Down Argentine Way (1940) User Reviews

"Where There Are Rhumbas And Tangos, To Tickle Your Spine"

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 7 March 2008]

Nobody should expect to see Hamlet when watching Down Argentine Way. In fact the plot here is thinner and sillier than most of these fluff musical pieces. Still it's kind a fun.

Don Ameche is up from Argentina in the USA looking to sell some horses and Betty Grable is looking to buy, the horse and Ameche. But once Don hears that Betty's character has the last name of Crawford, no sale, no way, no how.

With mixed motives both looking to get even and an unspoken attraction for Don, Betty and Aunt Charlotte Greenwood take a trip to Buenos Aires for business and all different kinds of pleasure. We also meet Henry Stephenson, Ameche's father, and it does take the whole film to find just what he has against people named Crawford. The prize jumping horse of the Quintana family which is the character names of Ameche and Stephenson who gets turned into a racehorse by the old family trainer, J. Carrol Naish in another of his multitude of ethnic characterizations.

Of course this film never got out of the Hollywood back lot at 20th Century Fox Studios and there are even fewer establishing shots of Buenos Aires than usual. The two best things about Down Argentine Way are the musical score written by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon and the specialties of Carmen Miranda and the Nicholas Brothers.

This was Carmen's American debut and she opens the film with a song that was forever indelibly identified with her, South American Way. The other hit song in the film is the title song of the picture to which everyone in the cast sings and dances at some point.

The notes here say that Don Ameche's voice was dubbed. If so the guy must have been a great soundalike. Probably could fool a voice print identification. Sure sounded like Don Ameche singing from other films I've seen.

Look for a nice performance by Leonid Kinskey a rather inept gigolo with a few other sidelines.

Down Argentine Way was done before Juan Peron took power so the place was viewed favorably. The Roosevelt administration actively encouraged films to be made showing South America in a favorable light like this one with an idea towards making sure they were allies in the World War we were heading for. It's a nice piece of fluff with good songs Betty Grable's famous legs and the one and only Carmen Miranda.

Paper thin plot but fun

[ryancm · 5/10 · 25 June 2006]

Despite it's paper thin plot or saran wrap plot, DOWN ARGENTINE WAY is kind of fun, especially seeing it in this day and age. The DVD is outstanding with the colors very bright and chic, the way Foxs' musicals have always been. This put Betty Grable on the map and she is a fine replacement for Alice Faye. Maybe better, since Betty was a much better dancer as a couple of numbers have been added to the plot because of her. Carmen Miranda doesn't really have a role. She is just featured in a couple of night club scenes. Looks like her scenes were added on and has no bearing on the plot. Don Ameche is fine with his very good accent. The real standouts are Charlotte Greenwood and especially the Nocholas brothers. They must be seen to be believed. Like Miranda, they have no bearing in the story, just a showcase for their amazing dancing. For these reasons alone, see this one. Now Fox needs to release THAT NIGHT IN RIO and THE GANGS ALL HERE on DVD, as well as some other Betty Grables.

Star making vehicle for Betty Grable

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 25 December 2022]

This technicolor musical from 20th Century-Fox was directed by Irving Cummings. The wafer-thin plot concerns wealthy Buenos Aires horse rancher Ricardo Quintana (Don Ameche) traveling to America to sell some horses, where he meets wealthy American horse enthusiast Glenda Crawford (Betty Grable). The two instantly fall in love, but there's a problem: Ricardo's father Don Diego (Henry Stephenson) hates the Crawford family due to some disagreement decades earlier. Glenda eventually travels to Argentina with her aunt Binnie (Charlotte Greenwood) to try and win over the old man.

This was a major hit when released, and made Betty Grable a star. The movie was intended as a vehicle for Alice Faye, but when she bowed out, Grable was assigned the lead, becoming one of the biggest stars of the decade in the process. She's pleasant, pretty without being overly made-up, as she sometimes appeared later. Charlotte Greenwood gives an interesting spin on the older-matron-companion role. Naish hams it up big time as a peasant stable hand. Leonid Kinskey has the biggest role I can remember seeing him in as a paid escort and guide to Greenwood, playing the type usually assayed by Mischa Auer.

