User reviews

In Australia, little Donna Corcoran (as little Annette Kellerman) swims to overcome polio. Supported by father Walter Pidgeon (as Frederick), she becomes a little swimming champion. The cute girl quickly grows up to be attractive trophy-collecting Esther Williams (as the adult Annette Kellerman). She meets manly Victor Mature (as James "Jimmy" Sullivan) and goes to America. Mr. Mature puts her in a shocking one-piece bathing suit and Ms. Williams is accused of "indecent exposure." They are mutually attracted, but Williams must listen to Mature tell her:

"Wet you're terrific, dry you're just a nice girl who ought to settle down and get married."

Understandably, this nervy line puts a cramp in their romance. Williams also attracts "Hippodrome" owner David Brian (as Alfred Harper). While not classically handsome, kangaroo-trainer Jesse White (as Doc Cronnol) gets no action; he's faithful, supportive and funny, but apparently not Williams' type. All this silliness is based on a few facts from the real turn-of-the century celebrity Annette Kellerman's life. The original "Million Dollar Mermaid" was also famous for appearing for the public in only her "birthday suit" - but this biography keeps Williams' Kellerman modestly covered.

Stick around for the sensational aquatic scenes. This is where Williams, choreographer Busby Berkeley, and cinematographer George J. Folsey really shine. They didn't do it alone, of course, as the MGM production team employed hundreds of hard-working helpers. Ballet dancer Maria Tallchief (as Anna Pavlova) and one of the seemingly endless cute Corcoran kids are additionally noteworthy. Young Donna won a "Film Daily" acting nomination in their juvenile category, Mr. Folsey's color photography received "Academy Award" consideration, and Williams drew in the crowds.

****** Million Dollar Mermaid (12/4/52) Mervyn LeRoy ~ Esther Williams, Victor Mature, Walter Pidgeon, David Brian

Esther Williams and that the water ballet sequences were choreographed by Busby Berkeley were my two main reasons for seeing 'Million Dollar Mermaid'. As well as that Annette Kellerman's story is an interesting one.

While highly fictionalised as a real-life biography (not unexpected, this was true of a lot of film biopics made then and it's a trend that still hasn't gone away with a few exceptions), 'Million Dollar Mermaid' (aka 'The One Piece Bathing Suit') as a piece of entertainment or a film in its own right is a good film and one of Williams' better films by quite some distance.

As for Williams herself, she is captivating and really does radiate a million dollars. Not just in the water, where her aquatic skills are second to none, but she gives a heartfelt and committed out of the water too. She is well supported by handsome Victor Mature (who really does try to inject charm and energy into a character written in a way not worthy of those attributes), very amusing and sympathetic Jesse White and endearing Walter Pidgeon.

Berkeley is another star here, the aquatic sequences are wonderfully ornate, exquisitely shot and simply jaw dropping to watch, actually being better than the term "aqua spectacular". Anybody looking for a contender for the best aquatic sequences in an Esther Williams film, or even on film full-stop, 'Million Dollar Mermaid' is a definite contender.

'Million Dollar Mermaid' looks beautiful, with lavish cinematography (especially in the aquatic sequences), big, bold, rich colours and opulent costumes and sets, even if the studio's version of England has to be seen to be believed. The music is always pleasant to listen to, while the script avoids being too frothy, sentimental or cheesy and is actually tight, sometimes amusing and sometimes heartfelt. Even though fictionalised (with some glaring inaccuracies and omissions that one wishes were in the film), the story still has a high nostalgic value and emotional impact and is much more eventful and sincere than most of the usual stories in Esther Williams' films.

Not without faults. 'Million Dollar Mermaid' does go on slightly longer than necessary and drags ever so slightly in places where the drama sags a little. More of a problem was that the chemistry between Williams and Mature could have been more believable and not as ill at ease, not Williams' fault nor Mature's but more to do with the very unsympathetic and caddish way that the latter's character is written in.

Overall, a good film with Williams radiating a million dollars. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Annette Kellerman was an Australian swimming star who created a scandal in 1902 by introducing the one-piece bathing suit at a public beach. Her rise from obscurity is chronicled here, after a bout with a childhood illness that left her crippled for awhile. America's swimming sweetheart Esther Williams was the obvious choice to play the champion swimmer and she does a fine job. She gets solid support from Victor Mature as a cocky promoter with Walter Pidgeon and David Brian in good supporting roles.

