This Time for Keeps (1947)

Expected to follow his opera star father into the business, but discontent with his life; a young man pursues a career in popular music and romances the aquatic-ballet dancer he met during his time in the service.

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

Gladys Lehman (screenplay), Erwin S. Gelsey (story),

Stars:

Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante, Lauritz Melchior

Cast

Credited cast:
Esther Williams	...	Leonora 'Nora' Cambaretti
Jimmy Durante	...	Ferdi Farro
Lauritz Melchior	...	Richard Herald
Johnny Johnston	...	Dick Johnson (as Johnnie Johnston)
Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra	...	Cugat Orchestra
Dame May Whitty	...	Grandmother Cambaretti
Sharon McManus	...	Deborah Cambaretti
Dick Simmons	...	Gordon
Mary Stuart	...	Frances Allenbury
Ludwig Stössel	...	Peter
Dorothy Porter	...	Merle
Tommy Wonder	...	Tommy Wonder
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Xavier Cugat	...	Orchestra Leader

Storyline

A singing soldier (Johnny Johnston) newly returned home finds himself discontent to work in his father's opera company or pick up where he left off with his girlfriend. Having met an aquacade showgirl (Esther Williams) while in the service, he reintroduces himself. Romance blossoms.

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Taglines:

A Show to Dream About!

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Genres:

Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bezaubernde Lippen

Filming Locations:

Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Esther Williams was pregnant during the filming of this movie, unfortunately a couple months later she suffered a miscarriage.

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Connections

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

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Soundtracks

"A Little Bit This and a Little Bit That"
(uncredited)
Written and Performed by Jimmy Durante

User Reviews

This time it's not very memorable...

Williams is lovely as always in this colorful musical, but it lacks the effervescence and spectacle of some of her other, more memorable films. Here she plays the headliner of an aquatic show which also features piano-playing Durante, who has become a father figure to her over the years.

She's all set to settle down with kind, but bland Simmons when ex-GI Johnston spots her and recalls being charmed by her when he was hospitalized for a war injury. He begins wooing her heavily, but his father (opera singer Melchior) wants him to marry society debutante Stuart. Meanwhile, Johnston is busy trying to win over Williams' exacting grandmother Witty and precocious little niece McManus. There's a lot of music in the film and quite a bit of romantic complications and misunderstandings, but not really very much water ballet. At this stage in her career, Williams' acting hadn't quite reached a level of confidence or excellence so, while she is gorgeous and appealing, the film lacks the spark to put the contrived and convoluted story across. It doesn't help that the script is pretty lackluster or that her leading man Johnston is not exactly riveting either. He's an accomplished singer, but with very limited screen appeal. Durante holds things together to a point and Witty is always delightful. It just all seems to get spread a little thin by the time Melchior bellows out several numbers and Cugat (along with his worried little Chihuahua) performs several songs featuring an attractive female singer. One major asset (apart from the sight of Williams in her various drop-dead clothes and tasteful swimsuits) is the location work on Mackinac Island with it's stately buildings and eye-catching scenery. ("Somewhere in Time" enthusiasts will recall this magnificent location as well.) Fans of "Search for Tomorrow" will be delighted to see Stuart in her small role as the young fiancée.