This movie was also the general American public's introduction to Carmen Miranda. She was signed to a strict contract at a NYC nightclub at the time, and so her scenes were all filmed there, and consequently her part is rather small, singing a few songs. I enjoyed the dance sequence where the Nicholas Brothers perform and basically steal the show from everyone else. The movie earned three Oscar nominations, for Best Cinematography (Leon Shamroy & Ray Rennahan), Best Art Direction (Richard Day & Joseph C. Wright), and Best Song ("Down Argentine Way").

A Fluffy Musical Fiesta with Grable, Miranda, Ameche & Nicholas Bros.

[Kalaman · 14 April 2003]

One of the best Betty Grable musicals. As always the plot is unbelievably vacuous but who cares really? When you have the tippy-tappy Grable (doing what she does best), Carmen Miranda (in her American debut), Don Ameche (speaking in a nice Spanish accent), and the Nicholas Brothers (with their usual dance specialties) all in one movie, the implausible plot and meet-cutes are beside the point. The slick lively tunes and dances are more than enough to like this fluffy musical fiesta set in Argentina.

If you liked "Down Argentine Way", see also "Springtime in the Rockies"(1942)

Everything about this little demon was larger than life...

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 22 July 2005]

Carmen Miranda, known as "The Brazilian Bombshell", was the original Chica Chica Bum Chic gal of forties musicals – a large swash of Rousseau on the movie screens, a festive explosion of outrageous razzmatazz that may not have added much to culture but did add a lot to one's enjoyment of it…

Everything about this happy demon (except her height) was larger than life: her behavior; her struggles with the English language as it tripped its way into her head and out through her mouth in accents thick and hilarious; her eyes as they shrank into slits and lost themselves behind her cheeks rising and swelling through the effort required to pronounce her tongue-twisting lyrics at rapid speed; the continual motion of eyes, mouth, shoulders, hips, arms, hands, fingers and feet, the latter supported by elevated platforms that heightened her appeal, and the ever more extravagant gowns that have inspired nightclub performers ever since – garlands of sequins, bowers of living blooms around her hips and breasts, and orchards of fruit growing out of her turbans…

The total effect was that of some medieval fertility ritual goddess whose presence was a promise of fruitfulness

I have to see a man about a horse!

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 28 March 2005]

Irving Cummings takes on a fun tour to Argentina. This is a happy musical that defies all logic as the writers Rian James and Ralph Spence appear to be telling us we're in Argentina, but taking us to Havana, by way of Rio de Janeiro. Talk about a confusion of styles!

Once the viewer gets over the jet lag caused by the disorientation, we are introduced to the Crawford girls, Glenda and Binnie and the Quintana boys, Don Diego and Ricardo. Both these families have grown apart by something that happened long ago in Paris, when Glenda's father stole Don Diego's girlfriend. They're horse people and we are shown the Argentine estancia that looks more like a Mexican hacienda, but we go along for the ride. There's even a fiesta in the town where Binnie makes a splash dancing and being admired by the locals. There are the inevitable night club hopping scene where Carmen Miranda and the Nicholas Brothers are headlining. We see everyone dancing the craze of those years, a Cuban rhumba!

Talk about a melange of styles!

The costume designer Travis Burton dresses Ms. Grable and Ms. Greenwood in creations that might have been popular back home, but no sophisticated Argentine women would have been caught wearing them. Otherwise how can Mr. Burton show Betty Grable in that "American Flag" shmatte? How about the typical Cuban rhumba dancer dress at the end?

The musical numbers are fine, but hello?, aren't we in Buenos Aires, a mild interpretation of a tango wouldn't have been out of place! Someone commented on Carmen Miranda's dancing, but in her two numbers she only shakes her hips and that's the extent of what she does. The amazing Nicholas Brothers fare better because they were the best in the business.

Betty Grable and Don Ameche are fine playing with the material they were given. Charlotte Greenwood, Henry Stephenson, Leonard Kinskey and J. Carroll Naish seem to have a great deal of fun with their characters. As a curiosity, we get a glimpse of Elena Verdugo, who later became famous for her television work, just for a moment.

The film is entertaining once we realize we have been taken for a mindless ride down the Argentine way.

