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There's No Business Like Show Business

Play trailer 2:45 Poster for There's No Business Like Show Business 1954 1h 57m Musical Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Terry (Dan Dailey) and Molly (Ethel Merman) are vaudeville performers who eventually add their three children to the act to become The Five Donahues. However, their children start to go their own way in time, with Steve (Johnnie Ray) deciding to become a priest. The other grown children, Katy (Mitzi Gaynor) and Tim (Donald O'Connor), join a show starring Victoria Parker (Marilyn Monroe). The Donahue parents become a performing pair again, but the family still faces personal upheaval.
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There's No Business Like Show Business

Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Movie Mom Jul 26, 2003
4/5
Overstuffed and cornball, but some great Berlin musical numbers, especially Monroe's "Heat Wave." Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Jan 3, 2026
2/10
A handful of dances are nicely staged (chiefly an O’Connor bit with fountain statues of stone that come to life), while a couple of songs reasonably resonate, but the pacing is too slow and the story too simplistic for a truly memorable movie. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Aug 7, 2012
C
If you're looking for a good film that features Irving Berlin tunes, this one is not the film you're looking for. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jul 27, 2012
B
Though Marilyn Monroe was the country's biggest movie star, this plotless musical, a tribute to the genius composer Irving Berlin, belongs to Ethel Merman. Go to Full Review David Kaplan Kaplan vs. Kaplan Mar 1, 2008
4/5
Eric Lurio Greenwich Village Gazette Dec 21, 2004
2/5
The decline of the musical starts here. Faux Kelly just doesn't work. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert P @Superbad Sep 16, 2026 There's no Business etc.. = a *3* star Movie! See more Damian @RT83024318 Dec 4, 2024 It has a plenty of really good numbers which I really love to rewatch. The staging of the scenes is a feast for the eyes, very colorful and stylish. And, of course, the main reason to watch this film is Marilyn Monroe. Every moment she appears on screen is a celebration. See more Rare T @RT00283363 Sep 12, 2024 This movie should not be evaluated by its plot, as that wasn’t intended to be its selling point from the beginning. There’s No Business Like Show Business tells you everything you need to know through its title, which it lives up to. It’s all about the flash and extravaganza of show business, and the numbers are pretty decent. That wouldn’t be possible without the impressive performances of the Marilyn Monroe, Ehel Merman, and Mitzi Gaynor trio, not to mention Donald O’Connor and the others. See more David T @RT16359953 May 3, 2024 Alexander ragtime song done to death in first half hour. If y can survive that torment the rest of movie keeps ya nterest with good variety of performances. See more Mike P @RT09890132 Mar 26, 2024 Unfairly maligned musical extravaganza about a vaudevillian family; The Five Donohues; is really quite impressive and enjoyable in its own right. And the cast is dynamite; Ethel Merman; Donald Occonor; Mitzi Gaynor; and Marylin Monroe! And it does a MUCH better version of the title number than Annie Get Your Gun does! See more Autumn M @RT26919073 Feb 11, 2023 There's No Business Like Show Business is a movie about a family who is in show business, and go through various changes as the children grow and mature. Notable performances by Donald O' Connor ( Singing in the Rain); Ethel Merman ( Broadway star) and Marilyn Monroe. It was a fun little musical, with colorful, sultry numbers like " Heat Wave." It was not ground-breaking in any way, but definitely enjoyable with performances from the Golden Age stars. Recommended. See more Read all reviews
There's No Business Like Show Business

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Cast & Crew

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Walter Lang

Director

Ethel Merman

Molly Donahue

Dan Dailey

Terence Donahue

Marilyn Monroe

Vicky Hoffman

Donald O'Connor

Tim Donahue

Johnnie Ray

Steve Donahue

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There's No Business Like Show Business

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There's No Business Like Show Business

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Movie Info

Synopsis Terry (Dan Dailey) and Molly (Ethel Merman) are vaudeville performers who eventually add their three children to the act to become The Five Donahues. However, their children start to go their own way in time, with Steve (Johnnie Ray) deciding to become a priest. The other grown children, Katy (Mitzi Gaynor) and Tim (Donald O'Connor), join a show starring Victoria Parker (Marilyn Monroe). The Donahue parents become a performing pair again, but the family still faces personal upheaval.
Director
Walter Lang
Producer
Sol C. Siegel
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
20th Century Fox
Genre
Musical, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 16, 1954, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Runtime
1h 57m
Sound Mix
Stereo
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