Million Dollar Mermaid is an uneven Esther Williams vehicle; those who are immune to the aquatic star's charms will find little here to change their minds, but those tuned in to the star's wave will be delighted. Not delighted with the script, mind you, which is filled with clichéd situations and trite dialogue -- as well as a male lead that changes his stripes so quickly mid-film that he seems to have a split personality. Don't blame Victor Mature; although he's fairly bland and unimpressive throughout, this change of heart is strictly a contrivance necessary to pad out the film's dialogue scenes. Interestingly, Mermaid's script does come right out with a disparaging comment that was often batted about concerning Williams -- that wet she was a star, but on dry land she was just another pretty girl. Although some might question the latter part of that statement, Mermaid provides plenty of evidence to support the former - from her impressive high dives to a string of spectacular water ballets that rank at the very top in the Williams oeuvre. Whatever one thinks of the film, it's hard not to be impressed with these water-laden spectacles, especially the "smoke" ballet. Simply stunning, these sequences make up for the serious deficiencies of the script and the indifferent dramatic performances of the leads. Mermaid's ballets played a large part in creating the Williams legend, and they stand out regally from their dull surroundings.