Okay at best

[zetes · 6/10 · 31 August 2009]

Decent but forgettable Fox musical starring Betty Grable and Don Ameche. Grable is an okay film presence, quite cute but not much of an actress. I generally find Ameche a bore, though I do like him in Midnight. Here he plays an Argentinian nobleman, a son of a famous horse breeder. Grable is an American hippophile who falls in love first with Ameche's horse, and then with the man himself. Her family, unfortunately, has bad history with his father, which forces Ameche to return to South America abruptly. Grable follows. Like many of these little, classic musicals, the plot is negligible. You watch it for the pretty colors, the songs and the dancing. I'd prefer more songs myself, but the ones that are here are fine. Carmen Miranda appears in a nightclub sequence and sings two songs (she also pops up right after the opening credits for no reason in particular - I guess they just wanted to get their money's worth). This was her first appearance in a Hollywood movie. The Nicholas Brothers also appear, and knock it out of the park, as always. The equine plot line is sure to please any horse-lover, even though the plot starts to make less and less sense near the end. It devolves into a "screw it, we're just gonna sing a medley of the film's songs" finale, in which the Nicholas Brothers return (but not Miranda).

Typical Fox musical

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 30 January 2009]

Betty Grable goes "Down Argentine Way" in this 1940 musical, also starring Don Ameche, Charlotte Greenwood, Carmen Miranda, and J. Carroll Naish. Grable is Glenda Crawford, who buys a horse from the South American Ricardo Quintana (Ameche), unaware that the families don't get along. On hearing her last name, Quintana realizes that he has to cancel the sale in accordance with his father's (Naish) orders. Glenda and Ricardo are already falling in love, so although Glenda rejects him after the aborted sale, she soon heads for Argentina on the excuse of buying horses. With her is her aunt Binnie (Greenwood). There, she reconnects with Ricardo, though she has to meet his father under the assumed name of Cunningham.

This is a typical Fox musical with its bright, vibrant colors and high energy. And, like many Fox musicals, it has no plot and literally one musical number after another. Because Fox had Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero under contract, there was often a south of the border flavor. Here, Miranda plays herself performing in a nightclub, and she's a dynamo.

Ameche sings pleasantly and does his usual good job, and Grable as usual is a joy - a pretty, likable actress, a good dancer and singer, and a bundle of energy. Charlotte Greenwood has several musical numbers and is very entertaining.

These musicals are always good for what ails you. My favorite Fox musicals of this kind are "Springtime in the Rockies" and "The Gang's All Here," but "Down Argentine Way" is a delightful film.

Delightful Grable-Ameche musical, with strong support cast.

[weezeralfalfa · 9/10 · 1 September 2008]

Betty finally got lucky in landing the staring role in this one after Alice Faye,the intended star, pleaded exhaustion. Fox had picked up her contract only months before, after Betty had had enough of Paramount not knowing what to do with her. She was doubly lucky in that this was also Carmen Miranda's first Hollywood film. Fox wanted to show off Carmen's colorful costumes, thus filmed the show in Technicolor, an uncommon luxury at this time, even for musicals. Yet, Carmen was not in a position to steal the show from Betty. She was still contracted to a nightclub in NYC, thus her limited screen time had to be filmed in NYC, away from the rest of the cast. No doubt, Fox also wanted to test the response of US audiences to Carmen before featuring her more. Thus, this film served as the launching pad for the celebrity of two of the biggest Hollywood stars of the '40s.

The story, though quite implausible, is important to the film. Two wealthy American or Argentine horse breeding families meet and have their problems as well as attractions. In one scene, Betty unexpectedly sees Argentinian Ricardo Quintana(Don Ameche) in a Buenos Aires nightclub, having been escorted by another man she just met. She drops her date and accompanies Ameche to a more private room, where they talk, not having seen each other since their falling out in the US over the reneged offer to buy Ameche's horse. Betty pretends to forgive Ameche and to warm up to his advances, then suddenly slaps his face and walks out, saying that's what she really came to Argentina to do. One would think that to be the end of their association, but actually it was just a new beginning. She really is attracted to him, but wanted first to get even for the disappointment he had caused her. I thought Betty and Ameche had good chemistry,as they would show again the following year in "Moon over Miami". Ameche is quite handsome and always immaculately dressed, and Betty wears a variety of beautiful outfits. To me, Betty looked and acted like a blond, blue-eyed, singing-dancing version of Olivia DeHaviland. Both had great appeal. Ameche could sing tolerably well in solos and duets with Betty. Unlike most of the Fox musicals of the early '40s involving Betty, Alice Faye or Sonja Henje, the romance between the stars is put on sound footing relatively early, rather than doing a flip flop at the end.

