Whew! I'm glad I saved this one for last to watch from the Esther Williams Vol. 1 Collection. It's the only one – and only Williams film period – that I think falls flat on its face. The only reason I give it six stars is because the dance numbers, musical and swim scenes are top notch. The acting is quite good for most characters – save one: Peter Lawford. And the plot has two huge faults that seem to be big blunders.
I've read some reviews of other films where viewers have said actors in some roles were miscast. Before this, I figured that the producers and/or directors must have known what they were doing, and I didn't agree with those comments. But in this film, I think there's no doubt that Lawford doesn't belong. That, or his acting is the worst of his career; and I have seen a number of films in which he was quite good. Some have commented about conflicts among people in the film. I don't know about those, but any assessment of this film just on its surface clearly spots the Lawford character and role as way out of place.
I grant Hollywood its leeway in story plots and scripting. And, I can understand how most films need some fiction or fantasy scenes to improve. But this plot seems to be way overboard to me. Lawford's character is an almost inept, hapless, love struck Navy lieutenant. He kidnaps Esther Williams, who plays a movie star, and flies her to a small island 500 miles away. All the time, during this, before it, and after, he acts like a listless, whimpering, love struck boy. He really acts like a wacko.
Esther later pleads for him and says the Navy's everything to him. Huh? He just showed it meant nothing by kidnapping and flying someone 500 miles away, while failing to follow orders, and cutting off his radio so he couldn't be tracked. Even in outright comedies that have fun with the military, such a culprit gets drummed out of the service. But here, Lawford gets off the hook and his CO and whole unit are there to support him to the end. OK, it's Hollywood and it's fantasy and it's supposed to be entertainment. But it really fails with the part of Lawford.
One other quirk that is done so poorly. In almost all comedy romances that involve love triangles, the first match is obviously not the right one, and it's clear to the audience. The missing ingredient is real love (at least as we would perceive it). So, everyone cheers when the hero gets the gal, or vice versa. That's not the case in this film though. In all scenes right up until near the end, Esther and Ricardo Montalban are clearly deeply in love. It shows in all their scenes. And, initially, her irritation with Lawford appears obvious and genuine. So, at the end she suddenly finds herself in love with Lawford while Montalban just as quickly finds himself in love with Cyd Charisse. So much for real love as portrayed in the beginning. Where most Hollywood romance fantasies leave us satisfied that the right match happens at the end (happy ending), "On an Island with You" leaves the audience wondering what true love really is – as understood or portrayed in this movie, at least.
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