The main ingredients are the swimming numbers--and the highlight is the acquacade spectacular choreographed by none other than Busby Berkeley. With exceptional color photography, good script and more than competent performances, this one is a winner.

Victor Mature has a colorful performance as the cocky promoter.

As for Esther Williams, it's easy to see why she was a top box-office draw at MGM during the '40s and '50s.

If any kind of biographical film was to be made about Annette Kellerman, champion swimmer from the turn of the last century, MGM was the only studio to do it. They had the only star qualified and the only studio that gave said star her own set.

If Annette Kellerman hadn't blazed the trail, Esther Williams could not have had a movie career. Kellerman first won many swimming medals in her native Australia and then went to the United Kingdom and then to America where she was the first international female swimming star. The Aquacade, the water ballet, I believe the Australian crawl swimming stroke were named in her honor, all these are due to her. She was crippled as a child and swimming did indeed make her legs grow stronger, as therapeutic to her as it was to a certain crippled president of the United States.

I'm really surprised that the Australians have not done any kind of big screen or small screen film about her, she was such an icon in a newly independent country. Leaving it to America and to MGM, Million Dollar Mermaid is a fine Esther Williams film, but no more than that. I get very little information about the trials and tribulations of the real Annette Kellerman and the people around her.

She did in fact marry her manager James Sullivan played here by Victor Mature who did NOT bring Rin Tin Tin to the silver screen. They do in fact cover her notorious arrest in Boston for wearing a shocking newly designed one piece bathing suit. Boston had many silly laws back in the day, they were known for it. If you remember in John Ford's Donovan's Reef, a gag is used about Elizabeth Allen wearing the typical Gay Nineties bathing attire and then stripping down to what Kellerman popularized.

Most of the plot of Million Dollar Mermaid is fictitious, her romance with Hippodrome impresario David Brian, her accident on the set of Neptune's Daughter. Annette did become an early silent film star as big in the silent days as her male successors Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe became in sound.

Kellerman and Sullivan lived to see Million Dollar Mermaid and it's unknown what they thought about it. The fact they were both still around I'm sure made MGM tread softly. One thing the film didn't answer was why Kellerman did not compete in the Olympics. In that she has something in common with Esther Williams. Esther didn't compete because the 1940 Olympics were called off as were the 1944. She had to turn professional and then became an actress and the rest is history. Why Kellerman didn't is something I'd like to know.

Perhaps an Australian production might answer that question if one is made. Until then we'll have to be satisfied with the beautiful and expensive Million Dollar Mermaid.

While my comment above is hardly a glowing endorsement, I liked this movie far more than I thought I ever wood. The movie is a biography of Annette Kellerman, who was a champion swimmer at the turn of the century and created quite a scandal when she began swimming in comfortable bathing suits--something "decent" women didn't do back in her day! From swimming champ to long distance swimmer to movie star, the film follows her career. Ms. Williams does a fine job as does co-star Victor Mature. I think the reason I liked this movie so much was because since it was a bio-pic, much of the usual over-the-top swimming choreography was missing or at least subdued. A decent movie with plenty to hold your interest.

as has been stated, this movie definitely is not a good biography, but this is Hollywood. in truth Annette really was put on trial for her scandalous suit, though i wouldn't say she did it to be sexy. she did to be practical. and can you blame her? still, the water ballets are lovely, and they are especially special since the actress was a real synchronized swimmer who did it all herself, like how johnny Weissmuller does all of Tarzan's's water stuff(and everything else). parts are humorous, others not, but if you are looking for a classic this is a classic that most people don't know about. it is worth it to see a new classic, with that old charm. and, as has been said, the swimming scenes were fabulous. and the beginning, when Annette is a little girl, can just make you practically cry. when you come across stories such as these, it can be rather hard to pass them by.

Entertaining biopic of Annette Kellerman, an Australian swimmer turned vaudeville and early Hollywood star. Esther Williams is a natural fit for the role and does a fine job. Of course, it's an old-school Hollywood biopic so there's more fiction than fact in their telling of Kellerman's story. That sort of thing never really bothers me but it does some so be advised ahead of time this isn't a documentary. Esther is lovely as ever and has some excellent aquatic numbers choreographed by the great Busby Berkeley. A couple of these numbers are classics that every Esther fan will want to see. The rest of the cast, including Walter Pidgeon, Victor Mature, and Jesse White, is solid. The only problems are that the movie is overlong and the romance with Mature is less than exciting. But it's Esther Williams swimming in Technicolor and that definitely needs to be the headline.