The supporting cast was fine, and included some stars in themselves. Charlotte Greenwood, who would appear in quite a few of Fox's musicals over the next few years, serves as Betty's aunt, and is the featured singer-dancer in a number or two. She was famous for her sidewise high kick. Henry Stephenson made a very credible Argentenian aristocrat, as Ameche's father. Carrol Nash added some down-on-the-farm atmosphere to the mostly aristocratic banter. However, I would have preferred the originally cast Cesar Romero in place of Leonid Kinskey, as the sly gigolo. But, perhaps Cesar would have been too handsome and polished to resist. The Nicholas Brothers, who would appear again in the Fox musicals "Sun Valley Serenade" and "Orchestra Wives", were an added major attraction, with their unique acrobatic dance routines. Several other singing and dancing groups were also featured, taking more of the load off the stars. One, consisting of 6 men and a girl, had the cute name of The Six Hits and a Miss.

The commentary by Sylvia Stoddard and the bio of Betty on my DVD are quite worthwhile. According to the commentary, although Fox was pressured by FDR to make some Latin American-oriented feature films, as part of his effort to keep these countries from joining the Axis in the developing WWII, the effort backfired. The Argentinians were offended by the Hollywood inaccuracies in their Spanish accents and portrayal of the details of the Argentine aristocracy. They also didn't like the inclusion of Carmen, a Brazilian, in a film supposedly set mostly in Argentina. Thus, as in the case of "The King and I", which offended Thais in the portrayal of their past king, the film was banned in the country it was supposed to bring to the American public.

The film that made Grable a star

[hotangen · 7/10 · 21 February 2015]

According to the excellent documentary on Grable included on the DVD, she had been making films since 1929, and this one, made when she was 24, made her a star. For the next 10 plus years she topped popularity polls as she sang and danced in Fox technicolor musicals. Her looks and pizazz in this film reminded me of Lana Turner, before she too became a mega star. Betty is adorable. Women liked her and men said, "I want to marry a girl just like the girl that married Harry James." The boys in khaki didn't say that about Lana when she married Artie Shaw.

Betty was primarily a dancer and her specialty number in the last few minutes, wearing an "Argentine" ruffled costume and shaking her shoulders with a bit of oomph at the close, showed her wow power. Down Argentine Way is a sure cure for the blues. Betty, as well as that dynamic dancing duo, the Nicholas Brothers, are guaranteed to banish drooping spirits and put a smile on your face.

Surprisingly flat Grable vehicle

[Bogar-3 · 5/10 · 27 June 1999]

I thought this film, Betty Grable's first big star part, was surprisingly flat, probably because there wasn't enough tension between her and Don Ameche before the inevitable happy ending. Betty looks great in a couple of her costumes but it's clear that no one realized her talents as a comedienne yet and so she doesn't get to act out as she would in subsequent films. If you want to see Grable and Ameche together, go with "Moon Over Miami" first. Also, it's Carmen Miranda's first U.S. picture, but she just performs two songs and doesn't interact with any of the other stars. Her hat isn't even very big!

Fun fun fun!

[nettematthews · 8/10 · 10 October 2022]

This is a little know movie but fortunately TCM plays it on occasion. Light and fluffy plot and loads of talent. Don Ameche is charming and handsome. Betty Grable cute as a bug! I always enjoy seeing Charlotte Greenwood in a movie. Even the horses are beautiful!!! Worth watching just to see Carmen Miranda sing and dance she was so entertaining. Additionally the Nicholas Brothers perform an amazing dance in the night club floor show. If you have not seen them make a point to watch just for their unique style and athleticism. This movie entices me to visit Argentina for the beauty and night life but it may be from a time gone by. That's why I live watching older movies. I can dream can't I? Watch it you won't be disappointed!

it's okay. nothing too spectacular

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 18 December 2021]

The Quintana family (Don Ameche and "Dad"... Henry Stephenson) are shipping horses to be raced and perhaps sold afterward. But for some reason, they must not be sold to the Crawfords (Betty Grable, Charlotte Greenwood). When Glenda (Grable) finds this out, she's all fired up angry. And follows the Quintanas back to Argentine. For some reason. We don't know why Grampa is so mad at the Crawfords, but he keeps throwing them off his property, and they keep acting surprised when it happens. They must be saving the explanation for the grand finale. The always talented and energetic Carmen Miranda does a couple of fun numbers. Although she was born in Portugal, and moved to Brazil. Not Argentine. Anyway. Film directed by Irv Cummings. The picture was nominated for three oscars. It's okay. So much singing. Betty Grable, Don Ameche, and Charlotte Greenwood would meet again, making Moon Over Miami.

