I’m continuing my series on classic movies, where I review a classic film from my list of favorites. In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I’m featuring a movie that is as much about a mother’s love for her family as it is about show business.
We’re talking about the first musical to be featured in this series – There’s No Business Like Show Business!
Rundown:
- Year: 1954
- Starring: Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Marilyn Monroe
Synopsis from IMDB: Molly and Terry Donahue, plus their three children, are The Five Donahues. Son Tim meets hat-check girl Vicky and the family act begins to fall apart.
Why I Love It:
- Donald O’Connor is the best thing about this movie. I love his combination of physical comedy and amazing dancing skills.
- Ethel Merman is my second favorite thing about this movie. She’s strong, funny, tender, and loves her family deeply.
- I love old movies that give you an inside look at life in show business (as do Singing in the Rain and White Christmas). I love how they show both their work life and their home life throughout the movie.
- This movie makes me laugh and it makes me cry! It’s a sweet story of a family’s love for each other throughout the changes and challenges of life. The older I get, the more emotional I find myself during their last song of the movie. Watch it and you’ll see what I mean.
It’s Worth Mentioning That:
- While Marilyn Monroe is now seen as the main star in this movie, her billing technically falls below Merman and O’Connor. Her character majorly gets on my nerves.
- The screenplay was written by Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron, parents of Nora Ephron (who wrote or produced many of my favorite “modern” movies like You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally)!
Here are two of my favorite scenes:
Where To Watch It:
Currently it is available to rent on YouTube and Amazon. If your library is allowing movie rentals right now, you might be able to find it there on DVD.
You might even be able to find it for free on YouTube. Just saying. 🙂
If You Like This, You Also Might Enjoy:
- Singin’ In The Rain: A classic musical with Donald O’Connor and Gene Kelly
- Meet Me In St. Louis: My favorite Judy Garland musical
- On The Town: A lighthearted WW2 era musical with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra
I tried not to give any spoilers in the clips I shared above. You’ll have to watch it to find out what happens. Let me know if the last song makes you cry, too!
Have you seen There’s No Business Like Show Business? If not, have I convinced you to give it a watch?
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