I saw this as a child and never forgot it although it took years and repeated viewings to appreciate it. The story of a man approaching middle age ("50, the old age of youth, the youth of old age") who thinks he knows what he wants to rejuvenate himself and finds out, when given a choice, that he was wrong. There are three female figures in this film: the wife, calm, understanding and feisty (when she thinks he's been unfaithful she walks out and flies home from their vacation in the middle of the night), a muscial comedy star who is aggressively on the make for Peabody, and the Mermaid, docile, adoring and silent-and totally dependent. At one point Peabody says he wants a woman who "can't do much of anything", his mermaid, but when he gets her he doesn't really know what to do with her (and she almost drowns him at the end when she tries to take him to her underwater world). What he finds at the end is that the woman he really wants is his wife, who combines elements of the other two: loving without clinging, strong without being aggressive..I find this rather hopeful and a positive ending as opposed to those who find it bittersweet. The scenery, amazing photography, haunting music and dialogue are superb (special mention to Mary Field who hilariously tries to keep her composure and serve Mr Peabody in her "Wee Shop of Intimate Things" as he tries to buy first a sweater and then just a bikini top for his mermaid).And who would not want to spend the entire winter on St Hilda's island ("more than we could afford really, but it was all so beautiful, like heaven. And if you can find a little piece of heaven, who cares what it costs") where there's nothing to do but fish, swim, shop and have a party every night. A beautiful, magical film with William Powell a master. Get it on DVD!

I watched this movie on TV in the 50s, always hoping it would come back again; back then you never knew when that might be. At that age it was romantic, fantastical, funny and sometimes touching. As an adult, I find it the same. So nice to find this little treasure again. Fully delightful performances by William Powell and Ann Blyth.I now find it came out at the same time as Miranda, another mermaid movie. Different cast, British rather than American, but delightful none the less. However, for me, there was something more compelling, charming, magical, and funnier about Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. See which one you like best.

I've only seen this movie a couple of times as it seems it was hardly ever shown on television and I don't know why it was so overlooked. It's not a big film and is a typical escapism fantasy fun film that were so popular in the 1940's but it's well done and deserves a look. William Powell whose days as a leading man were waning plays a man who is turning 50 and going into a mid-life crisis (Powell was in reality 56) so while on a seaside vacation with his wife away, he snags a mermaid while out fishing. A beautiful mermaid, played by the 20 year old Ann Blyth who in 1948 was breaking away from teen roles with this film and two others released that year, A Woman's Vengeance and Another Part of the Forest. This is adapted from the Constance and Guy Jones novel Peabody's Mermaid by noted screenplay writer Nunnaly Johnson who wrote The Grapes of Wrath, Tobacco Road and The Three Faces of Eve. Versitle director Irving Pichel who worked in comedy, drama, film noir, westerns and sci-fi and did such films as The Most Dangerous Game, Tomorrow is Forever, They Won't Believe Me and had just come off the sentimental The Miracle of the Bells, directs. Proliffic cinematographer Russell Metty photographs with underwater sequences filmed by respected visual effects photographer David S. Horsley. Irene Hervey and Andrea King are also in the cast. Ann Blyth looks beautiful and makes one of the best on screen mermaids ever in an unusual role. I would give this an 8.0 out of 10.

Slightly bizarre little '40's comedy about a middle-aged married man's mid-life crisis solved by the discovery of a young mermaid while fishing in the Caribbean. William Powell (The Thin Man series) carries the picture on his charm alone and Ann Blyth (Veda in Mildred Pierce) makes a very cute and seductive sea creature. Some droll set pieces -Peabody's attempt to purchase a swim top for his catch, the various encounters with the busy-body's who come to snoop- work quite nicely and Powell actually creates some genuine moments of heartfelt desire but it runs out of steam before long, turns dark, then ends with a thud. Regardless, the film is a harmless little buried treasure and more than worth a look.