Customer Reviews

Holiday in Mexico [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

MGM's musical songbird, Jane Powell, started her illustrious movie career in her mid-teens with two pictures on loan-out to United Artists--SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD and DELIGHTFULLY DANGEROUS. After her warm up in these films, Louis B. Mayer brought her home to star in her first big MGM technicolor musical--HOLIDAY IN MIXICO. Metro pulled out all stops for this film and made it a lavish, musical showpiece.

Walter Pidgeon played her dashing father, an ambassador to Mexico, and Roddy McDowell was her young, handsome friend. Illona Massey sang and seduced, Xavier Cugat gave us his Latin rhythms and Jose Iturbi embraced the ivories with musical fireworks and charm.

Local Mexican flavor (on MGM's back lot) gave a sparkle to the colorful production numbers and Jane sang four tried and true favorites in her youthful but rich soprano voice--ITALIAN STREET SONG, LE FILLES DE CADIZ, I THINK OF YOU and AVE MARIA. The last was staged in a dazzling concluding concert in a Spanish, Hollywood Bowl type, ourdoor theater. One could almost hear the heavens singing with her.

Jane went on to star in such hits as A DATE WITH JUDY, TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE, ROYAL WEDDING and the classic SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS but she got her big start here. Treat yourself to a holiday of beautiful music with HOLIDAY IN MEXICO.

I enjoyed HOLIDAY IN MEXICO very much.It is a lighthearted and humorous look at young women's adolescent"crushes".All the actors are good,especially Walter Pidgeon,as the American ambassador and Roddy McDowall as Jane Powell's boyfriend. Also Jos'e Iturbi plays the piano brilliantly and Xavier Cugat and his orchestra give us some bright latin music. Jane Powell in her first major film,as the teenage daughter of the ambassador,with her singing,acting and good looks,is superb.

this movie was overpriced. it was a very good movie, becouse i love jane powel. the picture was clear and the sound was good. i had actually never seen it. fluff, but enjoyable fluff. cost too much.

Beautiful colour, just what you need if you need cheering, a teen movie that adults will enjoy, lovely singing, comedy, I was glad to add it to my classics collection.

If you like upbeat, fantastic singing, beautiful sets, and great music, this is the kind of movie for you. Sit back with your family (it is actually family-friendly!) and popcorn and get ready to have fun in Mexico!

The problem with the story is way too much of Pidgeon and Massey. They are quite dull, and Massey's irritating vibrato ruins every song. She also ruins Balalaika, otherwise a very good musical.

The story is cute as you would expect with Jane running diplomat dad's household. She manages with her charm a great coup, to get both Iturbi and Cugat to entertain at a party she's planned for Dad. Well, with Iturbi, it was really her singing Fille Du Cadiz that persuaded him. All the time she's trying to keep lovesick Roddy from getting to serious. She doesn't sing as much as I would like. Her Italian Street Song is wonderful, rivaling others I've heard, and I've heard a lot of them.

Its lots of enjoyable nonsense with very fine music.

I have to admit it was a very well done movie, and I did enjoy it. Unfortunately, I have a small dislike for Jane Powell, formed after I saw Hit The Deck and Small Town Girl. She did, however, sing beautifully in this movie - I was impressed, to say the least. Her performance, however, lacked a special something. At times I found her annoying, though perhaps that was her intention - to make the character annoying. The story line was nothing wonderful, but cute and fun to watch. Roddy McDowall was excellent - this is the first movie I have seen him in as a child actor - he is extremely cute, and Jane Powell and he make a cute couple. Jose Iturbi's piano playing was excellent, and his performance, (acting), was quite good. Walter Pidgeon was very good as Jane Powell's father - he fit the role perfectly. Overall this was a very entertaining movie, and a fun way to spend two hours, but it's not anything special. I would actually like to give it a 3.5 rating, but since it is impossible, I chose to raise the rating to a 4 - because of Jane Powell's superb singing, and Roddy McDowall. I recommend this movie to fans of Jane Powell, Jose Iturbi, and Roddy McDowall, but if you were like me, looking for a good musical, there are tons better out there.