(2013-05-17 21:48:37)

WEEK-END IN HAVANA

THIS MOVIE TAKES ME TO A TIME BEFORE I WAS. ITS A PIECE OF HISTORY AND A LEARNING TOOL.

(2013-05-17 05:07:05)

Escape With Alice Faye

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) I'm relatively new to Alice Faye's work. Before 2010, the only thing I knew her from was the little bit in "Four Jills In A Jeep" when she sings her signature song, "You'll Never Know", but beyond that I hadn't really heard of her. Finding "Week-End In Havana" was an extremely pleasant surprise.This movie isn't ground-breaking, but it's good time escapism. Seeing Cesar Romero without his Joker makeup and playing what was basically a hapless hustler was really fun. One of my favorite scenes involved Carmen Miranda chasing him around the Casino Roof. Ladies and gentlemen, it IS possible to run in platforms! Speaking of Carmen, she sparkles in this film (Think Lauren Graham talked fast on "Gilmore Girls"? That was nothing.). Sure, Carmen's been made fun of quite a bit, but the lady had a very impressive way with comedy. Also, viewers of the original "Miracle On 34th Street" will recognize John Payne in this film. Quite honestly, his character is a bit nerdy at first and maybe a bit weak, but I enjoyed seeing him in another role besides Kris Kringle's defense attorney."Week-End In Havana" may not be Alice Faye's best work, but it's enjoyable and not to be missed.

(2013-05-15 00:12:59)

Excellent!

Classic! Musical, comical, boy meets girl. This movie makes you feel good and happy. It seems to pull you in and makes you feel as if you are really in Havana! Great costumes, great musical numbers. I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys the classic musicals of the 40's.

(2013-05-14 21:31:55)

Weekend in Havana

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) For those of us who enjoy Alice Faye musicals, it was a pleasant and enjoyable movie.

(2013-05-11 02:07:10)

Very funny technicolour feast

This review is from: Weekend in Havana [VHS] (VHS Tape) "Weekend in Havana" is one of the best in 20th Century Fox's winning formula of colourful wartime musicals set in exotic places, starting with "Down Argentine Way" in 1940. Glorious technicolour, a slight plot, a blonde singing and dancing star and Carmen Miranda were the ingredients and the formula spelt box office magic.This one has Alice Faye in the comedic role of a common shopgirl on a dream holiday. Faye was not often given a straight comedy and she shines. Carmen Miranda and Ceasar Romero shine too. Even John Payne is animated. He plays very well against both Faye and Miranda in this one. With the gleaming colour and costumes, Walter Lang's "don't waste a moment" direction and Fox's superb sound, we get a very entertaining musical.The DVD print is spectacular and Janine Basinger's commentary captures accurately the context of the film, the box office appeal of the stars, the costumes, sets, musical direction and clever script which keeps the film moving so fast and with such wit. In 1941, this was a tonic to the public. The other extras are not so good. There are stills from the set, including at least one from a Sonja Henie film and another from the 1944 "Greenwich Village" - sloppy attention to detail.

(2013-05-10 17:34:55)

First Rate Factory Musical! Fantastic Music! Carmen Miranda!

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) Sequels? Prequels? In the old days, Hollywood just changed a few actors, re-wrote a few lines, changed the setting and added a few new dance numbers and Voila! New Film! This is factory film at its best! Most of the crew from "Song Of The Islands" is here, but Grable has been ditched for Alice Faye (Yahoo!) and Hilo Hattie for Carmen Miranda (Yahoo!)(and I love Hilo Hattie). Instead of two yachtsmen drifting ashore in Hawaii, Faye's cruise ship runs aground off Cuba. She saw the Captain where he shouldn't have been, and won't give in, so John Payne, agent for the shipping company (and soon to wed the boss's daughter) flies her to Havana, and escorts her the best he can. Carmen Miranda shows up and wiggles and jiggles her way in and amongst the english language and big hats; and way too quick, you're at the big musical finale, which these films did so well. One point here, look towards the lower center right screen for the male dancer who gets hopelessly lost. All of his embarrassment shows up on VHS, only part of it on DVD. Once again, this ain't high cinematic art, but man o man, it's a highly watchable film, with great music and likeable characters. This is the stuff that made Hollywood famous.

bkoganbing

(2013-05-04 09:33:46)

