The Kissing Bandit (1948)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Laslo Benedek

Writers:

John Briard Harding (writer)
Isobel Lennart (writer)

Release Date:

January 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Western

Tagline:

HILARIOUS! EXCITING! ROMANTIC! (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

Ricardo, the milquetoast son of a Mexican bandit, would rather lead a quiet life in Boston. But the family would rather that he follow in his father's footsteps and become "The Kissing Bandit".

Plot Keywords:

Bandit | Governor | Old California | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Ricardo
Kathryn Grayson	...	Teresa
J. Carrol Naish	...	Chico
Mildred Natwick	...	Isabella
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Don Jose
Billy Gilbert	...	General Felipe Toro
Sono Osato	...	Bianca
Clinton Sundberg	...	Colonel Gomez
Carleton G. Young	...	Count Ricardo Belmonte
Ricardo Montalban	...	Fiesta Specialty Dancer
Ann Miller	...	Fiesta Specialty Dancer
Cyd Charisse	...	Fiesta Specialty Dancer
Edna Skinner	...	Juanita
Vicente Gómez	...	Mexican Guitarist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carlos Albert	...	Footman (uncredited)
Nana Bryant	...	Nun (uncredited)
Joe Dominguez	...	Francisco (uncredited)
Sally Forrest	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Grandee (uncredited)
Captain Garcia	...	Coachman (uncredited)
Norma Gentner	...	Convent Girl (uncredited)
Fred Gilman	...	Pedro (uncredited)
Ginny Jackson	...	Convent Girl (uncredited)
Michael Kostrick	...	Juan (uncredited)
Mitchell Lewis	...	Fernando (uncredited)
Gerö Mály	...	Advisor (uncredited)
Jack Manolas	...	Grandee (uncredited)
Margaret Martin	...	Rosita (uncredited)
Henry Mirelez	...	Pepito, 8 Years Old (uncredited)
Alex Montoya	...	Bandit (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Lotso (uncredited)
Leo Mostovoy	...	Advisor (uncredited)
Carl Pitti	...	Whip Expert (uncredited)
Pedro Regas	...	Esteban (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway	...	Guest (uncredited)
Julian Rivero	...	Postman (uncredited)
Nick Thompson	...	Pablo (uncredited)
Candy Toxton	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Advisor (uncredited)

Directed by
Laslo Benedek

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Briard Harding		writer
Isobel Lennart		writer

Produced by
Joe Pasternak	....	producer

Cinematography by
Robert Surtees

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Art Direction by
Randall Duell
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Jack D. Moore
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	makeup artist
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Sergei Petschnikoff	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marvin Stuart	....	assistant director
Carl 'Major' Roup	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wilhelm W. Brockway	....	sound recordist (as Wilhelm Brockway)
Douglas Shearer	....	sound

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects

Stunts
Ben Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Hunter	....	grip (uncredited)
Al Lane	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Frank Shugrue	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
George Stoll	....	musical director
Leo Arnaud	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
Leo Arnaud	....	music arranger (uncredited)
George Bradley	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
Earl K. Brent	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Calvin Jackson	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
André Previn	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Albert Sendrey	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
George Stoll	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
Robert Van Eps	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Stanley Donen	....	choreographer
Henri Jaffa	....	associate technicolor color director
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director (uncredited)
Florence Swan	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #12671) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Movie Connections:

Featured in "MGM: When the Lion Roars" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Love is Where You Find It

Sinatra finally gets Grayson

The Kissing Bandit was the third and final film that Frank Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson co-starred at MGM with. The first two were Anchors Aweigh and It Happened in Brooklyn. And in both Sinatra wooed and lost Grayson. I guess the third time's the charm.

For romance maybe, but definitely not for screen image. Sinatra in his forty's films once again plays the nice little schnook only this time in toreador pants. Poaching on Tyrone Power's territory laid out in The Mark of Zorro, Sinatra plays the son of a man who was a hotel owner by day and The Kissing Bandit by night. He's gone and left California for an education and has come back ready to take Dad's place, but in the hotel business only. And where does he learn the hotel business, Boston.

Of course some of Dad's former gang members, grown a little old and paunchy led by J. Carrol Naish, want him to lead the gang again. But Frank's just not cut out for the outlaw life. But he does make a good impression on the Governor's daughter, Kathryn Grayson.

Somebody must have had it in for Sinatra at MGM to cast him in this after the bad reviews he got in Miracle of the Bells. Frank's in a part that was more suitable for Red Skelton. But since this was a musical, I guess the brain trust at MGM figured Kathryn Grayson had to have a singing co-star.

In fact the best number in the film are for her, Love Is Where You Find It. Also Ricardo Montalban, Ann miller, and Cyd Charisse do a dance specialty that is nice. Frank's songs are nice, but nothing spectacular.

In later years, Sinatra would wince at the mention of The Kissing Bandit and with good reason.