In Caliente **** (1935, Dolores del Rio, Pat O’Brien, Edward Everett Horton, Leo Carrillo, Glenda Farrell) – Classic Movie Review 12,520

Promotional picture of Dolores del Rio for In Caliente.

Warner Bros’ enjoyable, very energetic 1935 musical film In Caliente stars Dolores del Rio, Pat O’Brien and Leo Carrillo. It is thrillingly choreographed by the great Busby Berkeley. Wini Shaw sings the hit song ‘The Lady in Red’. 

Director Lloyd Bacon’s thoroughly enjoyable, very energetic 1935 Warner Bros musical film In Caliente stars a welcome, eccentric team in Dolores del Rio, Pat O’Brien, Edward Everett Horton, Leo Carrillo, Glenda Farrell, Judy Canova, Phil Regan, Winifred Shaw, and Herman Bing. Happily, it is choreographed by the great Busby Berkeley, whose thrilling dance numbers are a major component of the film, which packs a lot into its short running time of 84 minutes.

Pat O’Brien stars as hard-drinking magazine editor Larry MacArthur, who is taken to the lavish Agua Caliente Casino and Hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, by his publisher Harold Brandon (Edward Everett Horton) to dry out, and there he falls for Mexican dancer Rita Gomez (Dolores del Rio) without realising he had once given a bad review of her act in his magazine.

The story by Ralph Block and Warren Duff is really just a thin excuse for extremely entertaining Busby Berkeley dance number routines (eg ‘Muchacha’), some jazzy Mort Dixon-Allie Wrubel songs (‘The Lady in Red’, ‘To Call You My Own’ and the title number ‘In Caliente’), and smart, witty performances, with Dolores del Rio a particular delight. Jerry Wald and Julius J Epstein put plenty of wit in their script.

Winifred Shaw sings the hit song ‘The Lady in Red’ (music by Allie Wrubel, lyrics by Mort Dixon) with an elaborate dance number choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Leo Carrillo has fun as Dolores del Rio’s shrewd uncle and manager, José, and Edward Everett Horton amuses as publisher Harold Brandon.

‘Muchacha’ is by Harry Warren and Al Dubin.

Also in the cast are Phil Regan, Dorothy Dare, William B Davidson, Luis Alberni, Olive Jones, John Hyams, Henry De Silva, Milton Kibbee, Sam Appel, Chris-Pin Martin, George Humbert, Soledad Jiménez, Florence Fair, and James Donlan.

In Caliente is directed by Lloyd Bacon, runs 84 minutes, is made and released by Warner Bros, is written by Jerry Wald and Julius J Epstein, is shot in black and white by Sol Polito and George Barnes, is scored by Leo F Forbstein, and is choreographed by Busby Berkeley.

It was released by Warner Bros on 25 May 1935.

The real-life Agua Caliente Casino and Hotel featured alcoholic drinks during Prohibition in the US, as well as live entertainment and casino gambling, attracting Hollywood stars.

The cast are Dolores del Río as Rita Gomez, Pat O’Brien as Larry MacArthur, Leo Carrillo as José Gomez, Edward Everett Horton as Harold Brandon, Glenda Farrell as Clara, Tony De Marco as one of The De Marcos, Sally De Marco as one of The De Marcos, Phil Regan as Peter, Winifred Shaw [Wini Shaw] as Lois, Luis Alberni as Magistrate, George Humbert as Photographer, Harry Holman as Biggs, Soledad Jiménez as Rita’s Maid, Herman Bing as Florist, Judy Canova as Specialty Singer, Dorothy Dare, William B Davidson, Olive Jones, John Hyams, Henry De Silva, Milton Kibbee, Sam Appel, Chris-Pin Martin, Florence Fair, and James Donlan.

Mexican actress Dolores del Río. born María de los Dolores Asúnsolo y López Negrete on 3 August 1904, died on 11 April 1983, was the first major female Latin American star in Hollywood.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,520

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com