That Tropical Magic

Although none of the principal players set foot in Havana, Cuba for theproduction of Weekend in Havana, Darryl F. Zanuck sent a second unitcrew down there to get enough background shots and longshots withdoubles of the players to make one feel they were having a Weekend inHavana. Usually the studios just relied on newsreel footage so 20thCentury Fox was spending more than most studios would at this time.There are certain plot similarities to Paramount's Waikiki Wedding thatstarred Bing Crosby and Shirley Ross four years earlier. In fact GeorgeBarbier has the same kind of part in both, a business executive whowants to make sure a young woman has the time of her life on vacationbe it Hawaii or Cuba.In this case it's Alice Faye, a shopgirl who saved her money for acruise and in this case the cruise ship ran aground on a reef on theCuban coast. She just doesn't want to sign a waiver to get the companyoff the hook for a lawsuit. So John Payne who is about to becomeBarbier's son-in-law is sent to get that waiver by hook or crook.What he ends up doing is trying to make sure Faye has a good time inHavana under his personal management. He even calls in a broke CesarRomero in for a bit of romance when Faye doesn't take to him. Payneoffers to pay Romero's debts to casino owner Sheldon Leonard and thatdoesn't sit too well with Carmen Miranda, Romero's girlfriend. And thewhole business ain't sitting too well with Cobina Wright who is Payne'sfiancГѓВ©.I'm sure you can figure out where this is going plot wise. In additionto those mentioned look for nice performances from Billy Gilbert as aclub owner and Leonid Kinskey as an ever helpful bellhop. Seeing Payne and Faye sing together once again confirms my thesis inthat 20th Century Fox hired him to take the musical leads oppositetheir stars like Faye, Betty Grable, etc. He shows himself once againto be a singing Tyrone Power. Alice and he make lovely music, but ofcourse the hit of the film is Carmen Miranda. As it was in any film shewas in.Another Latin American good will film. Interesting how we got our ideasabout Latin America from films like these. Nice entertainment, but badsociopolitics.

(2013-05-04 02:17:37)

Best of Fox's "South-of-the-Border" Musicals

"Down Argentine Way" may have started the series and made a star of Betty Grable, but I think "Weekend in Havana" is the movie that perfected the formula of the Technicolor "south-of-the-border" musical. For once, everything (the eye-popping Technicolor, the songs, the jokes) seems to have fallen in the right place and the film is harmlessly entertaining from beginning to end. Sure, Carmen Miranda is really Brazilian, Havana is basically portrayed as one big Hollywood studio nightclub, and the Latin couple is a comedic foil to the white leads, but you cannot expect too much political correctness from a 1941 Hollywood film. The movie also doesn't have the sophisticated choreographies and camera movements of the best MGM musicals, but as far as entertainment value goes, this is as good or better than MGM.Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda are both in top form all through the movie. Faye, playing a Macy's girl vacationing in Havana, delivers her big number (the ballad "Tropical Magic") in a characteristic pose (resting on a veranda) but for once she doesn't play a suffering girlfriend. She's funny and feisty and makes you wish Alice Faye had been allowed to play less passive roles in her other movies. Miranda, as a nightclub singer, shows that she was an excellent comedienne, and she seems to be having a ball playing Cesar Romero's jealous and flirtatious girlfriend. Cesar Romero and John Payne are easily upstaged by the female leads, but they're good as well (Romero in particular).This is definitively the highlight of Fox's first round of "Marquee Musicals." And, unlike what another reviewer pointed out, "Weekend in Havana" is not at all like the many "vaudeville"-inspired Technicolor musicals that Fox released throughout the 1940s. Highly recommended. About the DVD: The film looked great, but a few comments: 1) the packaging favors Carmen Miranda over top-billed Alice Faye; 2) the liner notes have some mistaken info about Miranda (the same happens in Jeanine Basinger's superficial commentary track); 3) some stills on the menus belong to different movies ("Springtime in the Rockies" and a Sonja Henie musical); and 4) there was only one "lobby card" included (the same happened with the "Pin-Up Girl" and "Daddy Long Legs" DVDs).

