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.
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