Duchess of Idaho (1950)

Ellen Hallit is in love with her playboy boss, Douglas Morrison, but is too timid to do anything about it. To help her, her roommate Chris decides to step in, and devises a plan. Chris ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:

Dorothy Cooper (original screenplay), Jerry Davis (original screenplay),

Stars:

Esther Williams, Van Johnson, John Lund

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Esther Williams	...	Christine Riverton Duncan
Van Johnson	...	Dick Layne
John Lund	...	Douglas J. Morrison Jr.
Paula Raymond	...	Ellen Hallit
Clinton Sundberg	...	Matson
Connie Haines	...	Peggy Elliot
Mel Tormé	...	Cyril, the Bellhop
Amanda Blake	...	Linda Kinston
Tommy Farrell	...	Chuck
Sig Arno	...	M. Le Blanche
Dick Simmons	...	Alec J. Collins
Lena Horne	...	Lena Horne
Eleanor Powell	...	Eleanor Powell

Storyline

Ellen Hallit is in love with her playboy boss, Douglas Morrison, but is too timid to do anything about it. To help her, her roommate Chris decides to step in, and devises a plan. Chris follows Morrison on his trip to Sun Valley, Idaho and plays the overattentive female, hoping that he will send for Ellen (who often played his "fiancée" when he had a female he couldn't discourage otherwise.) Complications arise when Chris catches the eye of band leader Dick Layne, and finds herself caught in a triangle between the two men.

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Plot Keywords:

love | tap dancing | butler | matchmaker | state name in title | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Venus verliebt sich

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on January 7, 1952 with Van Johnson and Esther Williams reprising their film roles.

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Lena Horne: In Her Own Voice (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Baby Come Out of the Clouds"
Written by Henry Nemo and Lee Pearl
Sung by Lena Horne

User Reviews

great music

Esther really shows off her flair for light comedy in this one, and for me - a lover of Esther Williams musicals - this one has the best music of them all...one great tune after another. Former band singer Connie Haines delivers two swinging songs and joins Van for another, and Lena Horne is in top form singing the hot number "Baby,Come Out Of The Clouds" in her glamorous style. Eleanor Powell tap dances to boogie woogie.

This is one of the films where we're supposed to believe that there is a huge nightclub with a giant swimming pool surrounded by chorus girls and filled with muscle men who strike poses with Esther...preposterous Hollywood fantasy, but that makes it all the more fun. A Technicolor delight.