Wonderful film exhibiting the talents of Esther Williams portraying swimming Annette Kellerman at the turn of the 20th century.

The water sequences were never lovelier and the story of Kellerman, who overcame adversity as a young child, was remarkable.

Victor Mature is in fine form as her promoter and eventual lover, Frank Sullivan. Jesse White brings his comic relief as Sullivan's side-kick and Walter Pidgeon is endearing as her father.

Coming from Australia to star in the Hippidrome and other features, Kellerman exhibited outstanding talent in her swimming career while at the same time trying to maintain her dream of being a ballerina. Ballet star Maria Tallchief brief appears as the legendary Pavlova in the film.

When professional differences end her romance with Sullivan, Kellerman really makes it on her own thanks to the help of David Brian, as the head of the Hippidrome.

While the tragic accident she had while making "Neptune's Daughter" in Hollywood almost cost her her life, it brings on a wonderful moving ending.

This is a highly entertaining film.

Even though (at the beginning of the story) pretty Esther Williams had to compete with the endearing charm of a cute, boxing kangaroo named Sydney - Soon enough, Million Dollar Mermaid (MDM, for short) became Esther's, and only Esther's, picture. And that's the way it continued to stay, right through to its final, closing credits.

Being a typical glamour production from a 1950's Hollywood, MDM was clearly only a partially accurate account of the life of early-20th Century swimming sensation, Annette Kellerman, who was a native Australian (born in 1886).

Of the half-dozen, or so, Esther Williams' vehicles which I've now seen. MDM was certainly one of the rare ones that used just about any old excuse it could to get our glamorous star into a form-fitting bathing suit and splashing around in the water.

But, whether she was wet or dry, Esther could always be counted on the have a dazzlingly fresh, Pepsodent smile to flash at all of her adoring fans.

It was famed, veteran choreographer, Busby Berkeley (definitely long past his prime) who was responsible for staging the elaborate aqua-musical numbers in MDM.

As the story goes - In the final fantasy sequence, Williams was required to dive off a 115 foot tower into the water below. Having no stand-in to take on such a dangerous stunt as this, Esther, of course, did it herself.

And, as a result, Williams ended up sustaining a fairly serious spinal injury which made it necessary that she wear a body cast for 7 months.

Oh, well - There's no business like show business - Right?

Born in 1921, Esther Williams' career as MGM's prize Aqua-star petered out by the end of the 1950s. In real-life - Williams lived to a ripe, old age of 91.

I've heard that this movie was not a completely accurate story of the life of Annette Kellerman. Since I don't really know her story, I cannot say, but I did enjoy this film, as I've enjoyed all of Esther Williams' films. Esther Williams is the most wonderful, beautiful, sweetheart of a girl to watch. Even when she gets upset (which is never that often cause she always has such good spirits), she still seems so nice and innocent. And her swimming is always a joy to watch. In "Million dollar mermaid", Esther starts off as a little girl who is overcoming polio. She still can't walk straight, but she tries to swim. And she does it pretty well for the first time. Her father is concerned at first, but then really admires her determination and decides he will be right there with her.

As she's grown up, we see Esther as a terrific swimmer and diver. One scene in particular, Esther gets in trouble on a NY beach for indecent exposure. She is wearing a one piece bathing suit that shows all of her arms and about 75% of her legs, but nothing else. I know that this film takes place at the turn of the 1900s, but it's still jarring to see a woman making such a scene and getting arrested for that when today you've got topless women all over the beaches of Europe (and the Caribbean and Miami) wearing absolutely nothing but the tiniest g string bikini bottoms.

As the film continues, we see her achievements, first as Esther swims all the way down the Thames in London to Greenwich, and then her performing at the Hippodrome in New York. She does some dazzling numbers there such as flipping around underwater, sitting in a giant clamshell with a pearl, jumping off a 50 foot high platform ( the platform itself is so beautiful, it's like a tall thin vertical waterfall). I heard somewhere that she badly injured herself one time rehearsing that scene when she jumped from that platform. And they had to stall film production while she recovered. Esther's father was the maestro of the orchestra playing during her water shows. One night, there's a tragedy with her father during one of her shows just while she was getting in the clam. Another time, a tragedy happened with Esther while in a water tank and the glass of the tank cracked and broke. Thank God, she recovered. There's also a subplot in this film of a friend of Esther's who's trying to fly his plane around the world, and there's also a part with a kangaroo. And the very best of all of Esther's water ballets is here. Starting with a lot of her crew and herself jumping from these high flying trapeze bars just swinging out of these pretty colorful clouds, some brilliant overhead patterns of Esther and the girls in the water, along with other terrific plays such as Esther and the girls wearing dazzling, sparkling crowns as they're slowly coming out of the water. This was a great film. There has never been anyone else quite like Esther Williams. She was amazing and wonderful. And like Mickey Rooney, she only left us a few years ago (both in 2013), both living into their 90s. There were sadly, the last of the wonderful surviving Golden age celebrities. Esther Williams and Judy Garland were both the most wonderful women ever to grace this earth. They were both angels. Judy, sadly hasn't been with us since 1969, and Esther, now sadly has left us too. Dear God, please take the best care of these two wonderful angels in heaven. Someday when it is my time for God to take me, perhaps I will see both Judy and Esther up there.

