Athena

Bodybuilding had a disreputable allure in the Eisenhower and Kennedy years. Few would admit to its hold on them, but how else could you explain the box-office success of movies like "Hercules Unchained" and subsequent gladiator trash with a fleet of amply-endowed stars like Gordon Scott, Mark Forrest, Dan Vadis, Mickey Hargitay, and Brad Harris bulging flagrantly in front of the camera?

The premiere member of this elite group was a former Mr. Universe--the dark, statuesque Steve Reeves. Before the days when he was sporting a leather loincloth, chained at the wrists, tensing his biceps, and literally bringing the house down, Reeves was introduced for the public's delectation in the 1954 musical "Athena." In it, he plays Ed Perkins, the prize stallion of a stable of physical culturalists groomed by the barrel-chested Louis Calhern--handlebar moustache, bluster and all--as Ulysses Mulvain, a septagenarian who espouses to a neo-Spartan approach to life, replete with vegetarian diet, and plenty of fresh air and exercise. Reeves vies for the affection of the title character, Mulvain's granddaughter (Jane Powell), who, much to the chagrin of the "stars," has eyes for a stuffy, young lawyer (played by the impossibly handsome Edmund Purdom--if there ever was an actor with a silky-milky-white complexion, it's him), himself being primed and tweaked for a U.S. senate seat. Reeves settles for a supporting role in his first major outing on the screen and sits on the sidelines while Powell charts her inevitable course with Purdom glowering at her incessantly. The body beautiful has his big scene with taking the title at a re-creation of the Mr. Universe contest that for insiders must have seemed pretty hokey.

That aside, if you're willing to go with it, "Athena" can be fun--a kind of stilted mixture of numerology, prurient interest, and music--all served up by the not-so-discerning minds of writers William Ludwig ("The Student Prince"), Leonard Spigelgass, and the by-then renowned songwriting team of Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane. Their classic "The Boy Next Door" changes sex with Vic Damone singing it, and their "Love Can Change The Stars" is just syrupy enough for the sweet tooths of hopeless romantics. (My favorite is the spry "I Never Felt Better.") But none of these compares with the grandeur of blazingly blonde Powell's rendition of "Chacun Le Sait" from Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment." It's full of passion and indignation and fire, and Powell has never achieved so high a note of glory on screen as she has in these few much-too-short minutes.

Also on the sidelines--Debbie Reynolds as Athena's sister Minerva, and, descending from the clouds of Hollywood movie mysticism, Evelyn Varden as Salome Mulvain, grandmother of the nymphs, greeting everyone with something that sounds like "Namari gongo par" and coming out trances every so often to bestow upon her loved ones the will of the stars.

Unlike MGM's expensive, classic musicals of the 1950s, the modest, light-hearted but equally delicious "Athena" has been all-but-forgotten. A shame, because this lilting, lively melodious lark is not only a wryly amusing satire on an eccentric family of health-food nutritionists/numerologists, but, most importantly, a dazzling showcase for some of the most tuneful musical numbers to grace any film of its era. The score, by Ralph Martin and Hugh Blane (of "Meet Me in St. Louis" fame), offers such treats as Jane Powell singing the poignant, haunting ballad "Love Can Change the Stars" (which should have become a popular hit); Powell, Debbie Reynolds and their 5 sisters performing a breathtakingly energetic, knockout song-and-dance production number "I Never Felt Better"; and Ms. Powell (never more bewitchingly alluring) setting off vocal fireworks with her superb rendition of Donizetti's "Chacun Le Sait" from the operetta "Daughter of the Regiment." The plot, wherein Powell & Ms. Reynolds defie their nutritionist fanatic grandfather's (a delightful Louis Calhern) dictums by falling in love with, respectively, Edmund Purdom and Vic Damone (two carnivores with the wrong "signs") is decades ahead of its time in its wise, gentle and good-humored satire of life-styles and fads (culminating in a body-builder contest where one of Calhern's proteges is Steve Reeves, who would a mere 4 years later attain international screen stardom as "Hercules"). Amusing as it is, the plot rightfully takes second-place to the wondrous cast of MGM's most gifted young musical talents of the day--in their full vocal and dancing glory captured in glistening pasteled Technicolor. (Sadly, they were all soon to be given their walking papers when Television became the new national rage, and the first of the terrified studio's contract players to be dismissed were the stars of its taken-for-granted musicals. Indeed, Powell, Reynolds and Damone would co-star in only one more MGM songfest, "Hit the Deck"--as warm, charming, and tuneful as "Athena"--as well as a boxoffice disappointment.) Meanwhile, tune in "Athena" the next time TCM shows it--and don't be surprised if, weeks later, you find yourself humming, whistling or singing Ms. Powell's glorious delivery of what is perhaps this delectable movie's most rousing, catchy tune--the zesty, jubilant "Vocalize"!

A film starring Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds and featuring songs by those behind the wonderful songs for 'Meet Me in St Louis' Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine promises much. They certainly do not disappoint, though 'Athena' could have been better than it turned out to be.

It is let down by a story that is paper-thin, flimsy is being generous, sometimes contrived and routine in direction in the non-singing and dancing scenes. The script is even sketchier (if shining in the scenes with the grandparents), with little logic and even less attention to characterisation which is all nice and pleasant (with nobody being characters that you hate) but not much else. And as beautifully as Vic Damone sings (and goodness isn't it a wondrous sound he makes), it is not matched by his dull presence and wooden acting.