Down Argentina Way -Horse Forioso But Film So-So**

[edwagreen · 5/10 · 14 January 2009]

The singing and dancing are great. The plot is weak here with Argentinian, Don Ameche, with an authentic Spanish accent, romances Bette Grable. For some foolish reason, Ameche's father, an engaging Henry Stephenson, has it in for the Crawford family for an incident that took place long ago between him and Grable's father.

Charlotte Greenwood portrays Grable's aunt to perfection. The only thing she will admit to is being 31. She really kicks up her heels as does the rest of the cast.

Carmen Miranda portrays herself briefly in two dancing scenes. We can really say that she is wasted here.

There is another gem of a performance by J. Carrol Naish, as a Spanish worker for Stephenson.

They Don't Dance Like Carmen No More

[Chip-24 · 7/10 · 20 June 1999]

The plot is slight- but it doesn't really matter. Don Ameche is charming, the songs, for the most part, are fun, and Carmen Miranda steals the film from Betty Grable. Certainly a lesser musical- but fun for fans of the genre.

The colour and music captivates. The romance? Not quite so much

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 12 January 2017]

'Down Argentine Way' is notable for being the American debut of Carmen Miranda and the film that made Betty Grable a star. This said, while the casting seemed unlikely initially (for example Alice Faye was intended for the character played by Betty Grable), they mostly come off well and 'Down Argentine Way' manages to entertain enormously.

Sure, while there is so much to enjoy for many it is also to see why others won't connect with it. One says that one shouldn't see a musical for its story, which in a way can be seen as true seeing as even in the classic musicals the story tended to be not as good as the rest of the respective films. Here though the story is thin on the ground, feeling stretched and has its implausible stretches.

The romance between Don Ameche and Betty Grable has many moments of endearing charm, but that Grable replaced an indisposed Alice Faye due to illness makes the chemistry not quite as natural as it could have been. This may have been that Ameche and Faye had worked together a few times before and Grable was in her film debut, so didn't know Ameche as well.

Harry Stephenson on paper couldn't have been a more unlikely and dubious choice for his role and in the final product is for me quite badly miscast. He is not being remotely believable as a Argentinian, which did to me took away hugely from the rest of his performance, with an accent that is phoney at best and comes and goes quicker than one can down a can of fizzy drinks.

On the other hand, 'Down Argentine Way' looks great, with gorgeous use of colour and lavish production design. The songs are lively and infectious, no standards but it's the quality of the music itself and the way it's used that matters more and 'Down Argentine Way' succeeds in those areas.

'Down Argentine Way's' script crackles with wit, energy and charm and the film is rarely dull due to so much being so good. Ameche is as ever suave and charming and Grable's beguiling performance deservedly made her a star.

With the exception of Stephenson the supporting cast work very well. Miranda is not in the film much and her scenes don't necessarily add much to the story and narratively may feel like padding, but she is absolute dynamite in her American debut and her two songs are two of the film's most catchy. J. Carroll Naish is amusing, the Nicholas Brothers dazzle with their athletic dancing and Leonid Kinsky succeeds in making buffoonery not annoying, but the best supporting turn comes from a note-perfect Charlotte Greenwood.

In summary, not great but hugely entertaining, foibles and all. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Down Argentine Why? ...

[writers_reign · 7/10 · 15 March 2009]

... when it could just as soon have been called Down Upper Sandusky Way in terms of plot. What it was, of course, was at once a morale booster and a nod to its South American neighbours from the movie capital of North America if not the world. This was Carmen Miranda's first appearance outside the Latin American market and as such she has absolutely nothing to do with anything even faintly resembling a plot. C.Aubrey Smith lookalike Henry Stephenson is about as convincing as a South American horse-breeder as Michael Jackson would be as a gaucho but if things like this bother you then you're missing the point. Charlotte Greenwood weighs in with her trademark high kicks and there are more of the same from the Nicholas Brothers; leads Don Ameche and Betty Grable exhibit as much chemistry as an empty petri dish but score individually whilst Mack Gordon and Harry Warren turned in a score that was just about up to snuff. All in all a pleasant enough crowd-pleaser.

introducing Carmen Miranda

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 7 November 2022]

Ricardo Quintana (Don Ameche) is the son of a successful racehorse owner in Argentina. His father is sending their horses on a tour of New York when he gets a telegram from Binnie Crawford. She wants to buy his horses and he grows angry. He pulls the horses off the ship, but Ricardo is able to get him to reconsider. Ricardo promises his father to never sell the horses to that woman. Glenda Crawford (Betty Grable) is excited for Ricardo's winning horse and buys her. He's smitten, but then he finds out that she's Binnie's niece.

