Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Esther Williams plays a romantically unattached water-skiing secretary who longs to stop "walking on the water" and be some man's wife; Van Johnson and Tony Martin are her potential choices for a husband. Despite fine aquatic sequences filmed at Florida's Cypress Gardens, this romantic comedy is awfully stale. As helmed by plodding director Charles Walters, everything here is made to seem intentionally innocuous, which doesn't lend the picture much staying power. Even Esther's big moments in the water are not quite up to the mesmerizing leaps from her previous swimming vehicles, though they are preferable to the asides with the men, both of whom are colorless. Carroll Baker, in her film debut as Martin's disgruntled ex-girlfriend, is the liveliest of the bunch. Flimsy stuff, indeed. *1/2 from ****

Despite the fact that most films done with Esther Williams are just "Little Ditties" The cast in this movie is absolutely delightful. And the choreographed water scenes of water skiing and swimming by Busby Berkley are beautiful. So is the song Easy to Love, sang here by Tony Martin. The cast includes Van Johnson, who gives a touching performance. There is something about this actor that pierces through me in whatever part he plays. There is an appearance of beautiful Cyd Charisse at the end of the film together with her husband Tony Martin. Seeing this movie brings back memories of the time that TV was not available and Cinema was the most prevalent outing. There is nothing frightening or harmful in this kind of film it is pure entertainment.

Although critics constantly gripe that Esher Williams could not act this movie lore is absolutely nonsense. Most of her films were slight escapist fare that called for her to display her sparkling light comedic touch which she showed over and over in hit after hit throughout the forties and fifties. WHen allowed to play more dramatic roles like "Million Dollar Mermaid"(MGM,1952) and most superbly in the underrated "The Unguarded Moment"(Universal,1956) she was very fine indeed but the rumor persists. But I will say it is in delightful musical confections like "Easy TO Love"(MGM, 1953) that she remained a top box-office star. Her chemistry with Van Johnson was always there. This was their fifth film together: their first was in Victor Fleming's dramatic fantasy "A Guy Named Joe"(MGM,1943) in support of superstars Spencer Tracey and Irene Dunne but this film made both stars; the empty but hugely successful "Thrill of a Romance"(MGM, 1945); certainly holding their own opposite the marvelous Lucille Ball in the charming and extremely popular "Easy to Wed"(MGM, 1946); and finally the solid hit "Duchess of Idaho"(MGM,1950) which allows Esther and Van to sparkle. But it is their last film "Easy to Love" that captures Esther and Van at their most captivating. The story is the usual fluff about fighting ex-lovers and is topped off with spectacular Busby Berkeley production numbers but all this is wrapped up in a witty script and the superb comic performances of Miss Williams and Mr. Johnson who were never better. Sad to say both their careers declined after this success.

She was great! And, she could swim too. Esther Williams earned the snide remark from Fanny Brice about her acting but we, back in the late forties and early fifties, loved her. I mean, she didn't even have to act or have a decent script! Check out Pagan Love Song, if you doubt my words! This story, a typical Esther Williams escapist medium, includes some great character actors: King Donovan, married to Imogene Coca; John Bromfield, as the other guy interest, TV's The Sheriff of Cochise and the couple crooner Tony Martin and his wife, Cyd Charisse. But, let's not forget that heart stopper of the bobby soxers, old Van Johnson. I remember my aunt and her girl friend standing in the rain to get tickets to see him in "30 seconds over Tokyo." This film, mild by today's standards, is a peaen to those halcyon days after the (second world) war, when the world was young and full of hope. No video, no DVD. Look for it on the late show.