"Down Argentine Way" Review

 

by Daniel White

Recently on Facebook I was admonished for not focusing on prestige pictures, for devoting time to films, that were in his words, not "true classics". This got me thinking: what is a classic movie, and what makes it so?

Today is the birthday of film producer and executive, Darryl Zanuck (September 5, 1902 - December 22, 1979). Zanuck, while head of production at 20th Century Fox, was responsible for some of the more important, notable films released during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Grapes of Wrath, Gentlemen's Agreement, and All About Eve were all made under his watchful eye. By anyone's standards, all great films, all "true classics".

1940, the year The Grapes of Wrath was released, another film, produced by Zanuck came out, Down Argentine Way. Directed by Irving Cummings it was Fox's number one musical at the box office, making a superstar out of Betty Grable. What better way to honor Darryl Zanuck than to honor Down Argentine Way? Rebecca may have won Best picture that year but Betty Grable won America's heart, and really, which one is more significant?

Grable is Glenda Crawford, a wealthy young American with a penchant for horse breeding (and breaking into song in public), who loses her heart to Don Ameche, while wrangling to buy a horse from him. Ameche is smitten as well, but because of bad blood between our love birds' two fathers, misunderstanding reigns supreme (until the final reel of course). It's the flimsiest of plots, but plot is not Down Argentine Way's strength, what makes the film a winner, is its continuous stream of music, dancing, and singing, all presented in Technicolor splendor.

The movie's relevance only makes sense if the politics of the day are understood. 1940 was a precarious year for much of the world. Europe was involved in a fight for its survival against fascism, while Japan was gearing up to make its imperial presence known in the East. Here in the USA, another battle was waging, between those who wanted America to aid Great Britain and others who were resistant to our involvement in a second war on foreign soil. As part of Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy toward South America, he urged Hollywood to commence making movies that they would find appealing, an attempt to keep them on "our side." Down Argentine Way was one of the first films produced adhering to that agenda.

Set largely in Buenos Aires (or Hollywood's version of it), in true Tinseltown fashion for that time, unfortunately, most of the actors playing Argentinians were not even Latino. What a hue and cry that would cause in today's Hollywood...

Besides providing Betty Grable with a role that catapulted her into the leading ranks of musical comedy stars, Down Argentine Way was responsible for introducing the public to Carmen Miranda. Playing herself, she is the very definition of a novelty act. Eyes rolling, hips shimmying, bedecked in bangles, baubles, and beads (but unfortunately, no fruit), she opens the movie with the song, "South American Way". A cartoon like character come to life, Miss Miranda sets the tone for the film, and what a tone-setter she is!

Also on hand, displaying their exceptional terpsichorean skills are The Nicholas Brothers (Fayard and Harold) who are a sexy, talented duo that left me with a broad, goofy grin on my face when they had finished their number.

Down Argentine Way is perhaps too commercial, too obvious for most highbrow film buffs. Like its leading lady, it's fun without being fascinating, entertaining but not enigmatic. Certainly not an auteur driven film along the lines of The Great Dictator or Citizen Kane. As Auntie Em would say, "Hogwash!" Down Argentine Way is a heady mixture of art and artifice, a piece of Americana that is without a doubt, a "true classic".

With the long limbed, nimble Charlotte Greenwood, and a special nod to costume designer Travis Banton, who has dressed Betty beautifully, Down Argentine Way is available on YouTube.