The main story and the main characters are almost secondary in importance. This introduced Carmen Miranda to most Americans. The movie has plenty of traditional South American song and dance. That's its main strength. There's nothing wrong with Ameche and Grable. They are a fine pairing.

Grable, Miranda, Nicholas Bros. Technicolor, this film has it all!

[Fasman · 10/10 · 30 November 1999]

Of its genre, one of the greatest musicals ever. Betty makes male hearts swoon (and that's not all)! Any questions as to why she was number one with our boys overseas? Carmen is a firecracker and the Nicholas Brothers have never been duplicated. This film was much more about the players than the meat of the film. Meat-wise just a bunch of fluff, but performance-wise and production-wise, excellent!

Down Argentine Way is quite memorable for the star-making turns of Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda

[tavm · 7/10 · 20 April 2021]

Having heard about this iconic movie for years, I finally watched this just now with Mom. We both enjoyed the music numbers and many of the acting performances though the story was pretty silly for what it was. Still, it made Betty Grable a star after years of struggling in the movies starting from when a teen perhaps because of her stunning beauty as well as her adequate singing and dancing skills. Don Ameche made a fine leading man, Charlotte Greenwood and Leonid Kinskey were amusing for support, and the Nicholas Brothers tap dances up a storm during their numbers. But perhaps the highlight of the movie was Carmen Miranda, here in her American film debut, due to her costumes, her dances, and especially her fast-singing patter in her native language. It made her quite a force in her period she was working for 20th Century-Fox during this time, that's for sure! So on that note, Down Argentine Way is slight entertainment made memorable by Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda.

I DONT KNOW WHY I LIKE IT

[sswren1 · 5/10 · 1 February 2023]

I've watched and rewatched this movie maybe ten to fifteen times and most recently just prior to writing this review on Feb 2023.

I like Don Ameche. He'd have made a great Zorro.

His clothes make me wish I'd lived in that era but I'd need to have been a wealthy actor or a character in a musical. Still he looks terrific.

I always thought Betty Grable was over rated. She was my least favourite leading lady. Beautiful but not sexy. Funny that. Two different things. Grace Kelly was too. So is Nicole Kidman. Grable's clothes are amazing and the technicolor is superb. I love the feel but the theme song with the "tsk tsk tsk tsk" is the worst most annoying number in all of musicaldom.

The choreography is abysmal especially Greenwood's spots and there's something unsettling about her trademark high kicks.

The Nicholas Brothers save the day.

I'll watch it again.

I hate musicals....but somehow I liked this!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 19 January 2009]

Although as of today I have reviewed more films on IMDb, very, very few of them have been musicals. It just happens to be a genre that I don't particularly like, though I am not saying they are bad movies--it just isn't my favorite type of film. Sure, I have a few exceptions, but by and large, I am NOT a musical fan. Because of this, that makes my giving DOWN ARGENTINE WAY very special indeed for me to give it an 8--almost a 9. There is just so much energy and so much to love with this film I couldn't help myself.

First, before jumping into the review, you've gotta admit that the casting in the film is very strange! If you read on IMDb about it, you will learn that some other actors (including some Hispanics) were originally scheduled to be in this production but odd things kept happening to force them to pick other actors. While much of the film is set in Argentina, Don Ameche and Henry Stephenson are cast as Argentinians!! While Ameche is able to do a credible accent and they very effectively dubbed someone else singing his songs in Spanish, Stephenson doesn't exactly look South American. Sure, there are plenty of light-skinned folks down there, but his accent came and went like the wind!! Often he forgot it entirely. Now some of the other actors did a better job, such as J. Carroll Naish--who always had a knack for playing almost any ethnicity. Russian-born Leonid Kinskey also did a credible job. Also, while she came by her accent quite naturally, why did they put a Brazilian (Carmen Miranda) in the film? Argentina is NOT the same as Brazil and the languages are very, very different. Now I am not complaining about her amazing singing--just how odd it was to see her in a movie set in a Hispanic nation.

