Duchess of Idaho
MGM, 1950, Color, 98 minutes, **½
Released July, 1950

Ellen Hallet (Paula Raymond) is Dick Layn's (Van Johnson) private secretary. She's madly in love with her boss, but he's barely aware that he exists. So, Ellen sets about finding a way to make a business trip with the boss in hopes of snaring him in the process. But Dick has his sights set on Christine (Esther Williams). Light, fun fare with some laughs and good music along the way.

Many seem to think this film was an Eleanor Powell "farewell" movie or an Eleanor Powell "comeback" movie. Not true. It was an Esther Williams - Van Johnson film. Eleanor Powell was well established as a Las Vegas star by the time this film was made. She made a guest appearance and performed one dance number. But it was her final appearance on the silver screen. She continued to perform in Las Vegas for many years.

Produced by: Joe Pasternak
Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard
Written by: Dorothy Cooper and Jerry Davis
Musical Direction: Georgie Stoll
Musical Numbers Staged and Directed by: Jack Donohue
Songs: "Let's Choo Choo to Idaho," "You Can't Do Wrong Doin' Right," "Of All Things" (by) Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston; "Baby, Come Out of the Clouds" (by) Henry Nemo and Lee Pearl
Orchestration: Skip Martin and Albert Sendrey
Musical Score: George Stoll and Al Sendrey
Art Directors: Cedric Gibbons and Malcolm Brown
Set Decorations: Edwin B. Willis
Associate: Arthur Krams
Women's Costumes by: Helen Rose
Make-Up Created by: Jack Dawn
Hair Styles Designed by: Sydney Guilaroff
Recording Supervisor: Douglas Shearer
Director of Photography: Charles Schoenbaum
Special Effects: A. Arnold Gillespie, Warren Newcombe
Montage Sequences by: Peter Ballbusch
Color by Technicolor
Technicolor Color Consultants: Henri Jaffa, James Gooch
Film Editor: Adrienne Fazan

Cast: Esther Williams [Christine Riverton Duncan], Van Johnson [Dick Layn], John Lund [Douglas J. Morrissen, Jr.], Paula Raymond [Ellen Hallet], Clinton Sundberg [Matson], Connie Haines [Peggy Elliot], Mel Torme [Cyril], Amanda Blake [Linda Kinston], Tommy Farrell [Chuck], Sig Arno [Monsieur Le Blanche], Dick Simmons [Alec I. Collins], The Jubalaires [Themselves], Additional Cast: Lena Horne, Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton [Guest Stars], Charles Smith [Johnny], J. Louis Johnson [Pullman Porter], Roger Moore [Escort], Bunny Waters [Marsha], Dorothy Douglas [Eleanor], Mae Clarke [Betty, the Flower Girl], John Trebach [Waiter], Suzanne Ridgway [Cleo], Larry Steers, Harold Miller [Men at Table], Allan Ray [Elevator Man]

Musical Program: [0:00] Credits / Let's Choo Choo Choo to Idaho (sung by Chorus behind titles); [0:01] "Melody in Swimtime" (Esther Williams swimming number); [0:08] Baby Come out of the Clouds (sung by Lena Horne); [0:19] Let's Choo Choo Choo to Idaho (sung by Connie Haines, Van Johnson, The Jubilaires and boys in the band [as Dick Layn and His Music] onboard train); [0:31] Of All Things (sung by Connie Haines and Dick Layn and His Music); [0:48] You Can't Do Wrong Doin' Right (sung by Van Johnson, Connie Haines and boys in the band); [0:53] Warm Hands Beguine (instrumental danced by Eleanor Powell); [1:13] Potato Dance (medely of instrumentals danced by Esther Williams and Van Johnson and other couples, Esther is crowned Duchess of Idaho); [1:32] "Melody in Swimtime" (water ballet featuring Esther Williams and Chorus of swimmers and dancers)

Original magazine ad