Neptune's Daughter (1949)

A swimsuit fashion designer is determined to protect her scatterbrained sister from a South American heart-breaker, but a case of mistaken identity complicates matters.

Director:

Edward Buzzell

Writers:

Dorothy Kingsley (screenplay), Ray Singer (additional dialogue)

Stars:

Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalban

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Esther Williams	...	Eve Barrett
Red Skelton	...	Jack Spratt
Ricardo Montalban	...	José O'Rourke
Betty Garrett	...	Betty Barrett
Keenan Wynn	...	Joe Backett
Xavier Cugat	...	Xavier Cugat
Ted de Corsia	...	Lukie Luzette
Mike Mazurki	...	Mac Mozolla
Mel Blanc	...	Pancho
George Mann	...	Tall Wrangler
Frank Mitchell	...	Little Wrangler

Storyline

Scatterbrained Betty Barrett mistakes masseur Jack Spratt for Jose O'Rourke, the captain of the South American polo team. Spratt goes along with the charade, but the situation becomes more complicated when they fall in love. Meanwhile, Betty's sensible older sister Eve fears Betty's heart will be broken when Jose returns to South America. She arranges to meet with the real O'Rourke and love soon blossoms between them as well.

---

Plot Keywords:

slapstick comedy | womanizer | polo player | mistaken identity | bare chested male | 

---

Taglines:

M.G.M's Queen of TECHNICOLOR MUSICALS!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance | Sport

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

La hija de Neptuno

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:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This features a rare on-camera appearance by legendary voice actor Mel Blanc. He speaks in a Mexican accent close to the Speedy Gonzales voice he would begin using four years later for Warner Bros. cartoons.

---

Goofs

Throughout the movie Mel Blanc's character is referred to as Julio, but in the cast credits at the end of the film his name is Pancho.

---

Quotes

Betty Barrett: Actually, I have a date with him
[Red Skelton]
Betty Barrett: tonight.
Eve Barrett: Can't you get in enough trouble here without going below the border?

---

Connections

Referenced in Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser (2006)

---

Soundtracks

I Love Those Men
Written by Frank Loesser
Performed by Betty Garrett with Red Skelton and Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra

User Reviews

This is why we had to have the women's movement.

In 1949 it probably made perfect sense that a smart and athletically gifted driven woman would have to choose between the bathing suit business SHE BUILT and marriage to a man she just met. Now, it seems absolutely ridiculous. In fact, Williams' supposedly 'scatterbrained' sister (Betty Garrett) actually seems like the more open minded worldly one watching it today. So if you can avoid those details getting on your nerves, this is worth watching, not a must-see, but worth watching.

It should also be pointed out that this movie would be nothing without Betty Garrett and Red Skelton. If Garrett were in the lead role, this would probably escalate from a fair movie to an excellent one. (And that goes for all the films she was ever in!) But alas, our leads are Williams and Montalban, both drop dead gorgeous, but not much else. Her swim number doesn't come until the end, and it's hardly the grandest of her career. And RM's bod is hot, as usual, even by today's personal-trainerized standards. Still, you'll spend most of your time wanting Betty and Red to come back on, and then it's fun again.

P.S. Just so you know, despite "Baby, It's Cold Outside", this does NOT have a holiday theme.

P.P.S. If you want to watch a dramatic film afterwards as a contrast, rent "A Place in the Sun", since it also involves a bathing suit company (and that's where the similarity ends).