- Duchess of Idaho
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Duchess of Idaho 
Theatrical release posterDirected by Robert Z. Leonard Produced by Jack Cummings Written by Dorothy Cooper
Jerry Davis
Sid FieldsStarring Van Johnson
Esther WilliamsMusic by Albert Sendrey
George StollCinematography Charles Edgar Schoenbaum Editing by Adrienne Fazan Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release date(s) July 14, 1950 Running time 98 minutes Country United States Language English Duchess of Idaho is a musical romantic comedy produced in 1950 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, it was the fourth film pairing Esther Williams and Van Johnson. It was shot mainly on location in Sun Valley, Idaho. [1]
Contents
Plot summary
Christine Riverton Duncan (Esther Williams) attempts to play matchmaker for her lovelorn friend Ellen (Paula Raymond) by pursuing Douglas J. Morrissen, Jr. (John Lund), the man Ellen loves, all the way to Idaho. There, Christine decides to play a joke on Douglas. After boarding his train to Sun Valley, Christine wins the man's affections and then shocks him with hints that she expects a commitment. Once she's in Sun Valley, however, things become problematic when Christine falls in love with hotel bandleader Dick Layne (Van Johnson). During her time in Sun Valley, Christine wins the title of "Duchess of Idaho" in a dance contest.
Cast
- Esther Williams as Christine Riverton Duncan
- Van Johnson as Dick Layne
- John Lund as Douglas J. Morrison Jr.
- Paula Raymond as Ellen Hallit
- Mel Tormé as Cyril, the Bellhop
- Lena Horne as Herself - Cameo appearance
- Eleanor Powell as Herself - Cameo appearance
- Clinton Sundberg as Matson
- Connie Haines as Peggy Elliot
- Amanda Blake as Linda Kinston
- Tommy Farrell as Chuck
- Sig Arno as M. Le Blanche
- Dick Simmons as Alec J. Collins
- Red Skelton as Guest Master of Ceremonies
- The Jubalaires in a cameo appearance[2]
Production
In her autobiography, Million Dollar Mermaid, Williams called this a "re-hash of the Esther Williams formula: the mismatched lovers plot. It was enough to give one a case of cinematic deja vu. " [3]
Duchess of Idaho marked Eleanor Powell's first film appearance in six years as well as her last film appearance. Williams reported that Powell had practiced her cameo's routine until her feet bled, claiming that it had to be perfect. [3]
Lena Horne's contract with MGM also ended with this film, though she would make several more MGM musical appearances later in the decade.
Soundtrack
- Let's Choo Choo Choo to Idaho; Written by Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston; Sung by Van Johnson, Connie Haines and The Jubilaires
- You Can't Do Wrong Doin' Right; Written by Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston; Sung by Van Johnson and Connie Haines
- Of All Things; Written by Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston; Sung by Connie Haines
- Baby Come Out of the Clouds; Written by Henry Nemo and Lee Pearl; Sung by Lena Horne
Deleted performances
Several musical numbers filmed for the movie were cut from the theatrical release. The deleted songs were:
- "Warm Hands, Cold Heart," sung by Mel Tormé
- "You Won't Forget Me," sung by Lena Horne
- "You Do Something to Me," the Cole Porter standard, also sung by Lena Horne
These performances would later surface on a special DVD packaged in a 2004 box set of the That's Entertainment! films.
Critical reception
Cue magazine found the film to be "a big, beautiful bore. The comedy is rapid and the pace is sleepy." [1]
References
- ^ a b Davis, Ronald L. (2001). Van Johnson: MGM's Golden Boy (1st ed.). ISBN 1578063779, 9781578063772. http://books.google.com/books?id=RG2PFR0tFSAC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
- ^ Hanson, Patricia King; Dunkleberger, Amy, eds (1971). "Duchess of Idaho". The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1941-1950. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 657. ISBN 0520215214. OCLC 468239657.
- ^ a b Williams, Esther (1999). The Million Dollar Mermaid: An Autobiography (1st ed.). ISBN 0156011352, 9780156011358. http://books.google.com/books?id=qItZAAAAMAAJ&q=the+million+dollar+mermaid&dq=the+million+dollar+mermaid&cd=1. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
External links
- Duchess of Idaho at the Internet Movie Database
- Duchess of Idaho at the TCM Movie Database
- Duchess of Idaho at AllRovi
The films of Robert Z. Leonard 1910s The Silent Command • Heritage • Judge Not; or The Woman of Mona Diggings • Secret Love • The Crippled Hand • The Love Girl • Little Eve Edgarton • The Plow Girl • The Eagle's Wing (with Rufus Steele) • On Record • A Mormon Maid • The Primrose Ring • At First Sight • Princess Virtue • Face Value • The Bride's Awakening • Her Body in Bond • Modern Love • Danger, Go Slow • The Scarlet Shadow • The Delicious Little Devil • What Am I Bid? • Big Little Person • The Way of a Woman • The Miracle of Love1920s Stronger Than Death (with Herbert Blaché and Charles Bryant) • April Folly • The Restless Sex (with Leon D'Usseau) • The Gilded Lily • Heedless Moths • Peacock Alley • Fascination • Broadway Rose • Jazzmania • The French Doll • Fashion Row • Mademoiselle Midnight • Circe, the Enchantress • Love's Wilderness • Cheaper to Marry • Time, the Comedian • Bright Lights • Dance Madness • Mademoiselle Modiste • The Waning Sex • A Little Journey • The Demi-Bride • Adam and Evil • Tea for Three • The Five O'Clock Girl • Baby Mine • The Cardboard Lover • A Lady of Chance • Marianne • Marianne1930s The Divorcee • In Gay Madrid • Let Us Be Gay • The Bachelor Father • It's a Wise Child • Five and Ten • Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) • Lovers Courageous • Strange Interlude • Peg o' My Heart • Dancing Lady • Outcast Lady • After Office Hours • Naughty Marietta (with W. S. Van Dyke) • Escapade • The Great Ziegfeld • Piccadilly Jim • Maytime • The Firefly • The Girl of the Golden West • Broadway Serenade1940s New Moon • Pride and Prejudice • Third Finger, Left Hand • Ziegfeld Girl • When Ladies Meet • We Were Dancing • Stand by for Action • The Man from Down Under • Marriage Is a Private Affair • Week-End at the Waldorf • The Secret Heart • Cynthia • B.F.'s Daughter • The Bribe1950s In the Good Old Summertime • Nancy Goes to Rio • Duchess of Idaho • Grounds for Marriage • Too Young to Kiss • Everything I Have Is Yours • The Great Diamond Robbery • The Clown • Her Twelve Men • The King's Thief • The World's Most Beautiful Woman • Kelly and MeSerials The Master Key (1914)Productions Peacock Alley (1930)Categories:- American films
- English-language films
- 1950 films
- 1950s musical films
- American musical comedy films
- American romantic comedy films
- American romantic musical films
- Films shot in Technicolor
- Films directed by Robert Z. Leonard
- Films set in Idaho
- Films shot in Idaho
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
- Swimming films
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