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Down Argentine Way

  • 19401940
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Carmen Miranda, Don Ameche, and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Musical
An American girl on vacation in Argentina falls for a wealthy racehorse owner.An American girl on vacation in Argentina falls for a wealthy racehorse owner.An American girl on vacation in Argentina falls for a wealthy racehorse owner.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Irving Cummings
  • Writers
    • Darrell Ware(screen play)
    • Karl Tunberg(screen play)
    • Rian James(story)
  • Stars
    • Don Ameche
    • Betty Grable
    • Carmen Miranda
Top credits
  • Director
    • Irving Cummings
  • Writers
    • Darrell Ware(screen play)
    • Karl Tunberg(screen play)
    • Rian James(story)
  • Stars
    • Don Ameche
    • Betty Grable
    • Carmen Miranda
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 1 win & 3 nominations total

    Photos50

    Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Carmen Miranda, Don Ameche, and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Don Ameche and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Carmen Miranda in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Carmen Miranda in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Don Ameche and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Don Ameche and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Don Ameche and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Don Ameche in Down Argentine Way (1940)
    Don Ameche and Betty Grable in Down Argentine Way (1940)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Don Ameche
    Don Ameche
    • Ricardo Quintanaas Ricardo Quintana
    Betty Grable
    Betty Grable
    • Glenda Crawfordas Glenda Crawford
    Carmen Miranda
    Carmen Miranda
    • Carmen Mirandaas Carmen Miranda
    Charlotte Greenwood
    Charlotte Greenwood
    • Binnie Crawfordas Binnie Crawford
    J. Carrol Naish
    J. Carrol Naish
    • Casianoas Casiano
    Henry Stephenson
    Henry Stephenson
    • Don Diego Quintanaas Don Diego Quintana
    Kay Aldridge
    Kay Aldridge
    • Helen Carsonas Helen Carson
    • (as Katharine Aldridge)
    Leonid Kinskey
    Leonid Kinskey
    • Tito Acunaas Tito Acuna
    Chris-Pin Martin
    Chris-Pin Martin
    • Estebanas Esteban
    Robert Conway
    Robert Conway
    • Jimmy Blakeas Jimmy Blake
    Gregory Gaye
    Gregory Gaye
    • Sebastianas Sebastian
    Bobby Stone
    • Panchitoas Panchito
    Charles Judels
    Charles Judels
    • Dr. Arturo Padillaas Dr. Arturo Padilla
    Fayard Nicholas
    Fayard Nicholas
    • One of the Nicholas Brothersas One of the Nicholas Brothers
    Harold Nicholas
    Harold Nicholas
    • One of the Nicholas Brothersas One of the Nicholas Brothers
    Thomas Dowling
    • Specialtyas Specialty
    Catherine Dowling
    • Specialtyas Specialty
    Pepe Guízar
    • Specialtyas Specialty
    • (as Pepe Guizar)
    • Director
      • Irving Cummings
    • Writers
      • Darrell Ware(screen play)
      • Karl Tunberg(screen play)
      • Rian James(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    An American girl on vacation in Argentina falls for a wealthy racehorse owner.
    • national film registry
    • remake
    • campy
    • timeframe 1930s
    • actress playing herself
    • 67 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • MUSIC...COLOR...ROMANCE (original poster-all caps)
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Musical
      • Romance
      • Sport
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This was the first of a series of Latin American-themed movies that became very popular with American audiences in the 1940s. Darryl F. Zanuck produced the film in response to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor Policy" of friendship towards Latin American countries. Also, with the war in Europe starting, Zanuck hoped to develop Mexico and South America as alternative markets for his Hollywood films. However, while Down Argentine Way (1940) was a success in America, the Argentines hated it! When the film was screened in Buenos Aires, Argentine government officials refused to allow it to be shown in any theaters in their country. Among the things the Argentines objected to: (1) None of the Argentine characters in the film spoke with an Argentine Castilian Spanish accent. (2) Several Argentine characters are depicted as lazy, freeloading, or dishonest. (3) The three Argentine bankers who greet Betty Grable at the airport speak to her in fractured English, when most upper-class Argentines spoke perfect English. (4) Casiano, the horse groom played by J. Carrol Naish, wears a "gaucho" outfit ("gauchos" are Argentine cowboys, not horse ranchers). (5) Although Carmen Miranda was popular in Argentina, she was Brazilian and sang Cuban-inspired songs in Portuguese. Her presence in the movie gave the impression that Argentina is a tropical country, when it is a mountain country.
    • Goofs
      Although Edward Fielding is listed in the credits as having portrayed Glenda Crawford's father, Willis Crawford, he is only seen at the Tuxedo Horse Show near the start of the film. He has no other scenes.
    • Quotes

      Glenda Crawford, aka Glenda Cunningham: Excuse me, I've got to go see a man about a horse.

    • Connections
      Featured in That's Dancing! (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Bambu Bambu
      (uncredited)

      Music traditional

      Lyrics by Almirante and Valdo De Abreu

      Performed by Carmen Miranda with Bando da Lua

    User reviews25

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    I have to see a man about a horse!
    Irving Cummings takes on a fun tour to Argentina. This is a happy musical that defies all logic as the writers Rian James and Ralph Spence appear to be telling us we're in Argentina, but taking us to Havana, by way of Rio de Janeiro. Talk about a confusion of styles!

    Once the viewer gets over the jet lag caused by the disorientation, we are introduced to the Crawford girls, Glenda and Binnie and the Quintana boys, Don Diego and Ricardo. Both these families have grown apart by something that happened long ago in Paris, when Glenda's father stole Don Diego's girlfriend. They're horse people and we are shown the Argentine estancia that looks more like a Mexican hacienda, but we go along for the ride. There's even a fiesta in the town where Binnie makes a splash dancing and being admired by the locals. There are the inevitable night club hopping scene where Carmen Miranda and the Nicholas Brothers are headlining. We see everyone dancing the craze of those years, a Cuban rhumba!

    Talk about a melange of styles!

    The costume designer Travis Burton dresses Ms. Grable and Ms. Greenwood in creations that might have been popular back home, but no sophisticated Argentine women would have been caught wearing them. Otherwise how can Mr. Burton show Betty Grable in that "American Flag" shmatte? How about the typical Cuban rhumba dancer dress at the end?

    The musical numbers are fine, but hello?, aren't we in Buenos Aires, a mild interpretation of a tango wouldn't have been out of place! Someone commented on Carmen Miranda's dancing, but in her two numbers she only shakes her hips and that's the extent of what she does. The amazing Nicholas Brothers fare better because they were the best in the business.

    Betty Grable and Don Ameche are fine playing with the material they were given. Charlotte Greenwood, Henry Stephenson, Leonard Kinskey and J. Carroll Naish seem to have a great deal of fun with their characters. As a curiosity, we get a glimpse of Elena Verdugo, who later became famous for her television work, just for a moment.

    The film is entertaining once we realize we have been taken for a mindless ride down the Argentine way.
    helpful•12
    4
    • jotix100
    • Mar 28, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 11, 1940 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The South American Way
    • Filming locations
      • Argentina
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 29 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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