As for the singing, I didn't mind the songs because some were especially nice. Carmen Miranda's two songs were catchy and cool (especially "Mamãe Eu Quero"), the Nicholas Brothers' dancing was amazing (though in one, they were singing in another language that I assume was dubbed) and the songs with Ameche and co-star Betty Grable were very nice as well.

The plot involves Don coming to America and almost selling a prize horse to Grable. However, when he learns that she is the daughter of a man who his own father hates, he calls off the deal and heads back home. He really wanted to sell it to her--after all, she's one hot tomato (that's "pretty" in 1940s lingo), but it's a point of honor and he must obey his father. However, Betty isn't to be ignored and travels to Argentina with her older and very hot-blooded aunt (who is awfully funny and does some amazing dancing at the end). Naturally, Betty and Don fall in love, but the father is still standing in their way to happiness. What ever will they do?! The film gets high marks for excellence all around. What I particularly liked is what Leonard Maltin described as the "picture postcard" look of the film. The Technicolor is wonderful and the set designers outdid themselves to introduce lots of great complementary colors (including a lot of pastels) to make the picture practically pop off the screen.

Song And Dance Vehicle

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 13 August 2023]

This Technicolor musical signals the beginning of Betty Grable's reign as a top box office star. She is soon to become the pin-up girl of preference, also, after the U. S. enters the war. Her partner in this entertaining film is the versatile Don Ameche. And Carmen Miranda appears in her first Hollywood production.

The story begins with Ricardo Quintana (Ameche) coming to the states for the Tuxedo Horse Show, where he hopes to sell some quality horses. When Glenda Crawford (Grable) sees one of his horses performing, she must have it. They agree, in principle, to a deal, but Richardo backs out when he realizes who she is related to. He has nothing against her (in fact, he falls in love instantly), but there are complications.

Later, she goes to Argentina, where there is a mistaken identity and a long sequence spent in nightclubs, enjoying the Latin dances, the colorful Carmen Miranda, and the fast-twitch terpsichore of the athletic Nicholas Brothers.

This is 1.5 hours of escapism and flash spent with two affable characters, though Glenda is once described as a "beautiful brat".

Memorable for its pep...and Carmen Miranda!

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 21 January 2009]

Wealthy horse ranchers in Buenos Aires have a long-standing no-trading policy with the Crawford's of Manhattan, but what happens when the mustachioed Latin son falls for a certain Crawford with bright eyes, blonde hair, and some perky moves on the dance floor? 20th Century-Fox musical has a glossy veneer yet seems tatty around the edges. It's very heavy on dancing over story--frenetic, gymnastics-like dancing. Betty Grable (an 11th hour replacement for Alice Faye) gives it a boost, even though she's paired with leaden Don Ameche (in tan makeup and slick hair). Also good: Charlotte Greenwood as Betty's pithy aunt. There's also a funny limousine driver who's constantly asleep on the job and Carmen Miranda playing herself (what else?). The stock shots of Argentina far outclass the action filmed on the Fox lot, and some of the supporting performances are quite awful. By the time of the big horserace finale, most viewers will have had enough. Three Oscar nominations: Leon Shamroy and Ray Rennahan for their color cinematography, Richard Day and Joseph C. Wright for their art direction, and for the title song composed by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. *1/2 from ****

Lots of music to cover up thin romance between Grable and Ameche...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 23 November 2011]

This is the film that launched Betty Grable into stardom at Fox when Alice Faye had to bow out due to pregnancy. Betty makes the most of her chance to show off her famous legs, warble a couple of tunes and shake her hips to some Latin music. Don Ameche is her lucky co-star and for good measure Fox introduced Carmen Miranda to American audiences for a couple of song numbers filmed elsewhere while she was doing nightclub work in New York. Miranda has no interaction with the players in what little plot there is.

Henry Stephenson is on hand with a Spanish accent, but it's Leonid Kinskey who steals the show as a guide/gigolo who takes Betty on a nightclub tour while she's under the impression he's an embassy worker. Charlotte Greenwood gets her high kicking routine into the act by the finale and everyone is happy that rival families have straightened out their feud over some nonsense about a horse race.

It's the racing aspects of the story that bored me--too much time at the track. But the songs are plentiful (if not terribly memorable), the color is bright, the smooth teaming of Ameche and Grable is pleasant to watch, and for all practical purposes the whole silly thing works as fluffy entertainment--bubble gum for the mind.