Voyage à Rio

This is a delightful early Jane Powell film. It reminds me a bit of Holiday in Mexico with the crush on the much older man not stopping spunky Jane! She's also as precious as she is in A Date with Judy. Young Jane couldn't help but light up the screen with her fun performances.

It's Ann Sothern month on TCM and I'm not sure I'd have had the chance to see how delightful she is otherwise and am so grateful they have honored her. This is one of my favorites I've seen. Jane and Ann look very much like mother and daughter and both have lovely singing voices. I have to confess I skipped through the Carmen Miranda numbers (I think you either love her or you don't as a singer, but I liked her acting role) but I loved all the others. I particularly loved the chemistry with the tall, dark and handsome Barry Sullivan as a rare lead and Louis Calhern as the witty and fun grandfather.

Lovely Technicolor and costuming, fine acting, good chemistry, the Brazilian influence on many of the musical numbers, and the precious romantic comedy script made a rainy afternoon just perfect!

A so-so musical comedy, chipper and competently shot on the studio back lot far, far away from Rio. If there's any reason to watch this corny confection, it would be for the show-stopping number by Carmen Miranda in the nightclub. The hues alone are incredible! Everything is dripping in rich, over-saturated color - the costumes, the set - it's like an explosion at the Technicolor factory. The production designer and director were surely using the process to "wow" the audience used to common, flatter black and white films for so long, similar to the 3D process that would come along later. Inside this gem of a scene is Miranda's dance performance, which is really energetic and quite imaginative. If you ever wanted to test your TV screen color and balance, this scene from this piece of 50s flash might be the one to do that with. The rest of the film? Meh... hokum, but quaint.

Pleasant is a good word for this film. While not one of the top-five musicals, it is well made and enjoyable. Ann Sothern and Jane Powell play mother and daughter who fall for the same man while in South America (No location shoots here. The furthest south anybody working on this movie traveled was probably Long Beach). There are some interesting numbers here, in great part because some of the songs and styles included were rare by the time this movie was made. "Shine On Harvest Moon," an old song, is sung and danced by Sothern, Powell, and amazingly enough, Louis Calhern. "Time and Time Again" is a Nelson Eddy-Jeanette McDonald type number which features Sothern and is probably one of the last of that style to be filmed. The bulk of the musical numbers feature Jane Powell who sings well, as always. Yet, for me, the high point of the film is the number featuring Carmen Miranda. I think it's one of her best. This was Carmen Miranda's next-to-last film and also the last musical for Ann Sothern.

Sidney Sheldon wrote the screenplay based on an earlier film that starred Deanna Durbin, but this time tedium sets in rather early. In short, it's an uninspired remake designed to bring bubbly JANE POWELL, ANN SOTHERN, CARMEN MIRANDA, BARRY SULLIVAN and LOUIS CALHERN together for what is supposed to be a light-hearted romp.

For a musical, there is too long a gap between dialog and songs and none of the songs are especially memorable. The sets are opulent, the costumes are tastefully designed with no expense spared on wardrobe, and the color is splendid. But the story is the one about a mother and daughter actress team who are both in love with the same man, unknown to each other, until the plot complications are straightened out.

Whatever sparkle there was to the original B&W film has been dampened by a dull script, slow-paced direction and some coy performances from Sothern and Powell. Powell postures as a would-be actress but her artificial poses are contrived and obvious which makes Sullivan suspecting that she's a girl "in trouble" (when she's really rehearsing a part) seem a strain on credibility.

Both Sothern and Powell are given the usual MGM glossy close-up treatment, but the silly plot defeats everyone.

Rio is strictly a fabrication on an MGM sound stage. Only CARMEN MIRANDA's lively musical contributions make watching this worthwhile. That, and a nice, understated, low-key performance from the always reliable BARRY SULLIVAN saves the comic moments from being downright foolish.

As a fan of musicals and who gets great enjoyment out of seeing Jane Powell and Carmen Miranda, 'Nancy Goes to Rio' didn't disappoint at all, actually getting more or less what was expected.

Only the story in 'Nancy Goes to Rio' isn't so good. It does go overboard on the silliness and is both thin and too busy at times, with narrative surprises next to none. The ending is also rather abrupt and strange and the romance is bland somewhat and feels like an afterthought.

However, as to be expected, 'Nancy Goes to Rio' is a glorious-looking film. The sets and costumes are suitably opulent and complemented beautifully by the radiant cinematography and the big, bold and rich colours.

The music is always a pleasant listen and infectiously upbeat. "Magic is the Moonlight" and especially "Shine on Harvest Moon" stand out, as does Carmen Miranda's colourful and to-be-seen-to-be-believed second production number. Nice use of "Quando M'En Vo" too from Puccini's 'La Boheme'. The choreography is cleverly done, especially in Miranda's second production number.

Furthermore the script is filled with snappy lines that crackle in energy and wit, the whole film is breezily directed and the whole film is just full of fun and charm, just perfect for 100 minutes escapist entertainment.

Jane Powell is her usual pert and charming self and is in wonderful voice. Ann Southern more than matches her as her mother. Meanwhile Carmen Miranda is a riot in material that shows off her talent splendidly, Louis Culhern is sparkling comedic support and Barry Sullivan is effectively subdued without being bland.

On the whole, a Technicolor and musical treat, as long as you don't demand too much. 8/10 Bethany Cox