Bathing Beauty (1944)

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Kenneth Earl (story) &
M.M. Musselman (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

July 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

M.G.M's Mammoth Technicolor Musical Spectacle!

Plot:

A contrived misunderstanding leads to the breakup of a songwriter and his fiancée. She returns to work as a gym teacher at an all-girls school, but a legal loophole allows the man to enroll as one of her students.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | College | Impersonation | Marital Separation | Los Angeles California

Cast

Red Skelton	...	Steve Elliot
Esther Williams	...	Caroline Brooks
Basil Rathbone	...	George Adams
Bill Goodwin	...	Professor Willis Evans
Jean Porter	...	Jean Allenwood
Nana Bryant	...	Dean Clinton
Carlos Ramírez	...	Carlos Ramirez
Ethel Smith	...	Ethel Smith - Music Teacher
Xavier Cugat Orchestra	...	Cugat Orchestra (as Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra)
Lina Romay	...	Lina Romay
Harry James Orchestra	...	Harry James Orchestra (as Harry James and His Music Makers)
Helen Forrest	...	Helen Forrest
Donald Meek	...	Chester Klazenfrantz
Jacqueline Dalya	...	Maria Dorango
Francis Pierlot	...	Professor Hendricks
Ann Codee	...	Mme. Zarka
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Allenwood
Bunny Waters	...	Bunny
Janis Paige	...	Janis
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Xavier Cugat	...	Himself - Orchestra Leader
Harry James	...	Harry James
Abigail Adams	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Dorothy Adams	...	Ms. Hanney (uncredited)
Margaret Adden	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Douglas Berle	...	Pedro (uncredited)
Karin Booth	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Lucille Casey	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Jesús Castillón	...	Guadalajara Trio Member (uncredited)
Aina Constant	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Donald Davis	...	Pablo (uncredited)
Pat Dean	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Linda Deane	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Dolores Dey	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Ms. Travers (uncredited)
Bonnie Edwards	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Sarah Edwards	...	Faculty Member (uncredited)
Herbert Evans	...	Backstage Manager (uncredited)
Alice Eyland	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Dorothy Ford	...	Dorothy (uncredited)
Mary Ganley	...	Mary (uncredited)
Jane Green	...	Justice of the Peace's Wife (uncredited)
Betty Lou Hanson	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Charmienne Harker	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Mary Ann Hawkins	...	Specialty Swimmer (uncredited)
Harry Hayden	...	Jonathan (uncredited)
Russell Hicks	...	Mr. Allenwood (uncredited)
Frank Holiday Jr.	...	Musician - 'Alma llanera' Number (uncredited)
Jane Isbell	...	Western Union Girl (uncredited)
Betty Jaynes	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Eleanor Keaton	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Gloria Lake	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Vicky Lane	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Lamberto Leyva	...	Guadalajara Trio Member (uncredited)
John Lopez	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
Ann Lundeen	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Peggy Maley	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Beryl McCutcheon	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Buddy Moreno	...	Buddy (uncredited)
Muriel Morris	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Douglas Morrow	...	Stage Manager (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Faculty Member (uncredited)
Helen O'Hara	...	Helen - Co-Ed (uncredited)
Shelby Payne	...	Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Mary Perine	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
George Pitman	...	Musician - 'Alma llanera' Number (uncredited)
Bob Priester	...	Musician - 'Alma llanera' Number (uncredited)
Bertha Priestley	...	Fat Girl (uncredited)
Eloise Rawitzer	...	Singer - 'I'll Take the High Note' Number (uncredited)
Danny Reilley	...	Pancho (uncredited)
Mildred Riley	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Noreen Roth	...	Noreen - Co-Ed (uncredited)
Mario Santos	...	Guadalajara Trio Member (uncredited)
Earl Schenck	...	Professor Nichols (uncredited)
Naomi Scher	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Erin Selwyn	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Almira Sessions	...	Ms. Phillips (uncredited)
Mary C. Taylor	...	Water Ballet Performer (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Adams Club Maitre d' at (uncredited)
Andrew Tombes	...	Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Celia Travers	...	Sourface Chorus Girl (uncredited)
The Guadalajara Trio	...	Musicians - 'Bim, Bam, Bum' Number (uncredited)
Beverly Tyler	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Harry von Schloeten	...	Musician - 'Alma llanera' Number (uncredited)
Sarah Wallace	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Allan Watson	...	Musician - 'Alma llanera' Number (uncredited)
Constance Weiler	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Joe Yule	...	Bartender (uncredited)

