Easy to Love: Esther Williams Dazzles at Cypress Gardens
In 1953, Hollywood’s swimming sweetheart turned a Florida garden into a glittering aquatic stage. Easy to Love, starring Esther Williams, is a splashy musical comedy filmed at the legendary Cypress Gardens, showcasing Florida’s flair for spectacle.
The film stars Williams as a water-ski performer at the famous attraction, juggling romance and her demanding boss while dazzling crowds with elaborate aquatic numbers. Directed with help from water-show pioneer Busby Berkeley, the movie features jaw-dropping water-skiing formations and synchronized swimming staged across the gardens’ lakes.
Cypress Gardens, near Winter Haven, was one of Florida’s first great tourist attractions, famous for its manicured grounds, southern belles, and pioneering water-ski shows. Easy to Love captured that magic for the whole country, and the film remains a glorious showcase of mid-century Florida tourism at its most dazzling.
Bright, buoyant, and full of old-Florida charm, Easy to Love is a joyful splash of vintage spectacle. Look for Easy to Love and enjoy the show.
