Backstage and Broadway: There's No Business like Show Business(1954)

One of my favorite numbers in the the film, Lazy

featuring Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, and of course, Marilyn Monroe.

You will also see an example of the killer,casual mind you, costumes here;especially Mitzi and Marilyn's outfits.

20th Century Fox's There's No Business Like Show Business tells the story of the Donahue family.

 Molly(Ethel Merman) and Terrence(Dan Dailey) are The Two Donahues; a successful Vaudeville team and couple. The act begins to expand when they have children,Steve (Johnny Ray), Katie (Mitzi Gaynor) and Tim (Donald O'Connor). Like Mother Wore Tights,(in which Dan Dailey also played husband and father of a Vaudeville team 7 years prior), they felt putting the children in a boarding school would give them a more stable home life than traveling with them. However, in this story, it doesn't work. Not only do the kids miss them but want to learn the business as well.By time the kids reach their 20's they have joined the act and change the name to The Five Donahues.

Although a dynamite act, the Donahues are an average family and no stranger to the changes family life brings. The eldest son Steve decides to leave show business and become a priest. Tim meets Vicky Parker(Marilyn Monroe), an up and coming Broadway star and is instantly smitten. She soon becomes as successful as the Donahues and begins playing the same venues. This soon becomes a problem as she is beginning to cost them bookings and a rift between Tim and Molly.However, this doesn't slow the relationship. Manager Lou Harris is building a show around Vicky and want Tim and Katie as supporting cast leaving Molly and Terry to be The Two Donahues once more. Katie even ends up marrying one of the Production execs.Things are going well until Tim begins to feel left behind in his relationship with Vicky and ditches the act along with his family and is nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, miracles do happen and they are reunited for their big finale as The Five Donahues once again.

This has always been one of my favorite films since I was 10 years old and have probably seen it a million times since! It is presented in CinemaScope and beautiful Technicolor as only Fox (along with MGM and Paramount) can. The storyline is great  but the song and dance numbers are even greater.To pick my favorite is a tough ordeal, but along with Lazy, I love "Heatwave", "After You Get What You Want You Don't Want It", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "Do You Believe That?" and " A Man Chases A Girl (Until She Catches Him)".

 My only complaint is that the story in this film takes place from 1919-early 1940's but the costumes are not period appropriate after the kids are grown. However that complaint is squelched by the fact that this film exemplifies some of the best 50's fashion ever.Simply Gorgeous!

I hope that this movie will become as dear to your heart as it is  to mine.

Remember: There's No Business Like Show Business!

Roll Film,

Neah B