(2013-05-02 01:32:39)

A 1941 TECHNICOLOR DELIGHT

A cruise ship wrecks off the coast of Florida on its way to Havana. Passenger Nan Spencer (Alice Faye), a Macy's Department Store salesgirl from New York City, refuses to sign a waiver which would absolve the steamship company's liability in the accident........This colourful outing provided Faye with two good songs: TROPICAL MAGIC & ROMANCE AND RHUMBA. Her third number, THE MAN WITH THE LOLLIPOP was recorded but cut from the film; however, it is heard briefly when Billy Gilbert sings a part of it at the country inn of which he owns. For tongue-twisting, fruit-laden Carmen Miranda, this film showcased her talents considerably. Hermes Pan choreographed her big production routine THE NANGO; she also sang the title tune, REBOLA A BOLA & WHEN I LOVE, I LOVE. A vintage splashy Technicolor Fox musical complete with the velvety voice of Alice Faye, the devilishly wriggling Miranda and a variety of vintage tunes - with the rather bland but handsome John Payne and latin lover Cesar Romero in support.

(2013-05-01 11:15:58)

very lovely!

i highly reommedn this film, because of the lovely romantic storyline and meeting John Payne and and Alice Faye. the costumes are beautiful, the scenery of Havanna is romantic and inspring from a more glamerous era. It has much color and good songs, also Carmen Miranda is wonderufl in it as well.

jotix100

(2013-05-01 02:51:15)

Havana Samba

The production team behind this film would have benefited if they haddone research for the movie by taking a real weekend in Havana. Itappears the studio executives flew down to Rio instead. How else didthey come up with music and costumes that are more Brazilian thanCuban?Maybe the studio thought of this as a vehicle for Carmen Miranda, thecharismatic Brazilian star. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense at all tohave turned everything into a samba flavored musical that is completelyout of character with its setting of the romantic allure Havana of the40s.The music is mildly entertaining. We know what will happen and how itwill end, yet, we stay with a movie that has been done better before.Walter Lang directed on auto pilot because there is nothing in the filmthat shows anything new that we haven't seen before.Alice Faye plays a Macy's sales lady on a Caribbean cruise. Ms. Faye isa charming presence in the film. John Payne is the man who is sent todeal with the possible problem caused by the accident of the ship andends up falling madly in love with the sales woman. Cesar Romero issuave as the gambler that tries to endear himself to the woman hethinks is an heiress. Carmen Miranda is the singing sensation at theCasino Madrileno. "Weekend in Havana" is an inoffensive way to spend a little more thanan hour and a half with these characters.

(2013-04-30 14:14:36)

A mini-vacation with vaudeville.....

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) "Weekend in Havana" is just one of those Fox treasures. Everyone in this films has worked or will work together many times, but somehowit all really comes together here. Alice Faye is a brilliant comedienne and isat her best in this film. She also does some wonderful singing. Carmen Miranda chasingCaesar Romero in a bold black and white outfit with 5" platformshoes is funny and scary at the same time. Carmen was 4" 8" tall and with the platforms, she was a towering 5' 1", and she wore them all the time...so she knew what she was doing..butthey do look deadly. This film is just pure 1940's familyentertainment. Everyone in it is very good, the color is sogreat...it is even one of those musicals where you can spotMaria Montez in the chorus! So no need to hesitate...this is exactly the kind of movie you want on your shelf to brightencloudy winter days. Lots of pretty people sorting themselves out in a tropical paradise located in West Hollywood! ENJOY!!

(2013-04-29 03:11:15)

Ah, Havana!

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) This film is a classic representation of those of its time and genre. Alice Faye was as good now as she was then. The supporting cast show their versatility from other films they have appeared in and the film is all around fun. The dancers & musicians of that era shine and can never be replaced.Trust me-you'll enjoy it!

(2013-04-28 14:28:09)

Please Alice, No More Color!

Weekend in Havana concerns a girl (Alice Faye) who saved for years in order to take a two week vacation from her job at Macy's. The cruise ship runs aground along some rocks and the trip is cancelled, but in order to avoid a lawsuit, the company offers a free vacation in a few weeks. The girl complains that she cannot do so because she will have to work, so the company flies her to Havana, all expenses paid to get her to sign a waver. The girl puts the representative from the company through all sorts of scenarios, but all she really wants is romance. This film is done in Technicolor, but it hinders the film more than it helps it. Faye's skin looks dingy and chubby, much less beautiful than in her black and white films. She still shines through song, though, with her creamy voice and heavy eyelids. Carmen Miranda is a nuisance with her brash personality, garish face, and annoying nature. There is an extra feature before the film: a deleted musical number from the Faye film Rose of Washington Square. Why it was included here instead of on the video of the film it came from, I don't know.

