Main Cast: Lana Turner, Ricardo Montalban, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen
Release Year: 1953
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
Plot
Lana Turner stars in this musical/romantic comedy amalgam from director Mervyn Leroy. Turner plays Nora Taylor, a wealthy heiress who finds herself seeing a psychiatrist because she can't decide whether she is loved for herself or her money. When her rich boyfriend (John Lund) takes off for Brazil, Nora tags along with him, hinting that the trip will improve their relationship. But once in Brazil, her boyfriend seems more interested in business dealings than love. As she waits around for her disinterested suitor, she meets a handsome Latin millionaire (Ricardo Montalban), and his charm makes her fall for him immediately. While this relationship is coalescing, Nora's boyfriend is beginning to notice her vivacious secretary Anne Kellwood (Jean Hagen). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
Latin Lovers is nothing but fluff, and for those in the mood for a mindless, eye-filling way to waste an hour and a half, it should be quite entertaining. But for those hungry for even the slightest bit of substance, Lovers can't provide the tiniest mouthful. Forget about the script right now; certainly, the writers seem to have. The plot is nothing more than a trifle, which in and of itself is not a crime. The problem is that the slender thread of story hasn't been told with any wit or originality. Instead, it has been told with costumes, art direction and cinematography. Fortunately, there's plenty of each of these, and they're all lush and gorgeous and yummy. There are also a few musical numbers, none of which is a classic but all of which are enjoyable, and which serve to highlight Lana Turner's graceful way with a dancing step and Ricardo Montalban's commandingly macho presence. Turner and Montalban are quite good, aware that the material they have is total nonsense but having a good time with it and treating it with more seriousness than it deserves. And Turner has rarely looked better. John Lund is adequate, but no more; Jean Hagen, as usual, makes a very positive impression. You might find that you can't remember much about Lovers ten minutes after it's over, but you'll probably find it a pleasant little diversion while you're actually watching. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Beulah Bondi - Woman Analyst; Eduard Franz - Dr. Lionel Y. Newman; Joaquin Garay - Zeca; Archer MacDonald - Howard G. Hubbell; Dorothy Neumann - Mrs. Newman; Robert Burton - Mr. Comberly; Rita Moreno - Christina; Suzanne Alexander - Brazilian Girl; Tristram Coffin - Paul's Business Associate; Beatrice Gray - Receptionist; Lois Kimbrell - Secretary; Paul Maxey - Mr. Costa; Matt Moore - Man; Paula Kelly - Herself, as one of the Modernaires
Credit
Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, Gabriel Scognamillo - Art Director, Helen Rose - Costume Designer, Herschel McCoy - Costume Designer, Mervyn LeRoy - Director, John McSweeney, Jr. - Editor, Nicholas Brodszky - Composer (Music Score), George Stoll - Musical Direction/Supervision, Joseph Ruttenberg - Cinematographer, Joe Pasternak - Producer, Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer, Jacque Mapes - Set Designer, Arnold A. Gillespie - Special Effects, Warren Newcombe - Special Effects, Isobel Lennart - Screenwriter
