THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS
Walter Lang, 1954

Our rating: 3.5

Packed with tunes by the incomparable Irving Berlin, this entertaining musical concerns the plight of the Five Donahues, a vaudeville act comprised of Molly and Terrence Donahue (Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey) and their children. Steve (Johnny Ray), the oldest child, who goes off to become a priest, is the first of the brood to leave. Next brother Tim (Donald O'Connor) and sister Katy (Mitzi Gaynor) get antsy and decide to carry on the family tradition in New York. Katy's romance with songwriter Charles Gibbs (Hugh O'Brian) is no problem, but Tim's involvement with nightclub hatcheck girl and aspiring singer Vicky (Marilyn Monroe) is another story. When he believes that Vicky is cheating on him, Tim gets drunk and ends up in an automobile accident. Ultimately, though, things work out for the best, as they have a way of doing in musicals, and all of the Donahues come together for one more big number, the rousing title tune.

THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS is packed with every vaudeville cliche the movies have ever conjured up, yet it is presented in a fresh, colorful, heartwarming manner. Merman is a standout, but the lively cast never allows the singer to dominate, and Monroe, in particular, adds much-needed buoyancy to the somewhat flat story, turning up the temperature with her sexy rendition of "Heat Wave."

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Academy Award Nomination: Best Motion Picture Story - Lamar Trotti
Academy Award Nomination: Best Score (Musical) - Alfred Newman, Lionel Newman
Academy Award Nomination: Best Costume Design (Color) - Charles LeMaire, Travilla, Miles White

Country of origin:

U.S.

Genre:

Musical

Color or b/w:

Color

Production Co(s).:

Fox

Released by:

Fox

MPAA rating:

NR

Parental rating:

Acceptable for children

Running time:

117

Ethel Merman Molly Donahue Donald O'Connor Tim Donahue Marilyn Monroe Vicky Dan Dailey Terrance Donahue Johnny Ray Steve Donahue Mitzi Gaynor Katy Donahue Richard Eastham Lew Harris Hugh O'Brian Charles Gibbs Frank McHugh Eddie Duggan Rhys Williams Father Dineen Lee Patrick Marge Chick Chandler Harry Eve Miller Hatcheck Girl Robin Raymond Lillian Sawyer Lyle Talbot Stage Manager George Melford Stage Doorman Alvy Moore Katy's Boy Friend Henry Slate Dance Director Gavin Gordon Geoffrey Nolan Leary Archbishop Mimi Gibson Katy at Age 4 Linda Lowell Katy at Age 8 John Potter Steve at Age 2 Jimmy Baird Steve at Age 6 Billy Chapin Steve at Age 10 Neal McCaskill Tim at Age 2 Donald Gamble Tim at Age 6 Charlotte Austin Lorna John Doucette Stage Manager Isabelle Dwan Sophie Tucker Donald Kerr Bobby Clark

Producer: Sol C. Siegel Director: Walter Lang Writer: Phoebe Ephron Henry Ephron (based on a story by Lamar Trotti) Cinematographer: Leon Shamroy (CinemaScope, DeLuxe Color) Editor: Robert Simpson Music Composer: Irving Berlin Music Director: Alfred Newman Lionel Newman Art Director: Lyle Wheeler John De Cuir Special Effects: Ray Kellogg Choreography: Robert Alton

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