Customer Reviews

Mambo Kings [VHS]

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really enjoyed this film, based upon the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" by Oscar Hijuelos. With its sexy, pulsating, and rhythmic soundtrack, as well as the strong performances by the entire cast, this film is highly entertaining.

The events in this sharply stylized period film take place in the nineteen fifties, at the height of the mambo dance craze. Two young Cuban musicians, brothers Cesar (Armand Assante) and Nestor Castillo (Antonio Banderas), flee Cuba after a love triangle takes a potentially deadly twist. The love sick Nestor leaves behind the love of his life, the beautiful Maria Rivera (Talisa Soto), now married to his romantic rival.

The brothers arrive in New York, where Cesar meets the lushly sensuous, blonde bombshell, Lana Lake (Cathy Moriarty). They eventually marry, while Nestor, still carrying a torch for Maria, meets the sedate and quietly pretty Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), whom he eventually marries. Given a helping hand by fellow Cuban, Desi Arnaz, Sr. (Desi Arnaz, Jr.), Cesar and Nestor shortly become stars of the dance halls and clubs they play, where they are christened the "Mambo Kings".

Unfortunately, Cesar's dreams are not necessarily Nestor's dreams and conflicts arise. The brothers also run into trouble when Cesar's arrogance pits him against a musical syndicate that rules the clubs and dance halls with an iron hand, derailing their careers for a time. Moreover, Nestor's marriage is seriously troubled, because of his obsession with his lost love. Still, no matter what, there is always the music.

Armand Assante gives an over-the-top, manic performance as Cesar, the older brother whose arrogance and single-minded ambition nearly alienates his brother. He over-acts the part, making his character almost cartoonish, at times. It is as if he were drowning in his own machismo. Still, he infuses the role with a certain energy that makes him strangely compelling. Moreover, the guy can really dance!

It is the bittersweet performance by Antonio Banderas, however, that takes one's breath away. Antonio Banderas infuses the role of the artistic, younger brother, Nestor, with a poignancy, sensitivity, and sensuousness that is remarkable. He handles the role with a delicacy that nearly brought tears to my eyes. Banderas makes the viewer feel Nestor's pain, so palpable is his anguish over his lost love, Maria. When he sings his ode to her, ""Beautiful Maria of My Soul", the viewer is transfixed, so beautifully does he sing it.

Look for a cameo by the late Tito Puente. The late Celia Cruz also appears in this film, cast as Evalina Montoya, a popular club singer. The viewer is in for a treat with these two salsa greats doing what they do best. It was also somewhat eerie to see the role of Desi Arnaz, Sr. played by his real life son, Desi Arnaz, Jr., as the resemblance is so remarkable, right down to the accent. Special note should also be taken of Roscoe Lee Brown's silky performance as club impresario Fernando Perez.

The film captures the flavor of the nineteen fifties, when night clubs were synonymous with night life, and big bands still held sway. I particularly enjoyed this film, because my parents emigrated from Cuba. Having grown up in New York City during the nineteen fifties, this film holds a certain amount of nostalgia for me.

Definitely on my top 10. The Mambo Kings has several things that make it an all time favorite. First, it uses the medium to pull you in an give you the feeling you are part of the moment. The sets, costumes, cars, and music are detailed to perfection. Especially the music! Cameo's by the great singers of Cuban music make it real. Celia Cruz and the late Tito Puente are awesome! The theme song is beautiful and nothing less than haunting. Check out fantastic soundtrack.

Second, the plot takes some unique twists and turns. The relationship between two brother seems formulaic at the beginning and then both characters acquire unexpected depth and traits. I believe that both Antonio Banderas (this was his first Hollywood film) and Armand Assante give their best performances to date.

Ok, so Armand Assante's cuban "accent" isn't exactley convincing and the sparks between Dolores (Antonio's wife) and Cesar go nowhere, BUT, the music, dancing and THOSE GUYS are AWESOME!!! This continues to be one of my very favorite movies. The story is simple and predictable and that's okay because it's so much fun. There are some creative bits thrown in that make the familiarity of story just a bit different and the music is really phenominal-I want to get up and dance everytime I see it!
The book definitely should be read, but AFTER seeing the movie-it's darker and will detract from the fun of the film. Oh, by the way, Antonio has NEVER looked better!

Based on the first half of Oscar Hijuelos' novel "The Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love", it's one of the rare exceptions to the rule that movies adaptations of novels can never rise to the quality of the source material.

To this day, I cannot figure out why Armand Assante never received any props for this film whatsoever. Though not of Cuban descent, he's perfectly cast as the arrogant and hot-blooded Cesar Castillo. Antonio Banderas' first English film role doesn't do his career any harm; though he only learned the script phonetically, you won't notice the difference.

The other star of this film has to be the music; one of the best soundtracks of the 90s hands down, with music by Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Beny More, and Machito, this is a great Cuban music sampler.

If the ending of the film seems incomplete and/or rushed, it's because it ends right about halfway through the novel (the second half documents Cesar's latter years). But believe me you can't go wrong with this movie. Anybody who doesn't feel the beat of this film pounding through their veins is dead.

Enough about his co-star, Assante steals the film. I have seen the film well over 30 times, and words cannot begin to descibe how powerful The Mambo Kings is. Assante is a film God in his role as Ceasar Castillo - this part could not have been played by anyone else. The movie jerks you back to a time when life was simpler, familial ties were golden, and music was all that mattered. A must see for anyone who enjoys Latin music and longs for the days of Big Band, Rhumba, and Cha-Cha. Guest appearances by Cruz and Puente are the magic touch. I'm not Latin, nor was I alive during this era - but The Mambo Kings made me wish I were both. Kudos to Assante - He is "the last Coca-Cola in the desert" !

