Don't Go Near the Water

 A delightful story, if a bit cliched, that smacked of several WWII navy movies emerged in this film. Glenn Ford plays a typically nuanced character with humor, intelligence, and depth. My favorite of his is still The Mating of Millie, but he's always someone for whom to watch out.

Gia Scala and Anne Francis both played wonderful characters, also quite well. The supporting actors did what supporting actors do; they supported. Success!

The camera work and filming held nothing exciting. They were simply typical of the era. But the script worked wonderfully, with few or no hitches. There were no art shots, or great pieces of scenery, but a few scenes shot at night showed a good balance between the realistically dark camera filter, and the murkiness of actual night. One moment that caught my eye was the climactic scene where Mr. Ford's character and Ms. Scala's character part ways, realizing that neither is willing to compromise on where they shall live. The setting is a private and lush marshy spot under a tall tree, and the blocking showed some real tenderness, and a willingness to fit into a character beyond the stylized stereotypes. Perhaps I am not being very clear, but you might just rent the film and see for yourself.