling Sr. |
| cut | Blanche Sewell |
| occupation | |
| |
Bathing Venus (original title: Bathing Beauty ) is an American musical film directed by George Sidney from 1944. The film marked the international breakthrough for the then 22-year-old Esther Williams .
action
In Los Angeles, popular songwriter Steve Elliot is preparing to marry Caroline Brooks, who plans to quit her college swimming instructor job as soon as she gets married. Likewise, Steve plans to give up his songwriting career, even though New York producer George Adams has already hired him to write new songs for a water ballet show.
When George overhears Steve talking to Caroline about his "retirement," he vows to prevent the wedding and hires Maria Dorango, an aspiring actress posing as a Latin American singer, to help him. Moments after a magistrate has declared the red-haired Steve and Caroline husband and wife, Maria storms in and claims that Steve is her husband and the father of the three red-haired children she has just given birth to. Although Steve protests his innocence, Caroline storms off in a rage and returns to her teaching position at Victoria College in New Jersey. A determined Steve and his friend, Carlos Ramírez, follow her there, but are denied entry to the all-women school.
Later, in a New York nightclub, Steve meets drunken attorney Chester Klazenfrantz and learns that he was hired to change the statutes of Victoria College, which never officially declared itself an all-women school. Armed with this information, Steve returns to Victoria and insists on applying for inclusion. Unaware of Caroline's relationship with Steve, Dean Clinton suggests that faculty admit him for a two-week probationary period during which they would give him 100 failure points, which would qualify him for parental day eviction.
Once enrolled, Steve tries to speak to Caroline but she refuses to hear his explanations and tells him that she is seeking cancellation. Later, in music class, the cumbersome Professor Hendricks tried to discredit Steve, whose presence on campus caused an uproar among the students, by ordering him to write his own version of the Scottish ballad Loch Lomond and assign the class the next day teaching. With the help of some talented students, Carlos the Music Teaching Assistant, and Steve's friend Harry James and his orchestra, Steve meets Hendricks' challenge and receives an A.
That night, Steve visits Caroline at her home but is kicked out when Willis Evans, a Conservative botany professor who is in love with Caroline, arrives. When Caroline realizes that Steve is hiding in her closet to spy on her, Caroline orders Willis' Great Dane Duke to guard the closet door while reminding Steve that if he is not in, he will be expelled for breaking the curfew five minutes in his room. With a lead of only a few seconds, Steve manages to outsmart the dog long enough to escape back to his dingy basement room. Steve is then visited by George, who threatens to denigrate him in the press if he does not finish his songs. However, when Steve swears deadly revenge on the person Maria hired, George backs down and offers to help Steve with his homework. Dean Clinton, concerned about the upcoming Parents Day, orders Steve's professors, who have punished him with only fifty-five points, to fight him. To this end, Ms. Zarka, Steve's relentlessly strict ballet teacher, forces him to wear a tutu and dance with the students, but Steve takes up the challenge again.
A now desperate Dean Clinton asks Caroline to go out with Steve and see him return to Victoria after the curfew. Caroline agrees, but as the evening progresses, Steve convinces her of his innocence, and while they drive back to school, the newlyweds make plans to return to California together. Without Caroline and Steve knowing, Maria is on campus trying to expose George, who wants to get rid of her, in front of Steve. At the same time, a fraternity shows up on campus in Steve's room hoping to initiate him, and another college student, Jean Allenwood, shows up with news that her parents and Dean Clinton are on their way to see him Inspect room. While Steve desperately hides all women in two closets and prevents Caroline from discovering Maria, George appears unexpectedly. Although Steve manages to hide George and himself and deceive Dean Clinton and the Allenwoods, Maria soon makes herself known to Caroline, who leaves once again angry. Steve later promises to write songs for George's water ballet show on condition that he star Caroline. George agrees, and after Maria can finally tell Caroline the truth, Caroline is happily reunited with Steve, who then gives George a beating.
publication
The film premiered on June 27, 1944 at the Astor Theater in New York City. For the event, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer put up a six-story poster of Williams, immersed in Times Square, with a large sign that read: "Come on in. The water's fine!" the water's fine! ") in the West German cinemas he ran for the first time on 1 September 1950 in the GDR on 10 August 1985 to DFF 1 .
With the wonderful melodies of the film and the extravagant water scenes, Bathing Venus was a box-office hit. According to MGM records, the film grossed $ 3,284,000 in the US and Canada and $ 3,608,000 elsewhere for a profit of $ 2,132,000. In France, it was one of the most popular films of 1946 with 5,438,665 admissions.
criticism
The reactions to the film were "glowing," as Williams wrote in her autobiography. A 1944 New York Times review scoffed at the title but also wrote: “Miss Williams' talents as a swimmer - not to mention her other attributes - make whatever title the studio tries to give her okay with us. When she swims through the crystal blue water in a pink swimsuit or splashes in crystal clear splendor in the brightly colored water carnival staged by John Murray Anderson, she is a bathing beauty for us, even if she is dragged in by the heels. In other words: 'Bathing Beauty' is a colorful shower of music, comedy and dance. Since July is panting hot on the heels of June, it is pleasant refreshment that you should have on hand. "
The film service said: “Lavishly equipped music film with attractive show elements (water revue) and tangible comedy. Tailored to Esther Williams. "
Web links
- Bathing Venus in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ French box office of 1946 at Box Office Story
- ↑ Bosley Crowther: Film Review - Bathing Venus - 'Bathing Venus', brilliant musical starring Red Skelton and Esther Williams, will be performed at the Astor Theater - NYTimes.com . Movies.nytimes.com. June 28, 1944. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
- ↑ Bathing Venus. Retrieved May 10, 2021 .