TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Volume One (Bathing Beauty / Easy to Wed / On an Island with You / Neptune's Daughter / Dangerous When Wet)

• Five films that make a splash from Hollywood s swimming superstar! Bathing Beauty (1944): Esther Williams made a big splash as a Bathing Beauty. Suddenly a new star and a new genre of moviemaking was born. Rambunctious funnyman Red Skelton joins that new star in this buoyant (literally) comedy about a lovesick songwriter who enrolls in a women s college to woo his estranged swimming-teacher wife.

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Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 6-NOV-2001
Media Type: DVDAlthough it was unfortunately ignored during its brief theatrical release, this sumptuously seductive production is that rarest of cinematic breeds, the (barely) respectable guilty pleasure. Combining historical fact with hysterical anachronisms of language and mannerism, it's been tailored for maximum contemporary appeal but maintains a lush, romantic feel for! its factual 16th-century tale of Venetian love, lust, and political repression. Catherine McCormack (Mel Gibson's ill-fated bride in Braveheart) delivers a star-making performance as the "dangerous beauty" who becomes a skillful courtesan to pursue her forbidden love for a dashing Venetian senator (Rufus Sewell). It's all rather silly in a high-toned fashion, and the film turns dour when the church intervenes with a Scarlet Letter-like papal inquest. But the movie's joyously ribald vitality is utterly irresistible, and the casting of McCormack with Jaqueline Bisset (as her mother and courtesan mentor) is a stroke of pure genius. Merchant-Ivory would've made a smarter film from this material, but it probably wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. --Jeff Shannon Although it was unfortunately ignored during its brief theatrical release, this sumptuously seductive production is that rarest of cinematic breeds, the (barely) respectable guilty pleasure. Combini! ng historical fact with hysterical anachronisms of language an! d manner ism, it's been tailored for maximum contemporary appeal but maintains a lush, romantic feel for its factual 16th-century tale of Venetian love, lust, and political repression. Catherine McCormack (Mel Gibson's ill-fated bride in Braveheart) delivers a star-making performance as the "dangerous beauty" who becomes a skillful courtesan to pursue her forbidden love for a dashing Venetian senator (Rufus Sewell). It's all rather silly in a high-toned fashion, and the film turns dour when the church intervenes with a Scarlet Letter-like papal inquest. But the movie's joyously ribald vitality is utterly irresistible, and the casting of McCormack with Jaqueline Bisset (as her mother and courtesan mentor) is a stroke of pure genius. Merchant-Ivory would've made a smarter film from this material, but it probably wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. --Jeff ShannonDirector Mira Nair's ("Mississippi Masala") lush and erotic drama, set in pre-colonial India, follows a p! rincess's beautiful serving girl who is trained in the ways of lovemaking and becomes courtesan to the princess's husband, a powerful ruler, until her forbidden affair with a sculptor leads to disaster. Indira Varma, Naveen Andrews, Ramon Tikaram star. Uncut version; 114 min. Standard and Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: Spanish, French; audio commentary by Nair; filmography; theatrical trailer. Filmed in English.If you're looking for a deep, intelligently romantic movie with complex characters and a richly rewarding plot, don't bother with Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love. On the other hand, if you're feeling sexy and in the mood for a lush, seductive, and visually stunning film set in 16th-century India, this one will please you like the best foreplay you've ever experienced. Or it will relax you like a full treatment at a pampering spa--either way, you're gonna feel pretty fantastic. Okay, okay... maybe we're getting a little carried away! , but there's no denying that director Mira Nair (best known f! or her a cclaimed film Salaam Bombay!) has crafted a sumptuous film for the eyes if not the head. Its melodramatic plot is involving enough to elevate the movie high above soft-core adult fare, so you won't feel guilty after watching it.

Kama Sutra is the story of a young woman named Maya (the stunning Indira Varma) who has always been lower on the social scale than her well-born friend Tara (Sarita Choudhury), and has always lived in Tara's shadow, wearing her used clothes and being made to feel inferior. When Tara is betrothed to the handsome King Raj Singh (Naveen Andrews, from The English Patient), Tara sneaks into the king's tent on the eve of the wedding and seduces him. Later, after being trained to master the Kama Sutra's many "lessons of love," Maya will be the king's courtesan, and emotions will run high between the former best friends. But the plot is of secondary importance here (a fact that resulted in many mixed reviews), and so Kama Sutra works best as a colorful and irresistibly sexy story that is worth seeing just for the startling beauty of the film and its cast. --Jeff Shannon In her first MGM leading role, Esther Williams swims her way to stardom as an aquatic instructor at a girls' school who is wooed by songwriter Red Skelton, in "Bathing Beauty" (1944). Basil Rathbone co-stars; songs include "Tico-Tico," "Bim, Bam, Boom." Then, socialite Williams sues newspaperman Van Johnson after a less-than-flattering article is run about her, in "Easy to Wed" (1946). Lucille Ball and Keenan Wynn also star; songs include "Come Closer to Me," "Continental Polka." "On an Island with You" (1948) finds Hollywood star Williams on location in Hawaii and wooed by smooth sailor Peter Lawford. With Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante; includes the songs "If I Were You," "Wedding Samba." Next, Williams plays a bathing suit designer who must fend off the advances of Latin lothario Montalban, in "Neptune's Daughter" (1! 949), co-starring Skelton and featuring the Oscar-winning tune! "Baby, It's Cold Outside." And, small-town girl Williams tries to become famous by swimming the EnglishChannel, in "Dangerous When Wet" (1953). Fernando Lamas co-stars. 8 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; interview; bonus shorts; outtakes; more. Five-disc set.

