THIS TIME FOR KEEPS
US, 1947, 105 minutes. Colour.
Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante, Lauritz Melchior, Johnny Johnston, Dame May Whitty, Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.
This Time for Keeps is a lesser-known Esther Williams vehicle. However, it is pleasantly entertaining. Esther Williams is at her best, her vivacious screen presence, as well as shining in her swimming sequences. It is a good vehicle for Jimmy Durante, a friend of the family who acts as guardian for Esther Williams, protecting her from the courtship of Johnny Johnston, and really in love with her himself. Johnny Johnston was a popular singer of the period but made very few films. Lauritz Melchior, the Danish opera singer, plays his father. There is a very vigorous performance by Dame May Whitty as Esther Williams’ grandmother, allegedly a bareback circus rider who did acrobatics in her younger days.
The plot is fairly straightforward, it is the post-war period, Johnny Johnston has returned from the war, has been engaged during the war years, his prospective mother-in-law is very dominating, his father wants the marriage to go through as well as his son to continue in the opera. However, in convalescence he has encountered Esther Williams’ character and then follows up, courts her, difficulties arise, naturally enough, but love wins out in the end.
There are some songs – not particularly memorable except for Jimmy Durante’s show-stopping turn as The Man Who Found the Lost Chord.
1. Pleasant MGM entertainment of the 1940s? The post-war period? Esther Williams and swimming and displays? Jimmy Durante comedy and songs? The touches of opera? Popular songs with Xavier Cugat? The combination?
2. The title, romance, commitment?
3. The bright Technicolor photography, the musical numbers, the swimming presentations? The opera?
4. The focus on Dick, not having the same name as his father, his service in the war, his bandages, encountering Nora, tricking her into the kiss? Her reaction? His father’s expectations? His welcoming him home from the war in the opera house? Frances and her mother, dominating? The engagement and expectations? The later announcement of the engagement and its consequences for everyone?
5. Dick, pleasant character, singing Easy to Love? His going to see Nora, her accepting him, the banter between them? The courtship, the outings, his being present at rehearsals? Her falling in love, taking him to see her grandmother, her grandmother’s interrogation and his passing? Nora’s niece and her being on his side? Ferdie, his hostility towards Dick, trying to oust him? Dick and the encounters with Gordon, the possibilities of a job? Nora discovering the truth, his trying to fix up everything with Frances? Nora going away, rejecting him? His pursuit, his giving up, Deborah’s encouragement? Singing with Xavier Cugat? His father coming to see him, singing? Nora relenting, Ferdie persuading her? The happy ending?
6. Nora, Esther Williams’ style, her swimming, her personality, songs, romance? Fascinated by Dick? The outings, the grandmother, her niece? Her discovery of the truth, hiding herself, her hostility towards Dick? Ferdie, his giving her the pep talk, the happy ending?
7. Ferdie, Jimmy Durante’s style, the piano, the songs, Inka Dinka Dink, The Man Who Found the Lost Chord? The song for Esther Williams and her disrobing for the swimming spectacular? The romantic songs? The dances and singing with Xavier Cugat? Ferdie and his protecting Nora? His hostility towards Dick, taking every opportunity? Dick confronting him? His facing the truth, his love for Nora, his pep talk towards her? The happy ending?
8. Richard, the opera singer, dominating? Interfering with his son’s life? The encounter with Grandma? Learning diplomacy? Singing the operatic piece? The reconciliation?
9. Grandmother, her strong personality, Deborah? The interviews? Her allowing herself to call Dick Dick? The interrogation of Gordon? Her conniving with Richard? The happy ending?
10. Gordon, the producer, his devotion to Nora? His being the other man, his stepping aside?
11. Popular ingredients, brightly coloured, swimming and music, comedy?
