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There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

At the end of the movie when Ethel Merman is singing the number and her son (Donald O'Connor) who has been missing for a year shows up. Her family is on the side of the stage trying to get her attention that he is there. She looks over and sees him, and stops for a spilt second. Then she finishes the song without missing a beat. She then rushes off stage to hug him. That one scene is a microcosm of the life in show business. She kept her composure and finished the song under the most difficult of circumstances. Merman's character exemplifies what being in the industry meant to people. Thus the title of the movie.

After previously teaming with Ethel Merman and songwriter Irving Berlin in Call Me Madam, Donald O'Connor was back with them for There's No Business Like Show Business. They're joined by Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor, Johnny Ray, and Marilyn Monroe. There are both old and new Berlin tunes here but they're all enjoyable. Monroe's "Heat Wave" number certainly deserves most of the attention that's been paid-both negatively and positively-to it. Compared to many of today's raunchy musical numbers, this one isn't so dirty. Ms. Gaynor certainly also puts the steam in her numbers particularly "Lazy" she does with both Monroe and O'Connor. Speaking of the latter, he's as funny as you'd expect when watching him and is as nimble as always when dancing up a storm especially during a number taking place in a fountain with statues. Johnny Ray isn't much of an actor, but he's still a good enough singer when his numbers are being performed. Dailey does well when teamed with Merman in their numbers. As for Ms. Merman, well, she's every bit the legend that she deserved to be when one listens to her just belt it out all over! Now the story was pretty entertaining most of the time, at least until the O'Connor character gets in big trouble and is missing some of the time. Still, There's No Business Like Show Business is very much worth seeing for all the performances of the numbers with fine lyrics by the one and only Irving Berlin!

Despite her fabulous vocals, There's No Business Like Show Business is nearly bogged down by Ethel Merman's over-the-top acting style. Also, 20th Century Fox seems to be showcasing costar Marilyn Monroe much more favorably in this picture. For instance, scenes with Monroe give a generous amount of close-ups of her. But scenes with the other characters when she is absent from the action are devoid of close-ups. The viewers should have an intimate relationship with all the characters in the story, not just with Marilyn Monroe.Merman and costar Donald O'Connor previously appeared in Call Me Madam, a year earlier at Fox. And back in the 1930s, Miss Merman appeared in the studio's smash hit Alexander's Ragtime Band, which also featured her singing classic Irving Berlin tunes. She wasn't so flamboyant in that production, and Marilyn Monroe was still Norma Jean Baker in those days.

There are two main types of musicals--those where the emphasis is clearly on the music and others where the music is incidental to the story. While which style you like is up to you, for me, I much prefer those with less music--where the story is predominant. So, because of my personal preference, movies like "There's No Business Like Show Business" are NOT exactly my cup of tea, so to speak.The film is about a fictional show business family, the Donohues. When the film begins, the three children are young. But then through the miracle of movie magic, soon about 15-20 years pass--and the children are now grown (and include Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor). Oddly, the parents, Dan Dailey and Ethel Merman, didn't seem to age a day. Even more noticeable is Marilyn Monroe--you see her early in the film and after all those years she looks as if she hasn't aged a day. Even if it was only 10 years--still, she looked EXACTLY the same! While the film follows the family with their ups and downs (and the third child when he decides to become a priest), all of it seems to be there just to provide a chance to sing and dance...a lot. Many of the songs are very familiar. Overall, very glossy and enjoyable if all you want is lots of singing and dancing...which I didn't. Watchable for a guy like me, but only just, as the story didn't seem strong enough to handle all the songs.