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Janice Beard : Widescreen Edition

• Widescreen

Inspired by actual events, this offbeat romantic comedy follows Australian blue-collar prankster Danny as he ties a batch of large helium balloons to a lawn chair and takes off for adventure. After crashing in a distant town, he starts a new life for himself while wooing beautiful police officer Glenda. But can their new relationship survive when Danny's high-flying stunt causes a media sensation? Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto, Justine Clark star. 100 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital stereo Surround; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; featurette; theatrical trailers.From the biggest festival to the smallest church social, Kenny Smyth delivers porta-potties to them all. A true unsung hero, Kenny is a knight in shining overalls doing one of society's dirtiest jobs. This engaging mockumentary lifts the lid on one of Australia's! roughest diamonds as he juggles family tensions, fatherhood and sewage with charm, humor and unflinching dignity. Part philosopher, part comedian and all heart, Kenny is living proof that in sewage, like life, the best will always rise to the top!Netherlands released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), Dutch ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN, SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Based on a true story, the tale of a cement truck driver named Danny, whose long awaited vacation is cancelled thanks to his scheming girlfriend, Trudy. Danny escapes his grim life in suburban Australia and blasts into the skies in a chair tied with helium balloons. A mighty thunderstorm blows him clean off the map, and spits him out far away over the lush green town of Clarence. In this new town, he rockets into the world of Glenda,! the town's only parking cop. While the media back home become! s obsess ed with the story of his disappearance, Danny gets to reinvent himself in this new town, and in his great adventure, he discovers a true soulmate in Glenda. Fate catches up with him eventually, as Danny's true identity is revealed and Trudy--now a tabloid celebrity--comes to the idyllic town to claim Danny and drag him back to Sydney. Danny, however, is a changed man; he's discovered what it means to be happy and has found a new self-worth. Saying farewell to Trudy, Danny makes a dynamic re-entry to the town of Clarence--determined to win Glenda back again and embrace his newfound zest for life. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, ...Danny's Daydream ( Danny Deckchair (Danny's Day dream) ) ( Larry Lawnchair )In the laugh-filled tradition of The Full Monty, THE CASTLE is a hilarious comedy treat critics are calling one of the year's funniest movies! Even though there's an airport practically running through their backyard, the eccentric Kerrigan clan! loves their huble home. But when the airfield needs room to expand, the fovernment says that the Kerrigans have got to go! With an irresistible charm and irrepressible humor everyone is sure to enjoy, the hilarity then really takes flight when this funny family decides to stay and fight for their beloved "castle"... no matter how far the conflict goes!

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The title of The Castle refers to a ramshackle suburban tract house so close to an airport that planes fly mere yards above the roof. Worse than that, it's built on a toxic landfill and right beside humming high-power lines. But to patriarch Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) and his dim-witted but cheerful brood it's home. Darryl has devoted himself to constantly improving it with modifications like a false chimney that, as he brags to a man sent to estimate the value of the property, makes th! e house look more picturesque. When the owners of the airport ! serve Da rryl notice that his home is being compulsorily purchased, Darryl hires a small-time lawyer and pursues his case all the way to the Australian Supreme Court. This Australian box-office smash wasn't as successful as The Full Monty in American theaters, but it has something of the same buoyant spirit. The Castle actually plays better on the small screen; its relationship with its characters is much like the farcical intimacy of classic British sitcoms like Fawlty Towers, in which crazed behavior is balanced by the genuine warmth of the whole cast. Caton in particular is a sweet, engaging presence; Darryl Kerrigan is a fool, but a fool with dignity, and he carries you through the movie. --Bret FetzerProduct Description We are introduced to Janice Beard at her ill-starred beginnings. Her father dies of a heart attack during her birth which plunges her mother into a post-natal, post-mortem agoraphobic depression that lasts 23 years. Determined to earn the money for her mother's treatment, Janice sets off into the work force with no skills or experience with disastrous results. Struggling to win everyone over, she thinks she has found love with the mail room boy but has actually become a pawn in an industrial espionage scheme that could ruin the company. Can little Janice find a cure for her mother, save the company and find true love in the bargain? Anything is possible!

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