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| Dick Haymes and Vera-Ellen |
Luisa Molina (Vera-Ellen), daughter of Costa Rican Rico (J. Carrol Naish) and American Elsa (Anne Revere), is told that she is to have an arranged marriage to Pepe Castro (Cesar Romero). For his part Pepe is already in love with the brash Celeste (Celeste Holm), and pretends to Luisa and her parents that he is too sickly to dance, sightsee or do much else that she might enjoy, hoping they will cancel the engagement. While Luisa is contemplating this possible union with a low-energy, half-dead spouse, she meets Jeff Stephens (Dick Haymes), who practically sweeps her off her feet during Carnival. Neither Luisa's or Pepe's parents have a clue to what is going on as everyone tries to do the right thing -- but what is it?
Carnival in Costa Rica is, as the title implies, very colorful and full of music, including a few fairly insipid if inoffensive songs by Levanna and Ruby. There isn't much plot beyond what is described in the paragraph above, so the movie sinks or swims on its musical numbers, which are at least energetic if not terribly inspired, and its performances. Everyone in the cast is more than adequate, but I especially enjoyed Anne Revere, sophisticated and stylish as the mother; Romero, who is as charming as ever; and of course the ever-delightful Fritz Feld as a hotel manager who has an amusing scene with the two fathers in question. Dick Haymes' is fine as an actor, and when he opens his mouth out comes one of the smoothest and most attractive voices in popular music. He knows how to put over a song, too (if only the songs had been a bit better). Little red-headed Tommy Ivo plays Luisa's sister even if he doesn't look much like a Costa Rican. Vera-Ellen's dancing is swell, but this could have used an Astaire or Kelly. 
Celeste Holm and Cesar Romero
Verdict: A pleasant and perfectly forgettable musical comedy without enough comedy. **1/4.
2 comments:
Never heard of this but looks delightful. Great cast. Maybe I have shied away from it because I am not a fan of Vera-Ellen. I read that she never did her own singing and it always put me off her; and she never did much else other than light musicals. (At least Hayworth was a good dramatic actress as well as amazing dancer... )
-C
I confess Vera-Ellen is a bit of a chipmunk in my estimation. Cute, not especially sexy, kind of bland, not untalented but not that great. Her main strength is her dancing but she works best with a partner.
Sadly, her personal life was beset with problems: anorexia; death of a baby; arthritis; dead of cancer at 60. And musicals were a dying art form.
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