Wow did Merman look great in this movie!

Ethel Merman was not a svelt person. She had a body built for belting out songs in the spirit of Wagnerian sopranos. That was fine but so good for films which is maybe why she usually didn't get to do the Hollywood versions of her stage successes.

But in this film she looks very trim and I wondered if she went to great lengths to slim down before shooting began.