1h 53min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 29 July 1948
Director: Richard Thorpe
Stars: Wallace Beery, Jane Powell, Elizabeth Taylor, Carmen Miranda, Xavier Cugat, Robert Stack.
Stanley Donen ... dance director
Watched online; blurry print.
Soundtracks list 15+ performances (some songs are listed multiple times). 8 of them list JP as performer. No dancing is listed, but we have a choreographer.
18th of 20 films for CM. She does 1 more in color for MGM ('50), then a Martin&Lewis b/w for Paramount ('53). Here she plays a private dance instructor for the majority of the film, then performs as Cugat's singer at the party ending the film. She wears some flamboyant hats, but not her typical super-colorful Bahia-style costumes.
The film is centered on the teenagers JP & ET, who are overly dramatic because they're teens, which I find tiresome. This is moderately interesting to see ET transitioning from child actor to adult.
NO idea what SD choreographed: the rhumba steps of WB? The overall movement on the dance floor? CM's moves? Some dance routine that I missed?
MGM, dir. Thorpe; 6
Update 20Jun2020: bought a copy to enhance my collection of C.Miranda films. I didn't read the above until after watching, and I find it just as tedious with a clear print. Only the music performed is worthwhile, because JP sings so well, and even when toned down CM is watchable.
Update 20Jun2020: bought a copy to enhance my collection of C.Miranda films. I didn't read the above until after watching, and I find it just as tedious with a clear print. Only the music performed is worthwhile, because JP sings so well, and even when toned down CM is watchable.
