The Original Mermaid on AllMovie

Although she may remain virtually unheard of today, Australian swimmer, diver, vaudeville entertainer, and silent film star Annette Kellerman was one of the most famous women of the early 20th century. Initially taking up swimming in an effort to overcome a childhood bout with rickets, Kellerman eventually learned to utilize her aquatic skills to entertain and inspire. Later moving into vaudeville and film after conquering the Yarra, the Thames, the Seine, and the English Channel, Kellerman's remarkable life was eventually adapted into the 1952 biopic Million Dollar Mermaid starring Esther Williams. Utilizing interviews and restored archival footage of Kellerman, filmmaker Michael Cordell brings the legend of one of the entertainment industry's most enduring figures into the next century, reminding viewers of her legacy and inspiring those who have yet to hear her story.