''Easy to Love'' is a 1953

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

musical film directed by Charles Walters with choreography by

Busby Berkeley Busby Berkeley (born Berkeley William Enos; November 29, 1895 – March 14, 1976) was an American film director and musical choreographer. Berkeley devised elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns. Berke ...

. It stars Esther Williams,

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film, television, theatre and radio actor. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II. Johnson was described as the embodiment o ...

and Tony Martin. It was Williams' final aquatic film set in the United States.

Plot

Ray Lloyd runs a successful

Cypress Gardens Cypress Gardens was a botanical garden and theme park near Winter Haven, Florida that operated from 1936 to 2009. As of 2011, the botanical garden portion had been preserved inside the newly formed Legoland Florida. History Billed as Florida' ...

water show, but star attraction Julie Hallerton is overworked and unappreciated by Ray who doesn't know she is in love with him. She fibs about pretending to marry her aquatic partner Hank (

John Bromfield John Bromfield (born Farron Bromfield; June 11, 1922 – September 19, 2005) was an American actor and commercial fisherman. Early years Farron Bromfield was born in South Bend, Indiana. He played football and was a boxing champion at Saint Mar ...

) to try make Ray jealous but is persuaded by Ray to accompany him to New York instead. Julie is hired to pose for a magazine lipstick ad, when handsome singer Barry Gordon takes the place of a male model and kisses her instead. Barry offers to introduce Julie to a promoter who agrees to hire her for a New York water show he produces. Moreover, he will pay her more and treat her better than does Ray. When they return to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, a jealous Hank tells off Ray for not realizing how Julie truly feels about him. Her roommate Nancy whacks her accidentally with a water ski, knocking Julie cold. All three men in her life rush to her side. By the end, Ray finally realizes he is in love with Julie and they embrace and kiss. Barry quickly turns his attention to another bathing beauty while Nancy reveals a romantic interest in Hank.

Cast

* Esther Williams as Julie Hallerton *

as Ray Lloyd * Tony Martin as Barry Gordon *

as Hank *

Edna Skinner Edna Skinner (May 23, 1921 – August 8, 2003) was an American film and television actress notable for playing Kay Addison, neighbor of Wilbur Post, in the iconic TV series ''Mister Ed''. Her character was replaced months after her onscre ...

as Nancy Parmel *

Carroll Baker Carroll Baker (born May 28, 1931) is an American former actress. After studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, Baker began performing on Broadway in 1954. From there, she was recruited by director Elia Kazan to play the lead in t ...

as Clarice *

Hal Borne Hal Borne (December 26, 1911, Chicago, Illinois - February 25, 2000, Tarzana, California) was an American popular song composer, orchestra leader, music arranger and musical director, who studied music at the University of Illinois. He often collab ...

as Melvin, the pianist *

Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Parnell trained as a musician at Morningside ...

as Mr. Huffnagel Cast notes: *This was Carroll Baker's film debut. *Hal Bourne is billed as "Hal Berns".

Production

MGM announced the film in October 1952. It was shot partly on location in Cypress Gardens starting 12 February 1953. Carroll Baker made her film debut in a small role as a once-married woman interested in Tony Martin's character, and jealous of Esther Williams. Tony Martin's wife

Cyd Charisse Cyd Charisse (born Tula Ellice Finklea; March 8, 1922 – June 17, 2008) was an American actress and dancer. After recovering from polio as a child and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s. Her roles usually featured her abilit ...

visited the set during filming and appears in a cameo at the end of the film.

Reception

According to MGM records the film made $2,349,000 in the US and Canada and $1,440,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $385,000.

References

External links

* * * * {{Charles Walters 1953 musical comedy films 1953 romantic comedy films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American romantic musical films Films directed by Charles Walters Films set in Florida Films shot in Florida Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Swimming films Films produced by Joe Pasternak Films with screenplays by William Roberts (screenwriter) 1950s English-language films 1950s American films