Oscar Hijuelos' great novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love forms the basis for this film although the movie version stops about halfway through Hijuelos' story largely ignoring the tragic second half of Cesar Castillo's life without his brother.

The brothers are played by Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas and both are extraordinarily well cast. Assante conveys the more hedonistic Cesar with greaat intensity and Banderas actually steals the film with a remarkable performance as the more sensitve brother Nestor.

Fine casting, including a fairly strong performance by the late Celia Cruz makes this movie a pleasure to watch. Marusckha Detmers plays Nestor's wife Dolores and while she looks great she poses more effectively than she acts.

Overall this is a fine entertaining film and while the plot is derived from the novel in order to translate it to the screen some obvious liberties were taken with the story that frankly do not detract much from the enjoyment of a film that stands on it's own merit.

The backdrop of 1950's Mambo-crazed NYC is also very cool and well done.

This is one of the best and most entertaining dramas depicting immigrants in America and one of the few featuring Cuban immigrants. Armand Assante is phenomenal as the older brother. Reviewers have written about Antonio Banderas in this movie, and his performance is noteworthy, particularly because it was his first English-speaking role, and he did a great job. But Assante's acting, his dancing, his excitement and his ENERGY have rarely been equaled on the screen. He worked his heart out in this movie. Assante's performance in "Mambo Kings" was Oscar-worthy, and I think he is a totally underrated actor who has never really been given his due. This film is a must see, and you won't be sorry you spent the time.

Two musicians, the Castillo brothers, immigrate from Cuba in search of fame and fortune in New York city's fabled night clubs of the early 1950's.

The older brother, Cesar (Armand Cassante), highly aggressive, mucho macho, searches for a chance to show their skills, while the younger brother, Nestor (Antonio Banderas), the sensitive artist, writes their songs. One of those is a plaintive ode to Maria that reflects the agony of his spurned love for her while in Cuba. His haunting bolero, "Beautiful Maria of my Soul", ultimately lands the brothers a spot on the "I Love Lucy" TV show, propelling them to fame.

Despite their success, Nestor's obsessive love of Maria follows him in a troubled marriage with the beautiful Dolores Pointe (Marushka Detmers). The story, poignant and touching, is a credible slice of life during the colorful big-band era of that time. Nestor's continuing anguish over Maria's lost love finally ends in a fatal automobile accident that, although tragic, somehow seems fitting.

The acting and the music are excellent. If you enjoy Latin rhythm and Cuban passions, you'll love this movie.

Now that Latin music is so popular, it would be a perfect time to re-release this wonderful film. Makes me want to Mambo!! In his first English speaking role, Antonio Banderas steals the show. Would have loved to have heard him sing more (we now know from Evita that he has a a powerful voice). Antonio did most of his stunts in Desparado and was a sword fighter in Zorro, but in this movie he is a convincing trumpet player. This film combines spirited music, a very good story and good acting. Roscoe Brown and Celia Cruz add class. Desi Arnez Jr plays his father and there is a wonderfully funny sequence where clips of Lucille Ball are woven into the story. Very, very enjoyable.

While the film THE MAMBO KINGS is not as detailed or insightful as Oscar Hijuelos's novel THE MAMBO KINGS PLAY SONGS OF LOVE which won the 1990 Pulitzer prize it is still an excellent entertaining film. The most striking feature of the movie is how well it makes 1950's Cuban American life in upper Manhattan live again complete with wonderful mambo and other Latin music of the period and even a visit from Desi Arnaz (played by his son with amazing accuracy).

The two Mambo kings are the Castillo brothers - Cesar and Nestor - musicians who fled Havana after a bloody dispute with a nightclub owner. Cesar is the ambitious older brother played perfectly by Armand Assante. Assante magically captures Cesar's sleazy good looks and coarse confident charisma. As one character in the film says of Cesar "He thinks he is the last Coca Cola in the desert." Nestor is played with surprising sensitivity by Antonio Banderos and he is the song writer and trumpet player for the Mambo Kings. Nestor longs for Cuba and the girl he left there, Maria, though he also rather touchingly constantly reads a book entitled FORWARD AMERICA apparently written by one of the Vanderbilts. Both men find significant others in the US with an American blond bombshell who sells cigarettes in one of the clubs becoming Cesar's best girl while Nestor eventually marries another Cuban immigrant, the shy but beautiful Delores, who aspires to be a teacher.

The boys have some early success in New York but mostly because of Cesar's temper and pride fall on hard times and are reduced to working as butchers by day and playing for Bar Mitzvahs, weddings and strippers by night. Eventually they get a break from Desi Arnaz who lets them play on his hit TV show I LOVE LUCY. In a fun bit Assante, Bandearas and Arnaz Jr. are inter-cut with footage with Lucille Ball from the original classic show. But lasting happiness and success are not in the cards for the brothers.

MAMBO KINGS is an important film as it preserves the dance, music and culture of the Latin communities in NYC in the 50's. Legendary Tito Puente appears as himself and salsa queen Celia Cruz plays an interesting character on the mambo scene and demonstrates her singing and dancing talents and both add to the authenticity of the film. This well made movie will be appreciated be most discriminating film fans.