The Best Esther Williams Movies

Updated June 11, 2019 850 votes 134 voters 16.2k views27 items

List RulesVote for your favorite movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.

List of the best Esther Williams movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Esther Williams's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Esther Williams movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Esther Williams movies will be at the top of the list. Esther Williams has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Esther Williams movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Esther Williams films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Esther Williams role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Esther Williams performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

This list below has a variety of films in it, from Dangerous When Wet to Raw Wind in Eden.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Esther Williams movies?" and "What are the greatest Esther Williams roles of all time?"

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1
42
6
Jupiter's Darling
George Sanders, Esther Williams
Released: 1955
Directed by: George Sidney
Jupiter's Darling is a musical romance film released by MGM in 1955 and directed by George... more on Wikipedia
2
41
12
Ziegfeld Follies
Judy Garland, Lucille Ball
Released: 1945
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli, George Sidney, Roy Del Ruth, Lemuel Ayers, Merrill Pye
Ziegfeld Follies is a 1946 Hollywood musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and... more on Wikipedia
3
31
6
Dangerous When Wet
Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas
Released: 1953
Directed by: Charles Walters
Dangerous When Wet is an Technicolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film starring Esther... more on Wikipedia
4
46
26
Million Dollar Mermaid
Esther Williams, Walter Pidgeon
Released: 1952
Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy
Million Dollar Mermaid is a 1952 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer biographical musical film of the life of... more on Wikipedia
5
22
2
The Unguarded Moment
Esther Williams, John Saxon
Released: 1956
Directed by: Harry Keller, Victor Saville
The Unguarded Moment is a 1956 drama mystery film directed by Harry Keller.
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26
8
On an Island with You
Cyd Charisse, Ricardo Montalbán
Released: 1948
Directed by: Richard Thorpe
On an Island with You is a 1948 film directed by Richard Thorpe.
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39
25
Bathing Beauty
Basil Rathbone, Esther Williams
Released: 1944
Directed by: George Sidney
Bathing Beauty is a 1944 musical starring Red Skelton, Basil Rathbone and Esther Williams and... more on Wikipedia

8
15
0
Raw Wind in Eden
Esther Williams, Jeff Chandler
Released: 1958
Directed by: Richard Wilson
Raw Wind in Eden is a 1958 film starring Jeff Chandler and Esther Williams.
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35
24
Neptune's Daughter
Mel Blanc, Ricardo Montalbán
Released: 1949
Directed by: Edward Buzzell
Neptune's Daughter is a 1949 Technicolor musical romantic comedy film released by... more on Wikipedia
More Neptune's Daughter
#924 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever#53 of 356 The Best Musical Movies Of All Time
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15
6
That's Entertainment!
Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli
Released: 1974
Directed by: Jack Haley, Jr.
That's Entertainment! is a 1974 compilation film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate... more on Wikipedia
11
28
22
Easy to Wed
Lucille Ball, Fidel Castro
Released: 1946
Directed by: Buster Keaton, Edward Buzzell, Edward Sedgwick
Easy to Wed is a 1946 film directed by Edward Sedgwick, Buster Keaton, and Edward Buzzell.
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24
17
Easy to Love
Cyd Charisse, Esther Williams
Released: 1953
Directed by: Charles Walters
Easy to Love is a 1953 musical film directed by Charles Walters. It stars Esther Williams and... more on Wikipedia
13
19
13
Till the Clouds Roll By
Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland
Released: 1946
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli, Richard Whorf
Till The Clouds Roll By is a 1946 American musical film made by MGM. The film is a... more on Wikipedia
14
5
2
Andy Hardy's Double Life
Mickey Rooney, Robert Blake
Released: 1942
Directed by: George B. Seitz
Andy Hardy's Double Life is a 1942 film directed by George B. Seitz.
15
14
6
This Time for Keeps
Anne Francis, Esther Williams
Released: 1947
Directed by: Richard Thorpe
This Time for Keeps is an American romantic musical film released in 1947 and produced by MGM.... more on Wikipedia
16
18
13
Duchess of Idaho
Esther Williams, Red Skelton
Released: 1950
Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard
Duchess of Idaho is a musical romantic comedy produced in 1950 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.... more on Wikipedia
17
1
2
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Esther Williams, Ann Miller
Released: 2002
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer is a documentary on the life and death of Gene Kelly. It was... more on Wikipedia
18
13
6
Skirts Ahoy!
Esther Williams, Barry Sullivan
Released: 1952
Directed by: Sidney Lanfield
Skirts Ahoy! is a 1952 MGM musical film shot in Technicolor and directed by Sidney Lanfield.... more on Wikipedia
19
13
7
Texas Carnival
Esther Williams, Ann Miller
Released: 1951
Directed by: Charles Walters
Texas Carnival is a 1951 film written by Dorothy Kingsley and George Wells and directed by... more on Wikipedia
20
14
9
Pagan Love Song
Rita Moreno, Esther Williams
Released: 1950
Directed by: Robert Alton
Pagan Love Song is a 1950 musical-romance film written by Jerry Davis, Robert Nathan and... more on Wikipedia
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22
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly
Released: 1949
Directed by: Busby Berkeley
Take Me Out to the Ball Game is a 1949 Technicolor musical film starring Frank Sinatra, Esther... more on Wikipedia
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19
Thrill of a Romance
Esther Williams, Van Johnson
Released: 1945
Directed by: Richard Thorpe
Thrill of a Romance was an American romance film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1945,... more on Wikipedia
23
7
2
That's Entertainment! III
Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly
Released: 1994
Directed by: Bud Friedgen, Michael J. Sheridan
That's Entertainment! III is a documentary film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate... more on Wikipedia
24
7
4
Fiesta
Cyd Charisse, Ricardo Montalbán
Released: 1947
Directed by: Richard Thorpe
Fiesta is a 1947 film directed by Richard Thorpe.
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15
17
Callaway Went Thataway
Fred MacMurray, Esther Williams
Released: 1951
Directed by: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank
Callaway Went Thataway is a 1951 American comedy film starring Fred MacMurray, Dorothy... more on Wikipedia

Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer