Williams appeared in the film "Ziegfeld Follies" as herself. This was followed by the musical "Thrill of a Romance". Van Johnson co-starred as a decorated war veteran who falls in love with Williams while on her honeymoon. "Thrill of a Romance" was the 8th highest-grossing film of 1945. Williams had to help Johnson swim, and she placed her hand under his back to keep him afloat. The studio's publicity department tried to put the two together in public as much as possible in the hopes of encouraging a romance, even though Williams was involved with Gage at the time. When asked why they didn't date, Johnson replied, "because I'm afraid she can't get her webbed feet into a pair of evening sandals."