(2013-04-19 13:43:03)

Week End in Havana

Excellent reproduction on DVD - colour is great. Reasonable story line and acting

(2013-04-19 00:17:51)

Great fun, for what it's worth

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) This is a great showcase film for Cesar Romero and Carmen Miranda. Both have great comedic roles and they do a great job. Alice Faye and John Payne play their usual stock characters in a story full of cliches, but that's okay because they are both lovable eye candy. Alice is wonderful, singing Tropical Magic in her velvety 1940s alto voice. Carmen is still close enough to her Brazilian origins at this point in 1941 to add authenticity to her performance, especially in numbers like the Parrot song. For me the standout was Cesar Romero with his pitch perfect characterization and comedic timing. Of course, this was all done during a time when studios could still get away with ridiculously unrealistic plots, cardboard sets and offensive ethnic stereotypes, but as long as you can cut them a little slack in this regard, you will enjoy this film.

(2013-04-11 16:30:14)

Beautiful & funny

Great, beamer-friendly image, nice cast and very witty dialogues. Musical Sequences are okay. Hilarious highpoint when Romero drops the cheque... Also the ending I found very funny, that is rare to end on a good line. Comes in slipcase + little booklet + an envelope with four lobby cards. I'm embarrassed to admit that one lobby card was double! So I received one that is missing in another customers DVD, as the other customers comments suggests :-(

(2013-04-11 01:42:09)

Luna cubana...strange fascination!

Ships ahoy, Havana! Serene, musical golden Havana in the 40s... Shop girl saves for decades for week end cruise to Havana. Ship strikes sandbar so steam line pays top dollar for her week end. John Payne and Alice Faye are love interest, Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero provide secondary, feisty, fiery duo.

(2013-04-07 02:08:41)

The champagne's a little flat

This review is from: Week-End in Havana (DVD) While typically gaudy, lavish and tuneful, "Week-end in Havana" doesn't have the sparkle and fizz, the glitzy pizzazz of its Fox stablemates of the time: "Down Argentine Way" and "That Night in Rio". Alice Faye seems rather too mature a lady to be playing a ditzy shopgirl. Betty Grable would have brought more youthful feistiness to the role. And John Payne, a typical college nice guy, doesn't have the macho charisma of Don Ameche, the co-star in the other two musicals I've mentioned, to bring much vibrancy to his part. Put Payne and Faye together, and they're eclipsed by the exuberant Carmen Miranda and Cesare Romero, those reliable Latin-American stereotypes, who enliven the thin plot in every one of their scenes. Carmen, by now in her third screen appearance, was already trapped in the role of second=lead spitfire entertainer she would repeat again and again in over a dozen movies over the next ten years, never disappointing us with her always energetic and entertaining performances. This is a lazily enjoyable entry in 20th Century Fox's output of musicals in the early forties. Not one of the best, but still fun to see.

Kalaman

(2013-04-06 11:22:14)

Romance and Rhumba

Alice Faye, John Payne, Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero all fair betterin this lively and funny musical romp, directed by Walter Lang andenlivened by Fox's shimmering Technicolor, gorgeous costumes, and somenice rollicking musical numbers.Although "Week-End in Havana" is not as totally rapturous and frivolousas "Down Argentine Way" & "That Night in Rio", I was thoroughlyentertained. The plot is kind of unremarkable but it offers subtantialshowcase for its stars. Faye is the showgirl and tourist named Nan whogets a taste of Havana after her ship wrecks off the coast of Florida.Payne is Jay, the ship company representative who guides Nan in Havanaand persuades the gambler Monte Blanca (Romero) to romance her in orderto avoid legal battles. The gambler's girlfriend is the feisty RositaRivas (Miranda) who gets jealous of her man's coy romancing with theAmerican tourist. Ultimately a romance blooms between Nan and Jay andthe rest is history.All of this romantic nonsense is enlivened by the some catchy,entertaining musical numbers and dances, including "Romance andRhumba", "Tropical Magic", "The Man with the Lollypop", and "Week Endin Havana".Worth catching if you love this sort of fluff.