Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

TheLittleSongbird '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

jakob13 We're in December 2015 in the US, a country beset by a terrorist attack in San Bernadino, California, by racial outbursts, and by a political system that seems tired and about to expire, and by never ending wars. So in this moment of darkness bordering on despair, what better respite there is than seeing a film 75 years old, from a US a year away from world war, exhibiting a joy of life that today seems as far away as the dawn of time. And what a spectacular opening: Carmen Miranda burst onto to the screen sing 'Down Argentine Way', with the hypnotic curves of a supple body, a bare midriff, and green flashing eyes, in her first film in a Hollywood production. With the advances of Nazi troops in Europe and North Africa, America looked to its backyard, with worry. Although Washington ruled its neighbors to the South firmly invoking the Monroe Doctrine, the appeal of Hitler's Germany had found admirers in Argentina, Brazil and Chile and other capitals. So FDR launched the 'Good Neighbor Policy', to blunt any stray from America's embrace. In consequent,Hollywood obliged. It was a time when songs in Spanish, with lyrics in English became the rage as did the rumba and bolero and the Congra found great popularity. 'Down Argentine Way's story is silly, but, oh, lifted by the tap dancing of the Nicholas Brothers, the raffish Don Ameche with his bedroom eyes, speaking in a false Spanish accent, and his pleasing baritone voice, the vivacious Betty Grable singing and dancing in a costume that has the cut of the Brazilian bombshell Miranda without the tutti frutti headpiece, bracelets and other silliness of dress. And then there's the wry humor and long legs of Charlotte Greenwood. The film's a typical boy meets girl set up, with love conquering all in the end. And yet, in spite of the talent of Ameche and Grable, it is the magical perfume and spirit of Miranda that wafts throughout the film. And the blithe spirit of song and dance makes you not wince painfully at the stereotypical mugging of J. Carroll Nash and the condescension of Henry Stephenson or the buffoonery of Leonid Kinsky. It is in trying times as these, a sprinkling of fluff is very welcome as a reminder that reality is not as dire as it seems.

mark.waltz As America headed towards the traumas of World War II, Hollywood entertainment (as well as Broadway) became obsessed with all things Spanish. Here, there's only a little bit of Carmen Miranda (basically a specialty act playing herself), and a lot of Don Ameche and Betty Grable as the lovers who meet and fall in love as a result of a sale of a racehorse. Grable rose to "A" status to eclipse Alice Faye as 20th Century Fox's leading musical star, and her likability is exceeded only by her enormous talents as a singer and dancer. In the 1940's, only Rita Hayworth would surpass her as looking so good in Technicolor. Charlotte Greenwood is around to give her traditional high kicks (which she would continue to do into the mid 1950's as "Oklahoma's" Aunt Eller) and J. Carrol Naish provides some memorable comic relief.The color photography is sumptuous and every detail of this film is exquisite, from the sets and costumes, to the choreography and pacing. Miranda repeats the song "South America Way" which she had introduced earlier on Broadway, and later gets to perform "Mamãe Yo Quero" which has been burlesqued by many, from Mickey Rooney in "Babes on Broadway" to Jerry Lewis in "Scared Stiff" (Miranda's last film). Even Woody Allen got into the spoofing of this song, utilizing Miranda's popular recording to add some period detail to the wonderful "Radio Days". Grable is a definite dream in the wonderful title song and gets a sweet duet with Ameche. When Greenwood finally gets to show what she's made of with "Sing to Your Senorita", the price of admission has been paid, and the pleasure is doubled. Director Irving Cummings takes great detail in taking a typical romantic story to higher levels and the obvious box- office appeal is truly apparent.

Bogar-3 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!