Athena (1954)

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

William Ludwig (writer)
Leonard Spigelgass (writer)

Release Date:

4 November 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance | Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Attorney, Purdom, and singer, Damone, romance two sisters, Reynolds and Powell, who live with and are strongly influenced by eccentric...

Plot Keywords:

Sisters | Diet | Greek Goddess | Beefcake | Body Image

Cast

Jane Powell	...	Athena Mulvain
Debbie Reynolds	...	Minerva Mulvain
Virginia Gibson	...	Niobe Mulvain
Nancy Kilgas	...	Aphrodite Mulvain
Dolores Starr	...	Calliope Mulvain
Jane Fischer	...	Medea Mulvain
Cecile Rogers	...	Ceres Mulvain
Edmund Purdom	...	Adam Calhorn Shaw
Vic Damone	...	Johnny Nyle
Louis Calhern	...	Grandpa Ulysses Mulvain
Evelyn Varden	...	Grandma Salome Mulvain
Linda Christian	...	Beth Hallson
Ray Collins	...	Mr. Tremaine
Carl Benton Reid	...	Mr. Griswalde
Howard Wendell	...	Mr. Grenville

Runtime:

95 min | USA:119 min (original release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #17101, General Audience) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The song "Faster Than Sound" by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane was recorded but not used in the final print.

Quotes:

Minerva Mulvain: Pneumonia, how old-fashioned.

Soundtrack:

Love Can Change the Stars

I never find fault with movies.

I watch this movie on an average of twice a week and still find it as delightful as the first time. The teaming up of Vic Damone & Debbie Reynolds was a wonderful choice, they certainly compliment each other both in voice as well as temperament, they are a delight to watch. Edmund Purdom is absolutely priceless with his dry wit & pompous superior air, and the bantering dialogue between him & Vic Damone lends an extra dimension to the movie. Always a pleasure to watch him on screen. Charles Purdom was correct when he said Edmund was a natural on stage. What can one say about Jane Powell, always a delight to watch and her voice needs no comment from anyone, it is always superb and a joy to listen to. Louis Calhern & Evelyn Vardin are well matched again as in "The Student Prince". What I do not understand is that everyone seems to forget "Miss Seely", Kathleen Freeman, what a delight it is to watch her as the ever willing secretary to Adam Calhorn Shaw, even to chomping away at a carrot to fit in with his new health regime. Lets not forget about "Roy", Henry Nakamura, also a little gem & a delight in his movies. I wonder what happened to him as he seemed to have had a very short movie career. All told, this may not have been a box office hit, but will always remain one of my favourite movies to watch.