MartinHafer
Frances Elliott (Ann Sothern) is an established stage star and her daughter, Nancy (Jane Powell) is an aspiring actress. However, some potential hurt feelings might be in store for them, as Frances assumes that the lead in an upcoming play will be hers...but the producer and author see someone much younger....and want Nancy instead. Could this get any worse? Well, later it appears that they are vying for the same man (Barry Sullivan)!Despite the plot sounding a bit scandalous, it really isn't. In fact, it's just a nice old fashioned musical and makes for decent viewing. Far from a must see but enjoyable. My only reservation is for someone who has a fear of clowns...they should NOT watch the picture as some mega-creepy clowns do a song and dance number with Carmen Miranda near the end...and it will most likely unnerve you.
weezeralfalfa
First: the minuses. Yes, major features of the screenplay are outrageously contrived. For example, a Brazilian director coming to NYC to personally see singer-actress Frances Barklay(Ann Southern), then immediately noting that she's far older than what he had in mind(about 18), and presumably forgetting that she knows no Portuguese. The origin of the mix up about what was Nancy's(Jane Powell) secret problem is also very contrived. As was true of any number of Hollywood films of this era supposedly taking place in Argentina or Brazil, aside from a few shots of the actual city, minimal effort is made to convince the audience that the screen play actually takes place there. Clearly, it wasn't! Secondly, the interest of the film rests almost entirely on the 3 lead women, which includes Carmen Miranda, in her second inclusion in a Jane film. Scotty Beckett, as Jane's boyfriend, lacked any hint of charisma. Jane seems miles ahead of him in maturity. No wonder Nancy(Jane) was immediately smitten by the mature single Paul Berten(Barry Sullivan), who befriended her while in transit to Brazil. Barry impressed me as a B or C version of Errol Flynn, complete with Flynn's mustache. He mostly lacked Flynn's aggressive charm, sense of self importance, and comedic talent, thus seems rather bland. If the real Flynn had been in his place, this film probably would have been considered a classic musical comedy, especially with Flynn's reputation for seducing teenagers.! Frank Fontaine(who later gained fame on the TV Jackie Gleason show, as Crazy Guggenheim), was mostly an irritant: trying to pick up Nancy on the ship, picking a fight with Sullivan and, later, drunk, trying to take an impromptu part in Carmen's floor show. The only fairly interesting male character was Louis Calhern, who plays Nancy's grandfather. He has an aristocratic demeanor that instills confidence in his ability to deal with women's needs. He participates in a rather fun informal song and dance with Anne and June to the standard "Shine On, Harvest Moon", and goes along on the trip to Brazil, apparently having nothing better to do. While unmarried, he's considered a lady's man, and does a bit of flirting with Carmen(who was usually limited in her film roles to flirting with middle-aged men) .The film ending is rather sudden and bizarre. After Sullivan tells Nancy that she overreacted to his chivalrous gestures on the ship to Rio, and that her mother is really a much more suitable mate for him, Nancy goes into a seeming tirade about how the two have played her for a fool. and disappears. Ann then tells Sullivan that this rather coherent scolding is part of her dialogue in the play she is studying for! In the next scene, Nancy is singing "Love is Like This", in the final stage production. Now, the positives: The mix up in what is Nancy's secret problem, and in Sullivan's romantic intentions toward Nancy, provide food for a comedic screenplay , after the gang gets to Brazil. As a few examples: when Nancy hears Francis practicing scenes for her play part, she realizes that these lines come from the part she is learning. Thus, when Francis and grandfather ask what play she will be in, she makes up a very confusing screen play to hide the fact that mother and daughter apparently think they will have the same part. Later, when everyone thinks Nancy's secrete is that she is pregnant by Sullivan, Sullivan shocks Francis by suggesting they get romantic, Nancy being too young for him, not realizing that he is the assumed father-to-be. Hilarious!The musical numbers range from spectacular to good to so so. Jane's excellent rendition of Porter's classic "Embraceable You" brings back