Singin' and Dancing Back in Time.: Holiday in Mexico(1946).

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Holiday in Mexico(1946).

Holiday in Mexico(1946). Directed by George Sidney. Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell, Roddey Mc Dowell and Ilona Massey.

The story begins when, Christine Evans, a fifteen year old girl who can not wait to live the the sophisticated life of foreign diplomat living in Mexico. Christine believes it is her job to organize her widower father's social life and takes over the planning of a big garden party he will be hosting.

Her friend Stanley Owen, the son of the British ambassador to Mexico, is wondering why there is sudden change in Christine's behavior. Wanting the the party to be a great success, Christine visits the nightclub where orchestra leader Xavier Cugat, is performing and asks him if he would perform at her father's party? Cugat accepts Christine's invitation, but tells her that his singer Toni, does not sing at private functions. Not knowing that Toni and her father were once in love, Christine goes over to the singer's home and begs her to sing at the party. Toni, only agrees when she realizes that the party will be hosted by Jeffrey.

Later, Christine and Stanley visit pianist Jose Iturbi, who is rehearsing his new show, to invite him to perform at the party. Jose, mistakes Christine for one of the many singers who come to audition for him and has her sing a song. Jose loves her singing and immediately offers her a place in his next concert. Christine then explains her real reason for visiting Jose, who is disappointed agrees to perform at the party.

Before the party, Jeffrey goes to visit Toni and the two reminisce about their past romance. Jeffrey and Toni rekindle their romance and Christine becomes jealous.

Soon after, Christine accepts the starring role in Jose's show, but things become complicated when she mistakes his interest in her singing as a romantic interest. Stanley, becomes jealous and tells Jeffrey that Christine has fallen in love with Jose.

Jeffrey at first, believes that Stanley is acting out of jealousy, but.. it is not long before he too, is also concerned about his daughter's relationship with Jose. Jeffrey asks Christine's friend Yvette Baranga, some hypothetical questions about what she thought about girlhood crushes on older men. Yvette, who has a crush on him, now thinks he is romantically interested in her. Could things become more complicated?

How will these two older men let these two young girls down without embarrassing them?

What a wonderful performance by Jane Powell. MGM knew how to create a star and they really pulled out all the stops in this fluffy "coming of age" film. The musical selections were wonderful throughout he film. Holiday in Mexico, has made me a lifelong fan of Jane Powell.

Fun Fact:

One of two films in which a young Fidel Castro appears as an extra, mostly in crowd scenes. The other film was a Esther Williams film, Bathing Beauty(1944).

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Bob Fosse

Was a musical theater choreographer and director, screenwriter and film director. He won an eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction. He was nominated for an Academy Award four times, winning for his direction of Cabaret. He was identified with his third wife, Gwen Verdon. She was both the dancer/collaborator who he choreographed much of his work and, together with dancer/choreographer Ann Reinking, a guardian of the Fosse legacy after his death. Fosse is considered to be one the most influential coreographers of the 20th Century.

Esther Williams.

JANE POWELL

After rising to fame as a singer in her home state of Oregon, Powell was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens. Once there, the studio utilized her vocal, dancing and acting talents, casting her in such musicals as Royal Wedding, with Fred Astaire, A Date with Judy, with friend Elizabeth Taylor and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, with Howard Keel. In the late 1950s, her film career slowed, only to be replaced with a busy theater and television career.Click picture to enter websight.

Jeanette MacDonald

Singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (Love Me Tonight, The Merry Widow) and Nelson Eddy (Naughty Marietta, Rose-Marie, and Maytime). During the 1930s and 1940s she starred in 29 feature films, four nominated for Best Picture Oscars (The Love Parade, One Hour With You, Naughty Marietta and San Francisco), and recorded extensively, earning three gold records. She later appeared in grand opera, concerts, radio, and television. MacDonald was one of most influential sopranos of the 20th century. Click picture to view fan website.

Joan Crawford.

Click picture to view website. Joan Crawford, born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre. Starting as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway, Crawford was signed to a motion picture contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925. Initially frustrated by the size and quality of her parts, Crawford began a campaign of self-publicity and became nationally known as a flapper by the end of the 1920s. In the 1930s, Crawford's fame rivaled MGM colleagues Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo. Crawford often played hardworking young women who find romance and financial success. These "rags-to-riches" stories were well-received by Depression-era audiences and were popular with women. Crawford became one of Hollywood's most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the United States, but her films began losing money and by the end of the 1930s

Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Richard Rodgers (1902 – 1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895 – 1960) the songwriting duo, on our musical page. They created many popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age. With Rodgers composing the music and Hammerstein writing the lyrics, five of their shows, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music. They won thirty-four Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and two Grammys. Click picture to read movie reviews.

Cab Calloway

Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the United States' most popular African American big bands from the start of the 1930s through the late 1940s. Calloway's band featured performers including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Leon "Chu" Berry, New Orleans guitar ace Danny Barker, and bassist Milt Hinton. Calloway continued to perform until his death in 1994 at the age of 86 .Click picture to view official website.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Holiday in Mexico(1946).

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