June has come to a close, and so has Esther Williams Memorial Month. I’ve never really been a fan of summer, but this was a great way to kick off the season and make it feel more cozy! As promised, I’ve ranked all of Esther’s movies I’ve seen to date—both rewatches and first-time watches—from least favorite (12) to favorite (1).
The following are ones I haven’t gotten a chance to see yet, and therefore aren’t included in the ranking:
Andy Hardy’s Double Life (1942)
The Hoodlum Saint (1946)
Fiesta (1947)
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
Jupiter’s Darling (1955)
12. Dangerous When Wet (1953)
I know, I know. Jack Carson’s movie is my least favorite?? Hear me out, though—I have nothing against the movie or the girl he ended up with. I guess you could say my love for him is the exact reason why it’s last. I feel like he got short-changed on his storyline. I wish we had gotten to see his and Gigi’s relationship develop more before the end. It’s been four weeks and I’m still not over it!
11. On an Island With You (1948)
Even though I love Peter Lawford, this wasn’t my favorite Esther’s movies. It was sweet to see Kathryn Beaumont, though, the voice of Alice in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Wendy Darling in Peter Pan. Her interactions with Jimmy Durante were extra cute.
10. Pagan Love Song (1950)
Howard Keel riding a bicycle was adorable to see, and the song “The House of Singing Bamboo” hasn’t left my head since I saw it. I always enjoy seeing Rita Moreno, too. Even though it wasn’t the most memorable of Esther’s films, it was cute and I’d definitely watch it again.
9. Texas Carnival (1951)
To be fair, the fact that there were no subtitles probably played a part in my not liking this one as much, because I couldn’t understand the plot as well. But Red Skelton’s antics made up for it. The covered wagon race had me howling! I wish we’d gotten to see more of Howard Keel, though—his character and romance with Esther seemed to take a backseat to the other plotlines.
8. Bathing Beauty (1944)
The story was a bit underwhelming, but Red Skelton and Jean Porter’s rendition of “I’ll Take the High Road” might be among my favorite musical scenes now. I decided several years ago that I didn’t like Red Skelton, but this was the movie that persuaded me to give him another chance. I’m so glad I did!
7. Easy to Wed (1946)
One of the many reasons I love old musicals is that 99% of the time, they’re not stressful. But this one did stress me out a bit because much of the movie was spent waiting for Esther’s character to find out what Van Johnson was up to, even though he no longer intended to carry out his scheme by the time his original intentions were revealed. Lucille Ball was terrific fun, though, and added a lot of comedic relief. Van’s duck-hunting scene was also hilarious! This one is higher on the list because it felt more solid, if that makes sense—it felt more like a movie, with a well fleshed-out plot (even though that was simultaneously a detriment for me).
6. Easy to Love (1953)
The main reason this isn’t higher on the list is because Van’s character is such a jerk. But Tony Martin saves the movie and still manages to bring some sweetness to it. And that cameo from his real-life sweetheart, Cyd Charisse, made me okay with his ending.
5. Duchess of Idaho (1950)
One question: Anyone know where I can get a Van Johnson? (Wildly contradictory to number six, I know. Clearly, the man does things to me.)
4. This Time For Keeps (1947)
I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. In fact, it’s now one of my favorite Esther Williams movies. I wasn’t as much a fan of the leading man, but overall it was still very sweet and I had a great time watching it.
3. Thrill of a Romance (1945)
This one was really duking it out with Neptune’s Daughter, and it pains me a little to not put Van’s movie as number two. It was a very difficult decision, though, because I really loved it. With the exception of his character in Easy to Love, Van is probably my favorite of Esther’s leading men.
2. Neptune’s Daughter (1949)
Again, it feels strange to rank a non-Van Johnson movie as my number two. But Neptune’s Daughter was such a pleasant surprise. Normally, “mistaken identity” plots stress me out, but this one didn’t, which I really appreciated. It was just absolute coziness. Red Skelton and Betty Garrett nearly stole the show, and Ricardo Montalbán was so charming. Besides my number one, this is now my favorite Esther Williams movie!
1. Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949)
Co-starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, it’s still my number one, and probably one of my favorite musicals of all time, too. Pure childhood nostalgia.
Well, there you have it! The only other one I really wanted to see was Jupiter’s Darling, and even though I couldn’t squeeze it in this June, I hope I can see it sometime soon. We’re still in July, and Esther’s movies are perfect for these balmy summer months. I had such a good time watching the ones I did, and it always makes me happy knowing I have more cozy films to keep in my pocket. As much as I offer a “critique” in this and previous posts, I have to remind myself not to take them too seriously—each movie was thoroughly enjoyable, and there was something to love in all of them. I’m already looking forwarding to rewatching them again!
Before we wrap this series, a final note: I saw an interesting review in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago on Vicki Valosik’s book “Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water” (which of course mentions Esther). I then got to say hello to the book at a shop in Washington, D.C. last week!
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