Rumba

George Raft may have cut quite a swath through the women of Hollywood, but I'm afraid that, for me, his image will never recover the look of him in a girl's blouse. Yes, it's modeled on flamenco costumes, but with little ruffles covering him from neck to waist, George looks as if he has put his head through a little girl's petticoat.

The rest of Rumba is similarly anaphrodisiac. Carole Lombard, playing a bored socialite, looks half asleep, even in moments of fear and passion, and the dances, supposed to be Latin American sensual-sensational, are very mild stuff. In the final number, the chorus girls and boys seem to be getting it on far more than the two principals, who do a standard Astaire-Rogers dance, and needless to say it is mediocre.

The one, unexpected plus here is the Mexican actress Margo. Lovely, sensual, and sensitive, she is so much more womanly that Carole Lombard that only enforced patriotism would keep George fixated on the icy Carole.

"Rumba" is a movie worth seeing only if you love seeing the Rumba and other ballroom style dances or if you are curious and never saw George Raft dance. Otherwise, I think it's a tedious affair...a film that is at best a time passer.

The story begins in Cuba. Joe (Raft) is a professional dancer who is just too good not to be seen on Broadway. A bored, insipid society girl, Diana (Carole Lombard) happens to see him while she's slumming. They initially hit it off, get into a fight and Diana disappears. In the meantime, Joe gets a new dance partner and begins to make a name for himself...but he refuses to return to the States because he's worried some gangsters might have put a hit out on him. Eventually, Diana returns, they fall in love, get in a spat and she storms away once again. It's goes on from there...but who really cares? I was just hoping some gangster would shoot him to not only add some excitement to the film but end it as well!

The relationship between Joe and Diana is tedious and annoying. This combined with LOTS of dancing just make this film a chore to watch and enjoy. Find any other film with Raft or Lombard....you'll be much happier.

I usually liked Carole Lombard but she seems a little fish-out-of-water in this rather confused romantic drama. She ("Diana") is visiting Cuba when she espies dancer "Joe" (George Raft). He's hardly a charmer but there are a few sparks before she tires of his attitude and heads back to New York. With his tail between his legs a little, he follows her there and the rest of this unremarkable drama follows the ups and downs of their temperamental romance, her relationship with fiancé "Hobart" (a competent Monroe Owsley) whilst engaging in two or three really quite extended dance sequences - especially towards the conclusion. There's not a jot of chemistry on display here from anyone and even the latin dance routines comes across more as damp squibs drawn out to fill screen time than the fiery and passionate affairs that are supposed to get temperatures rising and hearts fluttering. Indeed, sadly, the only things that may flutter here will be eyelids as you struggle to stay interested in this disappointing film. Lombard does show up, she puts effort in and that sometimes works - it's just her lacklustre co-star who just doesn't fit the bill so well.

The team of George Raft and Carole Lombard who at the time this film was made were doing a little off set kanoodling had scored well in Bolero, so much so that Paramount decided another dance film was in order for them. Instead of in Europe like Bolero, Rumba takes place in Cuba and then New York City, taking advantage of the current dance craze sweeping the country.

Raft's a half Cuban, half American living down there because he fled the country to avoid some gangsters he'd run afoul of. He's dancing first with Iris Adrian and then with Margo, but rich heiress Carole Lombard sweeps him off his nimble feet.

Carole and George do a mean Rumba in the film as well. The ending here unlike Bolero is not as dramatic or tragic, but that in itself makes Rumba a lesser feature. Lynne Overman is around as a former newspaperman and Raft's manager. Overman is quite adept at creating a media frenzy for Raft, in fact his talents are what causes the climax to occur.

It's not as good a film as Bolero and the team of Raft and Lombard broke up off screen as well so no more films were made with the two of them. Still it's a pleasant enough film and a chance to see George Raft the dancer on screen.

"Rumba" is George Raft's best Latino film and that's not saying much. He at least gets to play a New Yorker, albeit a New Yorker of Cuban descent hanging out in Havana because gangsters in the States are out to get him. That idea is actually more exciting than the events that play out.

Carole Lombard gets some strong closeups and looks lovely. She plays a bored socialite a little too well, never seeming to rise above ennui even when she's dancing. She gets some nice little bits of dialogue but mostly could have phoned this one in.

Because of his sensual Latin looks, Paramount seemed insistent on making Raft do the sensual Latin dances. Sure, he could dance the rumba OK, but it is nothing like the hot style of dancing that made him famous as the "fastest dancer in New York" back in the '20s. Only in the first dance number in "Rumba" do we get a very brief glimpse of this.

Overall, this is hardly an important film for anyone - but look fast: Ann Sheridan is among the mass of dancers.