Down Argentine Way (1940)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Irving Cummings

Writers:

Rian James (story)
Ralph Spence (story)

Release Date:

11 October 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Musical | Drama

Plot:

American girl (Grable) on vacation in Argentina falls for wealthy racehorse owner (Ameche). Lots of scenery and musical entertainment...

Plot Keywords:

Argentina | New York City | Male Female Relationship | Love | Racing

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Don Ameche	...	Ricardo Quintana
Betty Grable	...	Glenda Crawford, aka Glenda Cunningham
Carmen Miranda	...	Herself, Carmen Miranda
Charlotte Greenwood	...	Binnie Crawford
J. Carrol Naish	...	Casiano
Henry Stephenson	...	Don Diego Quintana
Kay Aldridge	...	Helen Carson (as Katharine Aldridge)
Leonid Kinskey	...	Tito Acuna
Chris-Pin Martin	...	Esteban
Robert Conway	...	Jimmy Blake
Gregory Gaye	...	Sebastian, the Headwaiter
Bobby Stone	...	Panchito
Charles Judels	...	Dr. Arturo Padilla, the Ambassador
Fayard Nicholas	...	Specialty Dancer (as The Nicholas Brothers)
Harold Nicholas	...	Specialty Dancer (as The Nicholas Brothers)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #6471)

Filming Locations:

Argentina

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Alice Faye was set to play the role of Glenda, but she fell ill with appendicitis and was replaced by Betty Grable. Although Miss Grable was making films for 10 years, this was the role that made her a star. Cesar Romero contracted para-typhoid and was replaced by Leonid Kinskey.

Quotes:

Glenda Crawford, aka Glenda Cunningham: Excuse me, I've got to go see a man about a horse.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Dancing! (1985)

Soundtrack:

Bambu Bambu

I have to see a man about a horse!

Irving Cummings takes on a fun tour to Argentina. This is a happy musical that defies all logic as the writers Rian James and Ralph Spence appear to be telling us we're in Argentina, but taking us to Havana, by way of Rio de Janeiro. Talk about a confusion of styles!

Once the viewer gets over the jet lag caused by the disorientation, we are introduced to the Crawford girls, Glenda and Binnie and the Quintana boys, Don Diego and Ricardo. Both these families have grown apart by something that happened long ago in Paris, when Glenda's father stole Don Diego's girlfriend. They're horse people and we are shown the Argentine estancia that looks more like a Mexican hacienda, but we go along for the ride. There's even a fiesta in the town where Binnie makes a splash dancing and being admired by the locals. There are the inevitable night club hopping scene where Carmen Miranda and the Nicholas Brothers are headlining. We see everyone dancing the craze of those years, a Cuban rhumba!

Talk about a melange of styles!

The costume designer Travis Burton dresses Ms. Grable and Ms. Greenwood in creations that might have been popular back home, but no sophisticated Argentine women would have been caught wearing them. Otherwise how can Mr. Burton show Betty Grable in that "American Flag" shmatte? How about the typical Cuban rhumba dancer dress at the end?

The musical numbers are fine, but hello?, aren't we in Buenos Aires, a mild interpretation of a tango wouldn't have been out of place! Someone commented on Carmen Miranda's dancing, but in her two numbers she only shakes her hips and that's the extent of what she does. The amazing Nicholas Brothers fare better because they were the best in the business.

Betty Grable and Don Ameche are fine playing with the material they were given. Charlotte Greenwood, Henry Stephenson, Leonard Kinskey and J. Carroll Naish seem to have a great deal of fun with their characters. As a curiosity, we get a glimpse of Elena Verdugo, who later became famous for her television work, just for a moment.

The film is entertaining once we realize we have been taken for a mindless ride down the Argentine way.