Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

TheLittleSongbird Some great talent in 'On an Island With You', and while there are many pleasures one just can't shake off the feeling that it could have been much better.The main attractions of 'On an Island With You' (Technicolor, Esther Williams and her water ballet, songs, Ricardo Montalban and Cyd Charisse) don't disappoint, while the elements where there was a great uncertainty as to whether they would work (story, Peter Lawford, chemistry between him and Williams) don't work.Williams is captivating, she handles the comedy with robustness, has a fetching sensuality that makes one unable to take their eyes off her and she is as ever a superb swimming athlete. Ricardo Montalban is handsome, suave and charming, Cyd Charisse shows off incredible dancing (unsurprising, she was one of the greatest dancers in classic film) and Jimmy Durante's comic timing sparkles.In terms of memorable scenes, the standouts are Williams' "aqua spectacular" water ballet, Montalban and Charisse's smoking hot dance number and Charisse's routine on the staircase. As to be expected, 'On an Island With You' looks fabulous, beautifully photographed and designed and the Technicolor is bold, rich and exquisitely colourful. The songs are pleasant and have an infectious energy, even if they are not quite classics. Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra make a strong contribution. Richard Thorpe directs competently, and energy and charm comes through enough.However, the story is barely there and what there is is contrived and credibility is constantly strained to breaking point. There are some nice moments in the script, like with Durante, Montalban and Charisse but too many places elsewhere fall as flat as a pancake, Lawford's dialogue can be cringe-worthy sometimes here.Lawford is 'On an Island With You's' biggest problem. He looks incredibly out of place, looking hopelessly wooden and miserable, with a lot of his non-existent chemistry with Williams bringing an unintentional creepiness, that would be more at home in another (darker) film entirely and he would even most likely be just as bad then.Overall, 60% of 'On an Island With You' delights but anybody expecting to be thrilled by the romance will not just be deeply disappointed but also disturbed. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Robrt Powell (vigihawk) After placing On an Island with You on my list of Tailhook movies, got to watch thanks to TCM. Putting it on list a stretch, but if there was a comedy (Hot Shots) why not a musical? Esther Williams vehicle with several Busby Berkeley on the Briny numbers. Ricardo Montalban a surprisingly good swimmer as well as a dancer. Peter Lawford not so much. Had trouble believing in him as a Navy pilot. Supposedly acting endearing—I thot him a wimp. He plays a movie adviser and corrects an actor's ribbons as upside down (yet as the film rolls on; both characters change between DFCs and Silver Stars) and doesn't like his accent while his own rawther Brit tones are obvious. Jimmy Durante as comic relief and does a couple of numbers. OK if you like that sort of thing. Oh, airplanes. Plot has Lawford taking Williams up in a TBM but instead of flying overhead heads off to an island he was based on during the war. Hmmm, Hawaii to war zone in TBM? Anyway, real Avenger with Williams fetchingly climbing in and out of hatch. Other Navy guys come to rescue in a JRF-6 Goose. Interior shot looks real as it's cramped. Filming was done on Anna Maria Island, FL (Gulf Coast, south of Tampa Bay) TBM BuNo 8394? Both aircraft have 5 with bar above and below. Any idea what unit did the flying?

tavm Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante, Cyd Charisse, Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra, and-before she became the title voice in Disney's Alice in Wonderland-Kathryn Beaumont star in another frothy Joe Pasternak production from MGM called On an Island with You. Since most of the other reviewers have mentioned the plot, I'll just mention some highlights: Durante's wisecracks and musical numbers, that sexy dance scene between Charisse and Montalban, Cugat's numbers, and Beaumont's perfect English diction and later Durante impression. All this and some amusing island banter between Williams and Lawford made the entire movie enjoyable despite such a thin plot for almost two hours! Forget about characterization and just enjoy the Hawaii locations in wonderful Technicolor for fun and dancing!

jshaffer-1 First off, the technicolor is beautiful. The staging is terrific. But anytime I have to watch Esther Williams,the wet one, when someone as attractive as Cyd Charisse is there is a mystery to me. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Cyd broke her leg during this movie, was unable to do the dance sequence herself, and had to drop out of the line-up for Easter Parade, where her part was taken by Ann Miller, not a bad dancer herself. The sappy things that Peter Lawford had to say to Esther Williams were the responsibility of the writers, I suppose, but that didn't make it any easier to listen to. Peter Lawford and Ricardo Montalban were very juicy looking male leads. Cugat's music is timeless, and I guess some people enjoy Jimmy Durante doing the same old thing. This really isn't a bad movie, but musicals, particularly wet ones, need to be excellent to make us forget how artificial the whole thing is.