memories of Judy Garland's rendition in "Girl Crazy". Jane's voice was also well suited to the "Musetta's Waltz" solo. But the duet by Ann and Jane to "Magic is the Moonlight" comes across as rather limp. The finale production is rather conventional, with Jane singing her heart out, interacting with a bevy of male dancers. Unfortunately, the song isn't really memorable. Carmen, in addition to occasionally participating in the screen play, has 2 production numbers. The first, with a cowboy theme, is rather ordinary. The second clearly is the show stopper of the film. Her striking multicolored skirt, giant silvery necklace, and tall headpiece of multicolored mini-umbrellas set the mood for a visually spectacular production, which later includes many dancers with umbrellas and some clowns: a memorable way to end her MGM period. Hard to believe she had only another 5 years to live before suffering a fatal heart attack while on live TV. Despite making a fortune, she had been depressed about her sagging film career and failed marriages, and had taken to drink and smoking, along with a killer live performances schedule. .. Former "Our Gang" member Scotty Beckett would die at an even younger age from substance abuse. Virtually none of the "Our Gang" players would have a really successful entertainment career as an adult.As MGM's answer to Universal's older Diana Durbin, Jane's most remembered roles were still ahead of her, in "Royal Wedding", with Fred Astaire, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", with Howard Keel, and "Hit the Deck", with Vic Damone and others. But various of her other films before and between these are also worth a look and listen.
JLRMovieReviews
Aspiring actress Jane Powell and mother and actress Ann Sothern find they're not only wanting the same play, but the same man in this musical comedy. Barry Sullivan is the man in question, who overhears Jane practicing her lines for a play, while sailing on a ship to Rio and is under the misapprehension that she is in the family way. So he proposes to her to keep her from being compromised. But when he sees her mother Ann Sothern, things get more complicated. I do agree with another reviewer that this is basically a pleasant little film, but for some reason, I had a problem with the storyline of his proposal and the love triangle. It all seemed a bit too ridiculous and frustrating to me. The highlights of the films really are the musical numbers, especially Carmen Miranda's. I really want to see this again, for two reasons, one to really give the film, on the whole, another shot, because the plot didn't seem to come off believable to me. (Maybe also, Barry Sullivan seemed too bland and not charming enough to make it believable that Jane Powell would fall for him. I don't know.) And, two, to see again the wonderful musical numbers. For what it is, it's enjoyable. But it's no Top Hat. Costarring Louis Calhern, this trip to Rio at least makes you forget your own problems and shows Carmen Miranda at her best!
Neil Doyle
Sidney Sheldon wrote the screenplay based on an earlier film that starred Deanna Durbin, but this time tedium sets in rather early. In short, it's an uninspired remake designed to bring bubbly JANE POWELL, ANN SOTHERN, CARMEN MIRANDA, BARRY SULLIVAN and LOUIS CALHERN together for what is supposed to be a light-hearted romp.For a musical, there is too long a gap between dialog and songs and none of the songs are especially memorable. The sets are opulent, the costumes are tastefully designed with no expense spared on wardrobe, and the color is splendid. But the story is the one about a mother and daughter actress team who are both in love with the same man, unknown to each other, until the plot complications are straightened out.Whatever sparkle there was to the original B&W film has been dampened by a dull script, slow-paced direction and some coy performances from Sothern and Powell. Powell postures as a would-be actress but her artificial poses are contrived and obvious which makes Sullivan suspecting that she's a girl "in trouble" (when she's really rehearsing a part) seem a strain on credibility.Both Sothern and Powell are given the usual MGM glossy close-up treatment, but the silly plot defeats everyone.Rio is strictly a fabrication on an MGM sound stage. Only CARMEN MIRANDA's lively musical contributions make watching this worthwhile. That, and a nice, understated, low-key performance from the always reliable BARRY SULLIVAN saves the comic moments from being downright foolish.