Directed by
George Sidney

Writing credits
Kenneth Earl		(story) &
M.M. Musselman		(story) and
Curtis Kenyon		(story)
Joseph Schrank		(adaptation)
Dorothy Kingsley		(screenplay) &
Allen Boretz		(screenplay) and
Frank Waldman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jack Cummings	....	producer

Original Music by
Daniele Amfitheatrof		(uncredited)
Johnny Green		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons
Stephen Goosson
Merrill Pye

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	makeup designer
Ben Libizer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sandy Ross	....	assistant director (uncredited)
George Ryan	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Herman E. Webber	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
McLean Nisbet	....	associate set decorator

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
Bill Edmondson	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)
Frank McKenzie	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Ralph Shugart	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sam Leavitt	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ted Weisbarth	....	director of photography: Water Ballet sequence (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kay Dean	....	associate costume supervisor
Irene	....	costume supervisor
Irene Sharaff	....	costume designer: water ballet costumes (as Sharaff)

Music Department
Ted Duncan	....	orchestrator
Johnny Green	....	music supervisor
Johnny Green	....	musical director
Calvin Jackson	....	orchestrator
Johnny Thompson	....	orchestrator
David Raksin	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Marlin Skiles	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Alton	....	dance director
John Murray Anderson	....	water ballet
Merwin Daynes	....	assistant technical director
Jack Donohue	....	dance director
Henri Jaffa	....	associate technicolor color director
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Buster Keaton	....	gag consultant (uncredited)
Edith Motridge	....	swimming double: Esther Williams (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1944) (USA) (theatrical) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1946) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• ClassicLine (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #9966) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Australia:G | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Lakeside Country Club - 4500 W. Lakeside Drive, Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In one sequence Red Skelton's character appears in a tutu. In a later interview Red said it was uncomfortable because he had to have his chest, back and underarms shaved for this costume.

Quotes:

Professor Hendricks:Are we keeping you awake, Mr. Elliot?
Steve Elliot:Barely.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Glorious Technicolor (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hora Staccato

Red steals the show in pink tutu and ballet slippers...

BATHING BEAUTY offers lots of eye candy and a couple of hilarious RED SKELTON routines proving he's a master at physical comedy. The musical interludes are on the dull side and don't give strong enough material to Ethel Smith (at the organ), Harry James, Xavier Cugat and Carlos Ramirez--a Latin tenor with a strong voice but no charisma.

The slender plot is the usual misunderstanding that occurs in these type of ESTHER WILLIAMS movies. She thinks her newly wed hubby (Red) is the father of three boys, thanks to a practical joke played by BASIL RATHBONE (who looks as if he'd rather be elsewhere in a thankless role). She tries throughout the film to get Red dismissed from the all girl college he enters just to be near her. The highlight of the film is Red's bashful entrance into a class of ballerinas, clad in pink tutu and ballet slippers--all the while being slapped around by a ruthless instructor and going through ballet paces with hilarious results.

The supporting cast is largely wasted--including Bill Goodwin, Margaret Dumont and Janis Paige in a brief role. Jean Porter gets to do more than usual and even has a song and dance number with Red.

The water ballet at the finale is nicely done in typical MGM manner but not as ostentatious as usual for an Esther Williams film. This was her debut as a leading lady and she has lots of confidence and poise, both in and out of the water. In fact, it's one of her better performances--but the spotlight belongs to Red Skelton who deserves his top billing.