Posted: Fri., Dec. 31, 1943, 11:00pm PT

Brazil

By Variety Staff

Republic. Director Joseph Santley; Producer Robert North; Screenplay Frank Gill Jr, Laura Kerr; Camera Jack Marta; Editor Fred Allen; Music Ary Barroso; Art Director Russell Kimball

Tito Guizar Virginia Bruce Robert Livingston Henry Da Silva Edward Everett Horton Roy Rogers

With Ary Barroso, Latin-American composer who did the lilting 'Brazil' song-dance number, contributing bulk of music, this is in the groove for all who like south-of-border music.

Unlike too many films with Latin-American locales, this has a plot [by Richard English] that adds up. Virginia Bruce, as author of Why Marry a Latin? is in Rio to get material for a book on Brazil. She's hardly given a warm welcome because of that book. Otherwise, her stay in Brazil is okay because not recognized by natives. That is until she bumps into Tito Guizar. On learning she authored Why Marry a Latin? he decides to give her an object lesson, and prove that Latins aren't such lousy lovers. Of course, in trying to prove his point, Guizar falls in love with her.

Joseph Santley's direction is topflight throughout while Robert North has given the picture elaborate production backgrounding. Special camera crew went to Brazil for background shots, most important being the Rio carnival scenes.

1944: Nominations: Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Sound, Song ('Rio de Janeiro')

(B&W) Extract of a review from 1944. Running time: 91 MIN.