Down Argentine Way **** (1940, Don Ameche, Betty Grable, Carmen Miranda, Charlotte Greenwood, J Carrol Naish, Henry Stephenson, Nicholas Brothers) – Classic Movie Review 8561

Director Irving Cummings’s exuberant 1940 Latin American Technicolor musical Down Argentine Way is as light as air and twice as bracing. Above all, it is fun. With the world at war and audiences looking for escapism in the movies, it came at the right time, starting Grable’s run of hits and introducing the supremely camp and exotic Carmen Miranda to the American screen (after six Brazilian movies).

The refreshing plot about Glenda Crawford (Grable) falling for rich horse racer Ricardo Quintana (Don Ameche) while holidaying in Argentina offers a myriad of opportunities for tourist views, and sparkling songs and dances, tied together with boundless energy. Enjoyable company though Ameche and Grable are, Carmen Miranda (portraying herself) and the Nicholas Brothers steal the show. If only life could really be like the movies, well this movie anyway.

Grable became the box-office queen of Technicolor musicals. Between 1940 and 1955, she was seen in 22 tailor-made colour vehicles at 20th Century-Fox.

Also in the cast are Charlotte Greenwood, J Carrol Naish, Henry Stephenson, Nicholas Brothers, Katharine Aldridge, Leonid Kinskey, Chris-Pin Martin, Robert Conway, Gregory Gaye, Bobby Stone and Charles Judels.

It is a remake of Kentucky (1938).

The Argentinians hated Down Argentine Way. After it was screened in the capital Buenos Aires, Argentine government officials refused to allow it to be shown in any other cinemas in their country. The Argentinians liked the Brazilian star Miranda, but she sang Cuban-inspired songs in Portuguese.

It was planned for Desi Arnaz (who was busy filming Too Many Girls) and Alice Faye (who contracted appendicitis). It was a damaging moment in Faye’s career, allowing Grable to muscle in on her act. Cesar Romero contracted para-typhoid and was replaced by Leonid Kinskey.

The 13-year-old Grable was one of The Goldwyn Girls and led off the Busby Berkeley-staged production number ‘Cowboys’ in Whoopee! (1930). The same year she had a chorus bit in the New Movietone Follies of 1930.

Miranda was working in a New York nightclub when she was discovered by the film crew. The manager would not release her from her contract so her numbers were filmed on a nightclub set on a New York sound stage.