Une nuit à Rio

MGM musicals may have been more extravagant, but 20th Century Fox musicals are the most fun. In "That Night in Rio," in order to save a business deal, a look-alike actor (Don Ameche) is hired to impersonate a baron (Don Ameche) who is out of town trying to raise money. The Baron is married to Cecilia (Alice Faye) but in name only; they go their separate ways. When the actor takes over, with Faye's knowledge, he is extremely attentive, to the consternation of his girlfriend (Carmen Miranda).

This is a cute story, nothing new about it, but it is done in an amusing way. At one point, the Baron returns from his trip early, and the two Barons are in a room at the same time. They keep switching back and forth while talking to a businessman. The businessman, convinced someone else is in the room after hearing noises behind a screen and seeing the screen move, decides to continue the conversation in French. The actor, of course, can't speak it, so has to say oui, oui throughout. It's very funny. Also, the businessman searches behind the screen - the actor walks from behind the screen and into the room while the Baron goes the opposite way meets the businessman behind the screen and says, "See?" indicating there is no one there.

The cast is the typical Fox musical cast - by 1941, Tyrone Power was no longer doing musicals, so it's Ameche, Faye, and Carmen Miranda. Miranda is very funny and outlandishly dressed as usual; Faye sings well and looks lovely, although she seems stuffed into a gold gown.

There is plenty of music - in fact, the whole beginning is one number after another. Miranda sings a couple of her standards: "I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)," and "Chica Chica Boom Chic." Ameche and Faye sing "Boa Noite" and "They Met in Rio" - and there are plenty of production numbers.

Wonderfully entertaining.

This one is one of Foxs' best of this type of musical. While the plot is totally implausible, it's still lots of fun with the beautiful Alice Faye and the funny Carmem Miranda doing her best Carmen Miranda. Don Ameche acquits himself well in a double role. Lavish production numbers in a night club that could never really fit or be done in even the biggest night club in the world, are nice to see. Since this is "fantasy" all works well here, even the inane plot line. A little risqué for it's day with Faye not sure who she has slept with. All comes out well in the end, which is no surprise in any of the Fox musicals. The DVD transfer here is great. If you enjoy this little confection, be sure to rent ON THE RIVIERA with Danny Kaye. It's a very close remake of this with some of the dialog exactly the same. Danny Kaye is brilliant in this one and I enjoyed it more than THAT NIGHT IN RIO, but both have their charms. See them both, back to back.

The one thing that has stood the test of time for "That Night In Rio" is the great Technicolor - it is quite outstanding. The story has been done to death many times, but probably not much better than this, and the cast are a lot of fun - Carmen Miranda was really the Brazilian Bombshell as the ads said, and had the best lines, and the best songs of the time (pretty terrible to listen to now!), Don Ameche was a charmer and his "Boa Noite" was very good, while Alice Faye looked decidedly overweight, but it may have been caused by all the jewellery she had to wear!! The supporting cast were as usual excellent, with all the old stagers in it - a quick glimpse of Maria Montez came as a bit of a surprise. All in all , very light entertainment, but harmless.

This is one of my absolute favorite Fox musicals, photographed in the studio's idiosyncratic garish Technicolor, featuring Carmen Miranda in her second American appearance; Alice Faye and Don Ameche in their last pairing. Ameche is in a double role: playing a Rio nightclub entertainer Larry Martin and a rich airline businessman Baron Duarte.

"That Night in Rio" starts explosively with Miranda's entertainingly flashy number "Chicka Chicka Boom Chick" in Rio. Then Carmen's boyfriend Martin enters while riding a car. After hordes of couples dance to Carmen's colorful spectacle, Baron Duarte and his wife Baroness (Alice Faye) arrive. Martin announces he is going to impersonate the Baron. In a musical number, he does it brilliantly. The Baron is very impressed and goes off to backstage to meet him and Carmen. While he is in backstage, Martin courts the Baroness and does another fine Duarte impression. But Martin doesn't know the Baron is in real financial trouble. A few days after that night in Rio, the Baron leaves for Buenos Aires. Martin is secretly hired by the Baron's associates to replace him, so his rivals in the airline business won't notice his absence. Martin not only replaces the Baron, he again courts and romances the Baroness. Many funny and ingenious complications follow.

"That Night in Rio" continues the trend started in "Down Argentine Way" - pleasant romancing in exotic Latin locales, galvanized by Technicolor and Carmen Miranda. Alice Faye was supposed to star "Down Argentine Way" but due to illness, the lead role went to Betty Grable. Now, Faye got her lead in "That Night in Rio". I don't think it is near "Hello, Frisco, Hello" (my favorite Faye musical) but there are a lot to enjoy in "That night In Rio".

Miranda especially is very funny. Her quarrels with Ameche, her Brazilian accent ("You is a low down, no good ham!"), and her dance numbers (particularly "Ay, yai, yai, yai, yai, I like you very much") are entertaining & rapturous.

As a lifelong fan of musicals, and who tries to find merit in even the lesser/worst ones, 'That Night in Rio' is a more than worthwhile one. No classic, hardly a stinker, instead very entertaining.

Its weak point is the story, which is not much of one and is more an excuse to string along the songs and production numbers together. When there is signs of a story, there is a constant recycled feel and plausibility is cast to the wind and thrown out the window. People always argue about whether one should see musicals for the story, there are numerous times where it doesn't but it does depend on how well done everything else is.

There is actually very little to dislike about 'That Night in Rio' and everything else is done very well indeed, and more, but with so much effort put into everything else it was a shame that the effort doesn't really translate in the story and it sticks out like a sore thumb. SZ Sakall and J Carroll Naish, while still good, deserved more to do in quite limited and clichéd roles, Sakall especially is very close to wasted.

However, 'That Night in Rio' looks great, with beautiful production values and costumes, luminous photography and lavish colour. The sets are obviously back lot-bound and the lack of evocative Rio locations to lust after is somewhat of a disappointment, the good news is that the sets are still very handsomely constructed, colourful and pleasing. The songs are lively, full of energy and truly lovely to listen to, "Boa Nite" is a beautiful romantic song but Carmen Miranda's exuberant and riotous "I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)" and "Chica Chica Boom Chic" stand out the most.

Script-wise, 'That Night in Rio' is witty and the romantic aspects are adorable and charming, always on the right side of charm and sweetness without laying it on too thick with the sugar and sentiment. The film never loses its energy thanks to the songs, production numbers and the cast, despite the story threatening to grind things to a halt which luckily it never quite does.

Don Ameche plays his two roles with dashing charm, elegance and witty bravado, and Alice Faye has energy and substance. Shining brightest is none other than "The Brazilian Bombshell" or "The Chiquita Banana Girl" (the one and only) Carmen Miranda, whose delightful presence is the bees knees and makes the jaw drop.

All in all, a very worthwhile night in Rio especially for Miranda. 8/10 Bethany Cox