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| ==The title== | ==The title== | ||
| ''Million Dollar Mermaid'' not only became Esther Williams' nickname around Hollywood, but it became the title of her autobiography (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999), co-written with Digby Diehl. Williams has often called this her favorite film.<ref name="The Million Dollar Mermaid">The Million Dollar Mermaid: An Autobiography, By Esther Williams, Digby Diehl, Published by Harcourt Trade, 2000, ISBN |
''Million Dollar Mermaid'' not only became Esther Williams' nickname around Hollywood, but it became the title of her autobiography (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999), co-written with Digby Diehl. Williams has often called this her favorite film.<ref name="The Million Dollar Mermaid">The Million Dollar Mermaid: An Autobiography, By Esther Williams, Digby Diehl, Published by Harcourt Trade, 2000, {{ISBN|0-15-601135-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-15-601135-8}}</ref> | ||
| ==Release== | ==Release== | ||
Revision as of 16:12, 24 June 2017
1952 American film| Million Dollar Mermaid | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mervyn LeRoy |
| Written by | Everett Freeman |
| Produced by | Arthur Hornblow, Jr. |
| Starring | Esther Williams Victor Mature Walter Pidgeon |
| Cinematography | George J. Folsey |
| Edited by | John McSweeney, Jr. |
| Music by | Alexander Courage (orchestrator) Adolph Deutsch (conductor & music score) |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date | December 4, 1952 (1952-12-04) |
| Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,642,000 |
| Box office | $4,947,000 |
Million Dollar Mermaid (also known as The One Piece Bathing Suit in the UK) is a 1952 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer biographical musical film of the life of Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr. from a screenplay by Everett Freeman. The music score was by Adolph Deutsch, the cinematography by George J. Folsey and the choreography by Busby Berkeley.
George J. Folsey received a 1953 Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, Color.
The film stars Esther Williams, Victor Mature, and Walter Pidgeon, with David Brian and Donna Corcoran.
Plot
In the late 19th Century, a polio-stricken Australian girl, Annette Kellerman (Esther Williams), swims as a means to improve her health. Her father, Frederick (Walter Pidgeon), who owns a music conservatory, accepts a teaching position in England.
Aboard ship, Annette encounters the American promoter James Sullivan (Victor Mature) and his associate Doc Cronnol (Jesse White), who are taking a boxing kangaroo called Sydney with them to London.
The teaching position falls through and Jimmy suggests promoting Annette in a six-mile swim to Greenwich. She volunteers to make it 26 miles instead. Word spreads of the swim and Annette's feat makes news.
Jimmy suggests they can make a fortune by going to New York and appearing in a water ballet at the Hippodrome. Manager Alfred Harper (David Brian) does not offer them a job in the show, so Annette goes to Boston for a highly publicized swim and gets in hot water for wearing a one-piece suit too revealing for its time.
She and Jimmy have a misunderstanding and part ways. Harper has a change of heart and makes Annette headliner of his New York show. After the death of her father, she travels to Montauk at the behest of Doc to try to dissuade Jimmy from flying in an air race with a $50,000 prize. It does not go well.
As time passes, Harper falls in love with Annette while she travels to Hollywood to make a film. Jimmy and Doc turn up, this time promoting a dog called Rin Tin Tin that they hope to star in the movies.
A water tank bursts during the making of Annette's film, causing her serious injury, Spinal Hematoma. With her future in doubt, Harper steps aside when he sees for himself how much Annette and Jimmy are in love.
Cast
- Esther Williams as Annette Kellerman
- Victor Mature as James Sullivan
- Walter Pidgeon as Frederick Kellerman
- David Brian as Alfred Harper
- Donna Corcoran as Annette Kellerman at age 10
- Jesse White as Doc Cronnol
- Maria Tallchief as Pavlova
- Howard Freeman as Aldrich, Lecture Bureau
- Charles Watts as Policeman on Revere Beach
- Wilton Graff as Garvey the Producer
- Frank Ferguson as Boston Prosecutor
- James Bell as Boston Judge
- James Flavin as Train conductor
- Willis Bouchey as Movie director
Production
MGM signed a deal with Kellerman to make a film based on her life in 1951. It was originally called The One Piece Suit.
Kellerman thought Williams was "too beautiful" to play her and thought Victor Mature's depiction of Jimmy Sullivan was "the antithesis" of the character in real life ("he never did anything cheap").
The title
Million Dollar Mermaid not only became Esther Williams' nickname around Hollywood, but it became the title of her autobiography (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999), co-written with Digby Diehl. Williams has often called this her favorite film.
Release
According to MGM records the film earned $2,851,000 in the US and Canada and $2,096,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $243,000.
Home media
On October 6, 2009, Turner Entertainment released Million Dollar Mermaid on DVD as part of the Esther Williams Spotlight Collection, Volume 2. The 6 disc set was a follow up to the company's Esther Williams Spotlight Collection, Volume 1, and contains digitally remastered versions of several of Williams's films including Thrill of a Romance (1945), Fiesta (1947), This Time for Keeps (1947), Pagan Love Song (1950) and Easy to Love (1953).
Accolades
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2006: AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers – Nominated
Popular culture
The movie and its star are referenced in Hail Caesar.
References
- ^ The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- By THOMAS F BRADY Special to THE NEW,YORK TIMES. (1951, Feb 05). AUTHOR TO APPEAR IN ROMMEL MOVIE. New York Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/111865434
- Annette Kellerman's All for Esther Now: Original One-Piece Bathing Suit Girl Recalls 'Indecent Exposure' Furor Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) 23 Mar 1952: D3.
- The Million Dollar Mermaid: An Autobiography, By Esther Williams, Digby Diehl, Published by Harcourt Trade, 2000, ISBN 0-15-601135-2, ISBN 978-0-15-601135-8
- TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Vol. 2 DVD
- "AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-14.