Mexican nights
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Mexican nights |
| Original title | Fiesta |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1947 |
| length | 106 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Richard Thorpe |
| script |
George Bruce Lester Cole |
| production | Jack Cummings |
| music | Johnny Green |
| camera |
Sidney Wagner Charles Rosher Wilfred M. Cline |
| cut | Blanche Sewell |
| occupation | |
| |
Mexican Nights (original title Fiesta ) is an American musical film from 1947 directed by Richard Thorpe . Esther Williams can be seen in the role of a young woman who represents her brother, played by Ricardo Montalbán , in the bullring. Unlike her brother, whose love is music, she loves fighting in the arena. Both father ( Fortunio Bonanova ), a famous matador, does not agree with the role reversal. Akim Tamiroff can be seen in the role of the matador's assistant. Other important roles include Cyd Charisse , Mary Astor and John Carroll .
action
In a small Mexican town, the famous matador Antonio Morales teaches his students the techniques of bullfighting . His wife is very pregnant, so the matador is convinced that the birth of a son is imminent. When he came home that day, he was told that a daughter had been born to him. Morales' disappointment is great, as he hoped that his son could one day be his successor in the arena . But then the doctor informs him that shortly afterwards his wife gave birth to a second child, this time a boy. The matador names his son Mario and his daughter Maria. He is celebrating the birth with his friends and is already indulging in plans for the future, assuming that his son will one day become the best matador in the world. With the help of his long-time friend and assistant Chato, Antonio trains his son to be bullfighting at an early age, although the boy shows only moderate interest. His love is music, and he is supported by his mother, who is also a music lover. Maria, however, inherited her father's love for bullfighting. During his music studies, Mario composed a demanding suite , which further strengthens the mother's opinion that her son is a musical child prodigy .
Maria, who is now engaged to the bacteriologist José "Pepe" Ortega, has a special surprise for the brother on the twins' 21st birthday together with José. You have sent Mario's “Mexican Symphony” to Maximino Contreras, Mexico's most important conductor , and he has shown himself to be so enthusiastic that he really wants to get to know Mario. When he auditions at Villa Morales and asks about Mario, he comes across Antonio Morales, who fears for his plans with his son and rejects the famous conductor. However, he promises him that Mario will contact him the next day. Mario made his first big appearance in the Guadalajara arena that day and performed well. Antonio is proud of his son, but fails to tell him about Contreras' visit. The conductor, however, is determined to speak to Mario and follows him to Puebla , where his next bullfight is to take place. Shortly before his performance, he catches Mario and tells him about his visit and the father's promise. Mario is so angry about his father's breach of trust that he leaves the bullring and makes his way to Ciudad de México . In the newspapers of the following day he was called a coward, which is a dishonor. Maria doesn't want to let that sit on her brother and restore his honor and good name. In the hope that her brother will come back, she wants to disguise herself as Mario and go to a bullfight under his name. The newspapers report that Mario is coming back into the ring. However, the young musician does not know anything about the sister's plans. When he paused in a rest house, he suddenly heard his “Mexican Symphony” on the radio, played by a symphony orchestra . He happily contacts Contreras, who wants to continue his training. However, the conductor makes it a condition that he give up the bullfight. When Mario says he already has, Contreras tells him about "his" announced appearance in the ring. It is immediately clear to Mario that Maria is behind it. He does not want to miss the announced fight. Maria, who lets herself be distracted in the arena by the fact that her eyes are always looking for her brother, is not attentive enough, so that the bull manages to throw her to the ground. Mario reacts quickly, jumps into the ring and distracts the bull from Maria. His good name has now been restored through his courageous standing up for his sister. The twins' father finally realizes that he has to let his son go his own way.
Shortly afterwards, a big party is celebrated in the Villa Morales: on the one hand, the wedding between Maria and "Pepe", which has already taken place, is celebrated, and on the other hand, the wedding of Mario and Conchita, who have been in love for a long time, is soon to follow.
background
The shooting took place from December 10, 1945 to April 9, 1946. From mid-April to May 16, 1946, further recordings were made for the film. The film was shot in Puebla in the central Mexican state of Puebla and in Tlaxcala , a city in the Mexican highlands. Many recordings were made in Mexico City , Guadalajara and Santiago de Querétaro . In the opening credits of the film, you expressly thank you for the friendly cooperation with the Mexican government and for the hospitality of the Mexican people, without whose support the shooting of this film would not have been possible. The production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had restored the Hacienda San Antonio Chatlou, which was used as the location for the Fiesta sequences, to its original state for the film . For the Mexican actor Ricardo Montalbán it was his film debut in an American film.
The film premiered in the United States on June 12, 1947, and was then generally shown in American cinemas on June 26, 1947. In the Federal Republic of Germany launched Mexican nights on 23 December 1950 in Austria already on 22 September 1950. In Austria, the film came under the title Fiesta the movies.
There were several incidents during filming, including Esther Williams' manager and husband Ben Gage briefly locked in a Mexican prison for rioting in a hotel. Actress Cyd Charisse briefly suffered from amoebic dysentery , and Esther Williams and John Carroll were nearly impaled by a bull. For the screenwriter Lester Cole, his career ended abruptly after this film, as he was summoned before the Committee on Un-American Activities for disregard of Congress . After questioning, he spent a year in prison and was blacklisted by the film industry.
Ricardo Montalbán never became a big star, but he and Cyd Charisse have had a successful career at MGM. And the American swimming star Esther Williams was billed for this film that she was not only suitable for films with the element of water.
Music in the film
- Fantasia Mexicana based on El Salón México , music by Aaron Copland , adapted and orchestrated by Johnny Green , piano soloist André Previn
- La Bamba by Luis Martínez Serrano
- Jarabe Tapatío (The Mexican Hat Dance)
- La luna enamorada by Angel Ortiz De Villajos, Miriano Bolanos, Recio Leocadio and Martínez Durango
- Romeria Vasca - Written and Directed by Los Bocheros Performed
- La barca de oro
Reviews
The prevailing opinion about the film was that the impressive musical sequences and technicolor photography would make up for the absurd story. The lexicon of international films comes to the conclusion: “Extensive musical revue, shot on original locations in Mexico: a colorful arrangement of dances, songs, rhythms, linked with rather thin threads.” Variety was of the opinion that Esther Williams was an eye-catcher in Fiesta and a new personality, namely Ricardo Montalbán, pleasantly surprise. He is not the Valentino type, but bombastic in a different direction, a sympathetic counterpart to Williams. In addition, the Mexican Symphony by Aaron Copland was brilliantly orchestrated by Johnny Green.
Awards
Johnny Green was on Mexican night at the Academy Awards 1948 in the category "Best Original Score in a music film" for an Oscar nomination, but had a disadvantage compared to Alfred Newman , the Oscar for the film It started in Schneider's Opera House (Mother Wore Tights) got .
Web links
- Mexican nights at the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Mexican nights at Back then in the cinema
- Fiesta at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (with trailer in English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Fiesta at TCM - Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
- ^ Mexican Nights in the Lexicon of International Films . Retrieved February 7, 2013.
- ↑ Fiesta ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Variety Staff. Written December 31, 1946. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