However, Jane Powell is cute as a button and effortlessly charming as well as being on top-form vocally (especially in "Chacun Le Sait" from Donizetti's 'La Fille Du Regiment'). She is matched and partnered wonderfully by the energetic and spirited Debbie Reynolds, who also shows a knack for beautiful singing. Edmund Perdum brings a delicious dry wit to his character, and while the stuffy, pompous and stiff kind of character can easily be an annoyance when poorly executed Perdum does bring enough charm to stop him from being insufferable.

Louis Calhern is an absolute joy in his supporting role and it is a shame that he didn't have more scenes. Steve "Mr Universe" Reeves is imposing and commanding, with the body-building scene one of the film's highlights. Evelyn Varden is delightfully eccentric without overdoing it, while Virginia Gibson also has fun with her role.

Production values in 'Athena' are above average, with luminous photography and very attractive costumes. The sets are less than lavish but have enough imagination and colour to stop them from looking ugly. The songs, while not classics like the best of the composers' songs for 'Meet Me in St Louis', are better than given credit for. The melodies are easy to remember and very beautiful, the marvellous orchestration helps it, and there is some very clever and sophisticated lyric writing.

Standouts are "Love Can Change the Stars", "I Never Felt Better" and the role-reversal version of "The Boy Next Door" (here called "The Girl Next Door"). "Vocalise"/"Harmonise"/"Imagine" are also lovely. "Venezia" is touchingly wistful but holds the least relevance to the story. The dancing is full of dazzling energy and the choreography always avoids being overblown or routinely static.

On the whole, unexceptional story and script wise, but when it comes to all but one of the performances, the songs, the choreography, the singing and the dancing 'Athena' is also irresistible. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This film is a delight. It's about a culture clash in the LA of the mid-fifties, between Athena (Jane Powell), a numerologist from a large, eccentric family who own and operate a health-food store and live in a kind of New Age Olympus on top of one of the Hollywood hills, and Adam (Edmund Purdom), a conservative lawyer whose family hails from Massachusetts and who likes steaks, cigarettes, and martinis. He also happens to be running for Congress, which makes his relationship with Athena and her unusual family problematic.

This 60+ year old film humorously but respectfully presents the Southern-California health culture of the mid-1950's, that was still considered by many to be way-out and crazy - including vegetarianism, strenuous exercise, bikes vs. Cars, and body building.

The songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine are fantastic, including the lovely "Love Can Change the Stars", with its wonderful, unusual rhymes, and "I Never Felt Better," an energetic number headlined by Debbie Reynolds and Powell, and choreographed (as is the whole film) by Valerie Bettis.

Another great tune is Vocalize, first sung by Jane as she mulches some peach trees, and reprised several times.

The bodybuilders (Steve Reeves, Richard DuBois, et al) mostly come off as jerks, which I guess was necessary to the plot, so that the "regular" guys can get the best of them, but it's a bit unfair. By the end of the film there's harmony between all parties - not really adequately explained, but hey, it's not War And Peace, it's just an MGM musical, and a fun one.

Edmund Purdom is handsome, quietly charming, and appropriately stiff as the lawyer who loves Athena, but when he's supposed to be loosening up, well, he's still maybe a bit stiff. Vic Damone, in the second lead, plays a TV crooner who woos Debbie and has a couple of numbers to showcase his superb skills, including a reworking of "The Boy (Girl) Next Door" from Meet Me In St. Louis, and "Venezia," which has nothing to do with the plot (it's sung in a nightclub act) but is another terrific song by Martin-Blaine. The lovely and very talented Jane also gets to sing the obligatory classical piece (from Donizetti's "Daughter Of The Regiment") and really sells it. All in all, the musical interludes are legit, and make the picture one of the more truly enjoyable MGM musical shows.

The supporting actors in the film are great, especially Louis Calhern as the 78 year old grandfather who can still do gymnastics (Calhern was actually in his late 50's); Evelyn Varden ("I love you, let us be friends") as Grandma, who communes with a spirit called Narda; Ray Collins, Carl Benton Reid, and Howard Wendell as the three older law partners urging Purdom to maintain his dignity; the wonderful Kathleen Freeman as Purdom's stuffy secretary (who starts out eating chocolates and winds up munching on a raw carrot); and the subtly bitchy Linda Christian, who is so good as Athena's blue blood adversary you somehow can't quite hate her as much as you should. Also in the cast are the lovely actress-singer Virginia Gibson, as well as talented Nancy Kilgas, both of whom were also in "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" (1954) with Jane. Also delightful is Henry Nakamura (you may remember him from "Westward The Women", or "Go For Broke") as Purdom's houseboy, who informs his boss that Powell speaks Japanese with a Spanish accent.

The settings are imaginative and expertly realized, especially the modernistic hilltop home of the Mulvains, and the vocal, orchestral and choral arrangements are fantastic.

There is just something fresh and likable about the movie, its setting, characters, tunes, and dances. Sadly, the era of the MGM musicals was on the wane when this one was made. Jane Powell's film career didn't survive her departure from the studio, though Debbie Reynolds became an even bigger star over then next ten years.

I caught this film on TCM the other day and I must say I was strangely enthralled by it. There was something magical about the atmosphere created in this film with the sets and the star fields. Jane Powell's singing of "Love can change the Stars" was especially mesmerizing and it made me want to immediately go and get "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers". Steve Reeves was especially notable in this film. The weightlifting competition was yet another treat to behold. The song and dance numbers were lively and Debbie Reynolds was a dynamo. All in all, I taped this film and have reviewed it many times since.