JUPITER'S DARLING

US, 1955, 95 minutes, Colour.
Esther Williams, Howard Keel, George Sanders, Marge and Gower Champion, Richard Haydn, William Demarest.
Directed by George Sidney.

This is a curiosity item. It was not well received in its time and many commentators poured scorn on it. However, because of its musical treatment of Hannibal and ancient Rome and its presentation of Esther Williams in her musical-swimming style, others consider it a good example of its kind.

This is a musical version of Pulitzer prize-winning Robert E. Sherwood's play The Road To Rome. Sherwood scored successes with such plays and film versions of Petrified Forest, Idiot's Delight. The treatment of Rome in this film is certainly tongue-in-cheek modern. Howard Keel enjoys himself as a strong musical comedy hero Hannibal. Esther Williams is an attractive heroine, she gets to swim in fantasy, a dream sequence with Greek statues and in a desperate escape from her pursuers. She also sings, not so well. Marge and Gower Champion, who appeared in many musicals at M.G.M. in the fifties, have the opportunity to dance. George Sanders seems slightly out of place as the Roman General.

Direction is by George Sidney, director of many musicals at M.G.M., for example, Esther Williams' Bathing Beauty, The Harvey Girls, Show Boat. He is not a subtle director and the film seems very heavy-handed at times. However, it is interesting to see Hollywood's very Americanised attitude towards ancient history. It is not reverential. An interesting film for those who study the American musical, the M.G.M. musicals of the forties and fifties. It was Esther Williams's last major swimming film.