Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Executscan Expected more

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

TheLittleSongbird A lot of talent displayed in 'Thrill of a Romance', and while there are many pleasures the film overall is a mixed bag and one of Esther Williams' weaker films.The problem does not lie with Williams, she has a lot of charm and robustness to her performance, looks luminous and proves herself as ever a superb swimming athlete. Nor with her aquatic sequences, part of you wishes there were more and there are more imaginative ones in her other films but they are still beautifully filmed, elegant, fun and performed with envious poise and energy by Williams.Can't say anything bad about the production values, 'Thrill of a Romance' is beautifully filmed and the Technicolor is exquisite. The music, with the bonuses too of being performed by the likes of the orchestras of Tommy Dorsey and Xavier Cugat (with Buddy Rich providing a killer drum solo), are a great mix of classical music (Schubert's "Standchen" and "Vesti La Giubba" from 'Pagliacci' notable) and songs written for the film, the hits being "I Should Care" and "Please Don't Say No, Say Maybe".Henry Travers and Spring Byington are marvellously dotty, and one wishes there were more of them, and Wagnerian tenor Lauritz Melchior is in resplendent voice and lightens up the screen with his smile and cheeky but well-intentioned charm especially.Van Johnson, on the other hand, despite a relaxed rapport with Williams (though the romance feels underwritten), looks uncomfortable much of the time, and Richard Thorpe (though not an amateur job by all means) could have directed with more verve and imagination.It is the insipid script, with too often leaden humour and vacuous emotional elements, a pedestrian pace outside of the musical numbers and the scenes with Travers and Byington and a story that is full of ridiculous contrivances and over-stretched padding that fare worst in 'Thrill of a Romance'.Overall, bliss in some areas, a failure in others. 5/10 Bethany Cox

atlasmb Abandon all hope ye who enter here. Hope of a meaningful or interesting story, that is. The film starts out as a typical vehicle for Esther Williams to swim and dive through. I am a fan of hers, and I would have been content with that. Immediately, though, the film has her getting married to an unromantic businessman who is no more a leading man than Robert Q. Lewis. Gee, I wonder where this is going? They go to a resort for their honeymoon and he immediately leaves for a business meeting on the east coast, leaving poor Esther all alone with nothing to do, except maybe meet the GI (Van Johnson) who has the room (and balcony) next to hers. There is no point in describing the rest of the plot. It is interrupted every minute or so by a "comedy" bit or a musical number.My advice is to ignore the plot and just watch the film for the musical numbers (and the occasional shots of the glorious Ms. Williams that are in focus). Unfortunately the musical interludes are often abbreviated. But there are many of them.Enjoy Tommy Dorsey and his band. They somehow pop up everywhere. Buddy Rich delivers a killer drum solo that--though it is brief--shows why he was the best.15-year-old Helene Stanley portrays Dorsey's daughter Susan, who plays piano and sings with some serious chops. Too bad they did not let play more jive. (Interesting fact: later, she would marry Johnny Stompanato.)A young boy named Jerry Scott sings "Please Don't Say No (Say Maybe)" for just a few bars before they cut him off and have him sing the less enjoyable "Because". (Apparently this would be Jerry's only film appearance.)Lauritz Melchoir displays his serious operatic talents in four or five musical numbers.The plot is sappy, silly and requires no acting skills. Jettison any concern for it and you can enjoy the musical treats of Thrill of a Romance. In wartime USA, I am sure the GIs overseas loved this piece of fluff. And in their absence, American women somehow found Van Johnson appealing. But some of the gushing reviews for this film on IMDb are, I feel, unfathomable.

Neil Doyle MGM could always depend on an ESTHER WILLIAMS movie to be breezy fun for movie fans who wanted escapism during the '40s in the form of light entertainment. And that's what they get here. VAN JOHNSON, a war hero she meets at a mountain resort, is her romantic interest and occasional swimming partner while her husband, CARLTON G. YOUNG, is neglecting her by performing his business duties.And, of course, you have to have music in an Esther Williams movie. So, they have LAURITZ MELCHIOR, the chubby tenor from the Met, serving as a sort of S.Z. Sakall type providing gentle humor and suave charm in between some robust songs. Then they have TOMMY DORSEY and his Orchestra for fans of contemporary music with Buddy Rich beating on the drums.The other standard ingredient is lush Technicolor that makes the most of some stunning scenery as well as some gorgeous shots of Esther in various swimming suits doing her thing in a pool of Olympic proportions. She also looks good on land in a series of smart outfits.The weakness is a thin story that needs all the padding it gets. But for Esther Williams/Van Johnson fans, this had all the standard ingredients they looked for in this sort of musical.

MonaK Thrill of a Romance is such a VERY nice film. I watched it last night and totally enjoyed this cute and entertaining film. Nice swimming scenes with both Esther and Van together. Wonderful diving from Esther in this film and the music was wonderful.This film is a wonderful way to end any romantic evening. MonaK