Athena (1954)

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

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

William Ludwig, Leonard Spigelgass,

Stars:

Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Virginia Gibson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

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

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Plot Keywords:

diet | bodybuilder | body image | health inspector | male physique | 

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Genres:

Musical | Romance | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 November 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

As Tentações de Adão

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 119 min (original release)

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The reason Esther Williams is given credit as a co-writer is because the project was originally intended as a swimming vehicle for her. However the swimming scenes were changed to singing ones and Williams was replaced with Jane Powell by producer Dore Schary. This was one of the reasons why Williams would soon leave MGM.

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Goofs

Right before Debbie Reynolds and Vic Damone go into the musical number in the health store, the microphone shadow passes over the cardboard cutout of the counter top muscle man advertising Viatalo.

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Quotes

Grandpa Ulysses Mulvain: According to the stars you're 15 minutes late!

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Soundtracks

"The Girl Next Door"
Music by Hugh Martin
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung by Vic Damone
Originally in Meet Me in St. Louis as "The Boy Next Door"

User Reviews

Sparkling MGM musical. Jane Powell & Debbie Reynolds dazzle.

Unlike MGM's expensive, classic musicals of the 1950s, the modest, light-hearted but equally delicious "Athena" has been all-but-forgotten. A shame, because this lilting, lively melodious lark is not only a wryly amusing satire on an eccentric family of health-food nutritionists/numerologists, but, most importantly, a dazzling showcase for some of the most tuneful musical numbers to grace any film of its era. The score, by Ralph Martin and Hugh Blane (of "Meet Me in St. Louis" fame), offers such treats as Jane Powell singing the poignant, haunting ballad "Love Can Change the Stars" (which should have become a popular hit); Powell, Debbie Reynolds and their 5 sisters performing a breathtakingly energetic, knockout song-and-dance production number "I Never Felt Better"; and Ms. Powell (never more bewitchingly alluring) setting off vocal fireworks with her superb rendition of Donizetti's "Chacun Le Sait" from the operetta "Daughter of the Regiment." The plot, wherein Powell & Ms. Reynolds defie their nutritionist fanatic grandfather's (a delightful Louis Calhern) dictums by falling in love with, respectively, Edmund Purdom and Vic Damone (two carnivores with the wrong "signs") is decades ahead of its time in its wise, gentle and good-humored satire of life-styles and fads (culminating in a body-builder contest where one of Calhern's proteges is Steve Reeves, who would a mere 4 years later attain international screen stardom as "Hercules"). Amusing as it is, the plot rightfully takes second-place to the wondrous cast of MGM's most gifted young musical talents of the day--in their full vocal and dancing glory captured in glistening pasteled Technicolor. (Sadly, they were all soon to be given their walking papers when Television became the new national rage, and the first of the terrified studio's contract players to be dismissed were the stars of its taken-for-granted musicals. Indeed, Powell, Reynolds and Damone would co-star in only one more MGM songfest, "Hit the Deck"--as warm, charming, and tuneful as "Athena"--as well as a boxoffice disappointment.) Meanwhile, tune in "Athena" the next time TCM shows it--and don't be surprised if, weeks later, you find yourself humming, whistling or singing Ms. Powell's glorious delivery of what is perhaps this delectable movie's most rousing, catchy tune--the zesty, jubilant "Vocalize"!