The idea of putting swimming star Esther Williams in a biography of champion Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman must have seemed like a can't-miss concept for a splashy matinée item which would pay-off no matter what the outcome. Unfortunately, the concept itself is underused, as Williams performs in a handful of extravagant water routines but does very little dramatic acting. Producer Arthur Hornblow Jr. and the requisite MGM brass do not appear to have any inspiration that goes beyond the standard glitz and glamour (the script being somewhat expendable). That's too bad, for Kellerman's life story had aspects of both high drama and nostalgic value (being the first woman to wear a one-piece swimsuit on America's shores!). Mervyn LeRoy's direction is quite capable, and Williams is amiable, however Busby Berkeley's lavish, gaudy production numbers are what most people end up remembering. **1/2 from ****

I can't imagine "Million Dollar Mermaid" still being of interest to anyone who doesn't have the nostalgia of seeing it back when it first came out or who are Esther Williams fans. I watched it because I knew Williams was a huge star and wanted to see something of hers, and it was Oscar nominated for its color cinematography so I thought it would at least look pretty. It's dull as anything, and people coming to it to see Williams' impressive athleticism may be disappointed. I'm sure it took a lot of skill to do what she does in the water, but translated to the film she just mostly floats around underwater looking lovely. There's really nothing about this film that I could recommend to another viewer.

Grade: C-

A nice color film of a certain age. The plot is formula melodrama, but so were most dramas of the day. In this world of Meryl Streeps, it was interesting that the filmmakers made absolutely no effort at Australian or English accents in spite of the characters, or the settings. It seems that many liberties were taken with the story of Annette Kellerman, the Aussie swimming phenom, who became the first real international swimming star. Esther Williams, who owned swimming in Hollywood in those days was very good, her acting thoroughly credible, and her theatrical swimming unparalleled. Victor Mature and Walter Pidgeon round out the cast.

This is another Esther Williams film where her character meets a male promoter who wants to make money off her talents. But this one is based upon a true story--the story of Annette Kellerman, the Australian swimming champion who parlayed her athletic abilities and physical beauty into a career in entertainment.

Unfortunately, this version of her story contains numerous digressions from the truth in the name of dramatization. The real story would have been interesting enough.

Once Annette gets on the publicity radar, she becomes a sideshow act featuring her swimming and diving. Then she becomes a feature act at New York's Hippodrome. Eventually, she stars in silent films.

This film is praised for its Technicolor. Esther does her usually solid job of acting and swimming. Victor Mature plays her promoter/husband with an oily charm befitting a sideshow promoter, but the real Annette's husband was probably nothing like that.

Follows the life (or an unreasonable facsimile) of Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman (Ester Williams) from her early days as a competitive swimmer to her fabulous aquatic shows in the fabled Hippodrome in New York City. The film is a classic example of what Hollywood does best - spectacle, so enjoy; and worst - biography, so don't expect to learn much. Very little in the story is based in fact, especially the parts about Kellerman's future husband Jimmy Sullivan (who did not 'discover' K9 A-lister Rin Tin Tin), and even by Hollywood standards, the plot-driving coincidences are staggering. That said, telling a story, however prefabricated, about a swimmer provides a reason for Williams to get wet and for Busby Berkley to work his leggy over-the-top magic in a pool. There are some great song and aqua-dance numbers, and as always Ester Williams looks fabulous both wet and dry. Future lonely Maytag-man Jesse White is Sullivan's (Victor Mature) sidekick and sensitive-types may be appalled by his 'red-face' portrayal as an Indian (a scene with forked-tongue firmly in cheek). Other than a bit of a slow start, 'Million Dollar Mermaid' has all the elements that anyone would expect in an Ester Williams film and, as such, is a pretty good happy-place time-passer.

