On an Island with You

Getting taken to an island against my will sounds like a terrifying experience, but if it was Peter Lawford like in On an Island with You, maybe it wouldn’t be so terrible.

You can check out my upcoming Peter Lawford Blogathon for more on him!

On an Island with You has a combination of people I love: Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban and Cyd Charisse (and Jimmy Durante isn’t bad either :)) I really want to love this movie, and while the dancing is super fun, the plot is honestly not my favorite.

We start with Esther and Cyd in… what? Tan face? The initial scene with them is a bit jarring until you realize that they are filming a movie within the movie. They play islanders competing over a man in the Navy played by Ricardo’s character Ricardo…

Cue bringing in Peter who plays a Naval officer named Larry who must make sure Ricardo’s portrayal is accurate. Larry’s obsession with Esther’s character Rosalind is a bit off putting despite the fact that I am a fan of his. It borderlines on creepy because you think that this is the first time he’s met her and that his attraction is based on her looks and that she’s a movie star.

When he kidnaps her, we get another piece of the puzzle – that they have actually met before, although he’s never seen the real her and just her performance persona.

The fact that he met her before makes it slightly less creepy, but he still doesn’t know the real her and pursues her despite the fact that she’s engaged to Ricardo.

I wonder if my dislike for Peter’s character comes from the fact that he didn’t like the part or Esther very much. His annoyance through much of it comes through and he seems super unhappy. I don’t find him nearly as enjoyable to watch as I do in films like Good News, Royal Wedding and Easter Parade.

Larry realizes his mistake when she doesn’t immediately fall for him despite him recounting their meeting and professing his love for her. She’s mostly just confused and tells him of the many shows she did kissing many boys. She doesn’t remember him.

Poor Esther actually twisted her ankle falling into a pit on the island. It was supposed to be padded, but she and Richard Thorpe didn’t get along. He should have assured her safety and failed. She had to complete the movie on crutches and refused to work with Thorpe afterwards.

Despite rejecting him, after they get back to reality and her fiance, Ros decides to help Larry so kidnapping her doesn’t get him in trouble. She lies for him and instead of being grateful, he’s mad that she did it.

Ricardo is upset with her as well because he learns she used to entertain and then kiss strange men as part of her act. He decides to go for someone who is more of a one man kinda gal (Yvonne played by Cyd Charisse). I find his jump to her a bit too fast for my liking. We know she’s in love with him by her longing looks and the way they dance together, but it is a bit jarring.

In the end, the kidnapping plot works for Larry and Ros falls for him.

The swimming scenes with Esther are top-notch as always. Ricardo is very natural with these and Peter is unfortunately super awkward. He looks really uncomfortable.

I wish Ricardo got some more screen time, but his dances are great.

This movie is a fun diversion as long as you don’t take it too seriously. Enjoy the great numbers, but try not to read too much into the story.

This post was written for the 100 Years of Esther Williams Blogathon by Love Letters to Old Hollywood.