Los reyes del mambo

It's 1952 Havana, Cuba. Cesar (Armand Assante) moves to NYC taking younger brother Nestor Castillo (Antonio Banderas) after getting into a dispute over Maria (Talisa Soto). The brothers are amazed at the nightlife and Tito Puente. Cesar falls for brash cigarette girl Lanna Lake (Cathy Moriarty) while Nestor is still in love with Maria. The brothers work odd jobs and play in the clubs at night. Nestor falls for shy Delores (Maruschka Detmers). His song "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" catches Desi Arnaz who elevates the brothers to fame. However it is fleeting as they encounter tragedy.

It's a relatively good historical drama. The music is happening. The two actors are terrific. Assante is all energy and Banderas is charming. However the drama isn't that compelling. The story is without surprises. Arne Glimcher is limited as a director. Quite frankly, he has access to great music but he doesn't use it in an interesting way. Moriarty matches Assante's energy but Detmers is a hollow beauty. This a functional music pic but it could be more.

When Cesar that his brother's woman married another man to save Nestor from being murdered, he decides that the time is right for them to leave Cuba and seek out their fortune in America. Arriving in a rainy New York, their relatives and friends already in NY scoff at suggestions that the brothers will walk straight into a downtown club with their music, however when Cesar is invited onto stage with Tito Puente at one such club, things look positive until a shooting spoils it all. As Cesar continues to chase his dream in his own way, Nestor finds himself dragged along, perhaps at the expense of his own dream desires.

Although I personally felt that the narrative could have been deeper and the characterisation more detailed, this film is lifted by the sense of place and period that delivers a glut of passion that runs across the whole film. Although it helps if you actually like the music and the culture, this energy is used well to help raise the material, which could easily have lapsed into soapy daytime melodrama. This is not to say that it doesn't do this occasionally but the film caught me up well to the point where I was engaged by their drama even while knowing it was a bit sentimental and (occasionally) contrived. Those happy to work at the melodrama level will easily enjoy this though because it is a superior example of that "genre" and Glimcher has done a good job of delivering the plot in a serious fashion.

Of course it helps that the main actors are so strong. Assante dominates the film simply because his character dominates his brother. He is full of fire and passion and he delivers the goods in a convincing way. However the more impressive performance is from Banderas. Although a more subtle character, the lack of English meant that he was delivering everything phonetically. I could not be convincing on screen in my own tongue so I can only imagine the challenge of delivering the dialogue while also being convincing emotionally. He nails it though. The two men also work well together and have a natural chemistry that was necessary to make convincing brothers. They own the film and support from Moriarty, Detmers and others never threatens them, although it is cool to have a cameo from Puente.

Overall then this is an enjoyable and energetic melodrama. It occasionally gets a bit too soapy but generally it is kept above this level – mainly thanks to impassioned delivery from Assante and Banderas. Some viewers will be turned off by it for what it is but for a melodrama it was surprisingly good.

Regarding the recent death of Latin superstar Celia Cruz, I was surprised by the lack of mention of her role in this film in the various obituaries and tributes I read. I don't know if she made movies in Cuba, but she was not only a powerful positive musical presence in "The Mambo Kings" but her character acting was outstanding and very charming. If you don't know anything about her and want to get an idea of who Celia Cruz was, see this movie.

And that is far from the only reason to do so. This is one of my favorite romantic films for adults, as opposed to the juvenile and/or formulaic fare that passes for romance in American cinema. Armand Assante should have been at least nominated for best actor that year, he is so strong and yet vulnerable and lovable as the big brother with a powerful code of honor to his art and his family. The other kid, who has gone on to bigger and not necessarily better things, is also fine, considering his well-publicized effort to deliver his lines phonetically, since he did not speak English at the time. (No, I'm not forgetting his earlier fine contributions to several Almodovar films.)

OK, Roscoe Lee Browne and Cathy Moriarty were a bit miscast, but what about the stroke of genius to have Desi Arnaz Jr play his father? The whole "I Love Lucy" segment of the film, while somewhat contrived in its importance to the story, is funny, well-done, and helps to bring the whole Cuban-American experience in New York into sharper focus, with the portrayal of Arnaz as both a superstar idol and a man very close to his roots.

The music is fabulous, both the use of classic Cuban tracks and new music recorded for the film. Among the latter, "Sweet Maria of my Soul," the theme song performed by both Antonio Banderas in the film and Los Lobos over the end credits, was nominated for Best Song but was beat out by some plastic Disney tune. It is so organic, so romantic and soulful, it should be a classic movie song for the ages. Well, it will be for me...

Cuban brothers arrive in America with a suitcase full of songs, hearts filled with passion and a desire to make it big in the promised land. One is a bit more passionate than the other, who likes the simple life a little more and continues to miss the girl who stayed back home, not realising that his brother was forced to leave with him in order to save his life.

This tragic drama is one of the 90's most underrated gems. Full of energy and tragedy, good performances and great songs. Armand Assante gives the performance of his career and Antonio Banderas makes a solid American acting debut.

At times the movie feels a bit rushed, it simply might have been even longer, giving more character development to the supporting actors, who are very good, Cathy Moriarty in particular. The era feels authentic enough and the recreation of the "I love Lucy show" is a real winner.

An utterly charming film. Highly recommended.

THE MAMBO KINGS (1992) *** Armand Assante, Antonio Banderas, Cathy Moriarty, Maruschka Detmers, Desi Arnaz Jr. Flamboyant and fun watching film about two immigrant Cuban brothers in 1950s NYC trying to make the big time with their style and music. Banderas is particularly good as the heartbroken younger sibling and the soundtrack is memorably poignant and lavish set designs as well.