"Athena" was and is billed as a comedy musical and drama. It was touted as an original story, with all original music (but for one revised song). The cast of Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds and singer Vic Damone should be a great draw and portend of top musical entertainment. And the popular supporting actors like Louis Calhern and Ray Collins should further signal fine comedy. Why then is this film such a dud? Why then did it flop at the box office?
The answer is because it failed on three of the four aspects of comedy musicals. Instead of attributes, these turned out to be drawbacks. It takes all four aspects in top form to make great musicals, and three of four for very good musicals. Even two of the four can make a good film if they are strong and good enough to overcome the liabilities of the other two. Well, "Athena" has the cast, but nothing else. Where is the comedy? The script is completely devoid of any clever, witty or funny dialog. There are no antics with any humor to suggest comedy. Where is the very good and memorable music? It's a concoction of forgettable tunes and incoherent theme music. Vic Damone gives one weak variation of a revised tune of the day, as "The Girl Next Door." And Jane Powell has one good operatic song. But those can't save this humdrum musical score with nary a catchy or memorable tune. There isn't even another solo or lead number by Powell or Reynolds. A couple of fair dance scenes, Powell's operatic solo, and the cast showing up are the only things that keep this film from being a complete zero.
But, what about a plot - to go with the cast? Indeed, that's the clincher that drives a stake through the heart of this film. The three writers listed for "Athena" all had careers with some fine credits for writing and working on very good comedies and musicals, as well as a range of other films. It's not clear whose "original idea" it was for this film, but the plot has one of the weirdest screenplays I can recall from decades of theater-going and watching movies. The setting in and around the Mulvain family - which is most of the cast, is a concoction of mixed mythologies, astrology, numerology, and vegetarian eating and living.
Look at the names of the characters. The sisters have names from Greek and Roman mythology. Three are goddesses, one is a muse and another is a daughter of a god and wife who kills Jason's children. Grandma Salome's name comes out of the Bible - a granddaughter of Herod the Great. Grandpa Ulysses is named after the king of Greek mythology in Homer's Odyssey. Grandma's numerology and astrology dictate the future of all of the mystical namesakes. And, then these people live in some isolated hilltop close to the city, and thrive on nothing but vegetables -- including some exotic plants. And they run an esoteric fitness hostel of some sort. It could only have been more wierd if this had all been under water.
Well, the first audiences of the film in 1954 struggled through it ut afyrt that even fans who liked musicals "stayed away in droves." MGM lost over half a million dollars on the film. It finished 96th in box office for the year And that was a year that saw several great musicals. Paramount's "White Christmas" topped the box office sales for the year. It had a great musical cast, a great plot, great songs with several memorable tunes, and wonderful comedy. Universal's ":Glenn Miller Story" finished third for the year at the box office. It also had a great cast, the music of Glenn Miller, and a wonderful fictionalized biopic plot. Another big Paramount success was Danny Kaye's "Knock on Wood" that finished 24th for the year. It's zany plot had great comedy and wonderful music.
And, MGM had two successful musicals for the year that helped cover its losses from "Athena" and other weak films. Before Athena's release in November, MGM's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" drew crowds to theaters across the country. That Jane Powell and Howard Keel musical comedy had tremendous talents, wonderful songs with superb dance scenes, a very good plot and setting, and wonderful humor. It finished the year in sixth place at the box office. The other MGM musical success for the year was "Brigadoon," with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charisse. It finished 54th at the box office.
The 1930s through 1950s were the golden era of the Hollywood musicals. That they began to lose popularity may be partly attributable to poorer and weaker films being made - such as this. And, with the demise of the studios went the assembled pools of exceptional talents for dancing, choreography, singing, and musicians that are needed for great musicals.
Many people still enjoy good musicals, and there have been many superb box office hits since the golden era. I wonder what the next great musical will be about. And who will be the performer? And how long before it comes out?
The answer is because it failed on three of the four aspects of comedy musicals. Instead of attributes, these turned out to be drawbacks. It takes all four aspects in top form to make great musicals, and three of four for very good musicals. Even two of the four can make a good film if they are strong and good enough to overcome the liabilities of the other two. Well, "Athena" has the cast, but nothing else. Where is the comedy? The script is completely devoid of any clever, witty or funny dialog. There are no antics with any humor to suggest comedy. Where is the very good and memorable music? It's a concoction of forgettable tunes and incoherent theme music. Vic Damone gives one weak variation of a revised tune of the day, as "The Girl Next Door." And Jane Powell has one good operatic song. But those can't save this humdrum musical score with nary a catchy or memorable tune. There isn't even another solo or lead number by Powell or Reynolds. A couple of fair dance scenes, Powell's operatic solo, and the cast showing up are the only things that keep this film from being a complete zero.
But, what about a plot - to go with the cast? Indeed, that's the clincher that drives a stake through the heart of this film. The three writers listed for "Athena" all had careers with some fine credits for writing and working on very good comedies and musicals, as well as a range of other films. It's not clear whose "original idea" it was for this film, but the plot has one of the weirdest screenplays I can recall from decades of theater-going and watching movies. The setting in and around the Mulvain family - which is most of the cast, is a concoction of mixed mythologies, astrology, numerology, and vegetarian eating and living.
Look at the names of the characters. The sisters have names from Greek and Roman mythology. Three are goddesses, one is a muse and another is a daughter of a god and wife who kills Jason's children. Grandma Salome's name comes out of the Bible - a granddaughter of Herod the Great. Grandpa Ulysses is named after the king of Greek mythology in Homer's Odyssey. Grandma's numerology and astrology dictate the future of all of the mystical namesakes. And, then these people live in some isolated hilltop close to the city, and thrive on nothing but vegetables -- including some exotic plants. And they run an esoteric fitness hostel of some sort. It could only have been more wierd if this had all been under water.
Well, the first audiences of the film in 1954 struggled through it ut afyrt that even fans who liked musicals "stayed away in droves." MGM lost over half a million dollars on the film. It finished 96th in box office for the year And that was a year that saw several great musicals. Paramount's "White Christmas" topped the box office sales for the year. It had a great musical cast, a great plot, great songs with several memorable tunes, and wonderful comedy. Universal's ":Glenn Miller Story" finished third for the year at the box office. It also had a great cast, the music of Glenn Miller, and a wonderful fictionalized biopic plot. Another big Paramount success was Danny Kaye's "Knock on Wood" that finished 24th for the year. It's zany plot had great comedy and wonderful music.
And, MGM had two successful musicals for the year that helped cover its losses from "Athena" and other weak films. Before Athena's release in November, MGM's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" drew crowds to theaters across the country. That Jane Powell and Howard Keel musical comedy had tremendous talents, wonderful songs with superb dance scenes, a very good plot and setting, and wonderful humor. It finished the year in sixth place at the box office. The other MGM musical success for the year was "Brigadoon," with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charisse. It finished 54th at the box office.
The 1930s through 1950s were the golden era of the Hollywood musicals. That they began to lose popularity may be partly attributable to poorer and weaker films being made - such as this. And, with the demise of the studios went the assembled pools of exceptional talents for dancing, choreography, singing, and musicians that are needed for great musicals.
Many people still enjoy good musicals, and there have been many superb box office hits since the golden era. I wonder what the next great musical will be about. And who will be the performer? And how long before it comes out?