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There's No Business Like Show Business

  • 19541954
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 57m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
Trailer for this story about the people behind the footlights
Play trailer2:45
1 Video
37 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Musical
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Walter Lang
  • Writers
    • Phoebe Ephron(screenplay)
    • Henry Ephron(screenplay)
    • Lamar Trotti(story)
  • Stars
    • Ethel Merman
    • Marilyn Monroe
    • Donald O'Connor
Top credits
  • Director
    • Walter Lang
  • Writers
    • Phoebe Ephron(screenplay)
    • Henry Ephron(screenplay)
    • Lamar Trotti(story)
  • Stars
    • Ethel Merman
    • Marilyn Monroe
    • Donald O'Connor
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 70User reviews
    • 21Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    There's No Business Like Show Business
    Trailer 2:45
    There's No Business Like Show Business

    Photos37

    "There's No Business Like Show Business 1954 20th
    "There's No Business Like Show Business 1954 20th
    "There's No Business Like Show Business" Marilyn Monroe, 1954, 20th Cent. Fox, **I.V.
    "There's No Business Like Show Business" 1954
    "There's No Business Like Show Busines" Ethel Merman with Ceasar Romero on the set 1954 20th Century Fox **I.V.
    Marilyn Monroe in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    Marilyn Monroe in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    Mary Stewart in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    Marilyn Monroe in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    Marilyn Monroe, Mitzi Gaynor, and Donald O'Connor in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ethel Merman
    Ethel Merman
    • Molly Donahueas Molly Donahue
    Marilyn Monroe
    Marilyn Monroe
    • Vicky Parkeras Vicky Parker
    Donald O'Connor
    Donald O'Connor
    • Tim Donahueas Tim Donahue
    Dan Dailey
    Dan Dailey
    • Terry Donahueas Terry Donahue
    Johnnie Ray
    • Steve Donahueas Steve Donahue
    Mitzi Gaynor
    Mitzi Gaynor
    • Katy Donahueas Katy Donahue
    Richard Eastham
    Richard Eastham
    • Lew Harrisas Lew Harris
    Hugh O'Brian
    Hugh O'Brian
    • Charles Gibbsas Charles Gibbs
    Frank McHugh
    Frank McHugh
    • Eddie Duganas Eddie Dugan
    Rhys Williams
    Rhys Williams
    • Father Dineenas Father Dineen
    Lee Patrick
    Lee Patrick
    • Margeas Marge
    Eve Miller
    Eve Miller
    • Hatcheck Girlas Hatcheck Girl
    Robin Raymond
    Robin Raymond
    • Lillian Sawyeras Lillian Sawyer
    Eddie Oliver
    • Bandleaderas Bandleader
    Dorothy Abbott
    Dorothy Abbott
    • Showgirlas Showgirl
    • (uncredited)
    Dorothy Adams
    Dorothy Adams
    • Nurseas Nurse
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Adler
    Robert Adler
    • Night Watchmanas Night Watchman
    • (uncredited)
    Aladdin
    • Orchestra Violinistas Orchestra Violinist
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Walter Lang
    • Writers
      • Phoebe Ephron(screenplay)
      • Henry Ephron(screenplay)
      • Lamar Trotti(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Donald O'Connor had separated from his wife of ten years. She and Dan Dailey, who played O'Connor's father, were dating during the shooting of the film. After filming wrapped, the O'Connors divorced and shortly thereafter Gwen Carter and Dan Dailey married.
    • Goofs
      In the "Heatwave" number, Marilyn Monroe accidentally pokes her finger in the eye of a dancer standing between the branches of a prop tree. Its pretty obvious and more so on the DVD in slow motion. The dancer jerks his head and looks down, but otherwise stays in character and continues with the number. Then Marilyn performs a twirl, sticks her head between the branches of the tree and gives him a kiss. The kiss may have been part of the choreography because she kisses another dancer before this. But it's possible it was an impromptu apology on Marilyn's part to make up for the eye poke.
    • Quotes

      Molly Donahue: "Don't worry." Hmm. That's a laugh. You start worrying about your kids the day they're born and you never stop. Even after they bury you, I bet you never stop.

    • Connections
      Featured in Marilyn (1963)
    • Soundtracks
      When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam'
      (uncredited)

      Written by Irving Berlin

      Performed by Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey

      Later performed by Mitzi Gaynor and Donald O'Connor

    User reviews70

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Good, Could've Been Great
    Contrary to what a lot of people seem to think of this film, my biggest complaint with it is Marilyn Monroe. The studio shoehorned her into this film in their attempt to make the biggest musical extravaganza ever, and she just doesn't fit. She's so out of sync with the other characters that she might as well be from a different planet.

    Don't get me wrong. I'm not a huge Marilyn fan, but she was good (and well-cast) in "Some Like It Hot". She's just all wrong for "No Business Like Show Business", and she looks and sounds ridiculous.

    To be fair, Johnnie Ray often doesn't hold up well before modern audiences, either, when he sings. It's not that he's bad; it's that his style has come and gone and hardly been seen since. Everything in this movie tends to be at least a little overdone, and asking Johnnie Ray to exaggerate his singing does not produce flattering results.

    Still, Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor are as brilliant and exuberant as you could hope. Ethel Merman is, well, Ethel Merman, and exactly right for her part. Dan Dailey is like a reliable locomotive that never disappoints.

    The story is a bit plodding at times, but it only exists to set up one gala musical number after another. It only really bogs down when it gets caught up with Marilyn's character. If the studio had just left Marilyn out of it, perhaps giving Mitzi Gaynor the love interest role, and toned down the general effort level just a hair, this would've been one of the all-time greats.

    It's still absolutely worth seeing -- in widescreen format, if you possibly can.
    helpful•19
    4
    • kensmark
    • Apr 1, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 6, 1955 (Uruguay)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • Irving Berlin's There's No Business Like Show Business
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 9, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,103,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 57 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.55 : 1

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