Frederick Kellerman (Walter Pidgeon) teaches music in 1900 Sydney, Australia. As a sickly girl, his daughter Annette is desperate to swim. She swims every day and gains strength. As a young woman, she (Esther Williams) becomes a champion swimmer. Frederick accepts a teaching position in London. Onboard the ship, they encounter American promoter James Sullivan (Victor Mature), assistant Doc Cronnol, and their boxing kangaroo Sydney.

This is fine as a biopic. The swimsuit kerfuffle is fun. Mostly, the plot is one incident after another without a big destination other than the romance. The plot does meander around. The drama has to be her and Jimmy. It's not that much of a drama since they are inevitable. There is a love triangle, but it's perfunctory like much of the plot. Esther Williams is fine as an actress. As always, she is best in the water. I actually like her performing in a carnival sideshow. Of course, an Esther Williams film is always going to do some big water shows. Those are nice little breaks. All in all, this has some limits as a story and it's fine for Esther Williams fans.

Glossy, colorful, and entertaining, "Million Dollar Mermaid" purports to relate the story of Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman, but functions primarily as a star vehicle for MGM's reigning mermaid, Esther Williams. Disabled as a child, Annette wore braces until she took up swimming, which strengthened her legs, and she went on to become a professional swimmer and entertainer during the early 20th century. An MGM production, Mervyn LeRoy's film glosses over any impediments or unpleasantries and focuses on Kellerman's triumphs and romances. From Australia to London to Boston to New York, Kellerman's career rises with the help of an ambitious promoter, James Sullivan, played by Victor Mature. Sullivan manages to ignite her success with a 26-mile swim along the Thames and a hyped faux scandal involving a one-piece bathing suit on a Boston beach. The expected bumps eventually separate the pair, a new suitor appears in the guise of Hippodrome owner Alfred Harper, and an unexpected mishap challenges the performer's future; but nothing occurs that is serious enough to derail viewers from the fantasy world of the movies, and the film is entirely predictable.

Tthe focus is squarely on showmanship, and the glitzy extravaganzas that are purportedly staged at New York's Hippodrome are typical Busby Berkeley stagings that would never fit inside any theater. Fountains send jets of water into the air, a dozen swimmers dive from swings, a crown of sparklers emerges from the water atop William's head. The Berkeley sequences, which are familiar to anyone who has seen "That's Entertainment," are the film's highlights, and the movie is worth seeing just for them. Beyond Williams and Mature, the cast also includes Walter Pidgeon, David Brian, and Jesse White; while all are adequate, the film does not rest on acting laurels, but rather on a visual feast of period costumes by Walter Plunkett and Helen Rose, Busby Berkeley's geometric production numbers, and George Folsey's Oscar-nominated color cinematography.

While Victor Mature may not be everybody's idea of a romantic lead and Kellerman's biography has certainly been rewritten, the film has few other flaws that impede the entertainment, if viewers are not expecting more. Although the ending is sappy and probably fictional, the climactic production numbers are outstanding, and the film is a must see for Busby Berkeley enthusiasts. Of course, fans of Esther Williams will definitely want to see the film that inspired the title of her autobiography, Million Dollar Mermaid.

This film is very interesting and expensively mounted. I recommend it with a few caveats. For instance, the water ballets could not have looked the way they looked in the film because they simply did not have the electrical devices necessary in the 1910s and 1920s to create these effects. They did in the 1950s, of course.

Secondly, Annette's former flame, Mr. Sullivan, was not the guy who raised and trained Rin-Tin-Tin and got him started in Hollywood. For the life of me, I cannot understand why this was in the film. Lee Duncan, a former Army airman, was Rinty's owner and trainer, and as far as I know he had no connection to Annette. I don't know why 1950s biographical film had the tendency to do this sort of thing, but it is very common.

This movie made me discover her when I was a kid, my dad and mom were crazy about her, because some of ther films were aired in France during the sixties and seventies, on sunday afternoons. So this movie is iconic to me, besides being one of those which is the most touching, with a deep character evolution and thrills. Busby Berkeley's trademark is more than obvious, despite the fact that Berkeley was not working for Warner, nor David Brian, or even Vic Mature, who came from Paramount Studios, before going to Twentieth Century Fox. So, yes this feature is among the best of Esther Williams, far less stupid than most of her other stuff. When people speak about her, they first think about this one, or maybe also NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER, which title is evoked in this very one.