Fiesta (1947)

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

When there is a cast like Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Cyd Charisse and Mary Astor, the film in question promises much. Because all four of these people are very talented at what they do and have been rarely less than watchable in their films.'Fiesta' is a long way from a bad film, it's colourful and it does have several good things about it. It is however a very uneven and heavily problematic film that considering the calibre of talent should have been much better than it was.Starting with 'Fiesta's' strengths, it's very handsomely mounted and is shot in glorious Technicolor. The music is full of liveliness and makes one want to tap their toes and get up and dance, a kind of energy that the rest of the film doesn't match. Love the use of Copland's 'El Salon Mexico'.The dance choreography is even better, the fiery dance routines with Montalban and Charisse are electrifying and 'Fiesta' is worth seeing for them alone. Montalban is as suave, dashing and charismatic as ever, while Charisse is charming and dances a dream. Astor is touching, though she deserved a bigger role and better material.On the other hand, as radiant as Williams looks and her brief swimming scene is nice (though nowhere near one of her best routines) she does look ill at ease and any drama never rings true, her character being somehow related to Montalban severely strains credibility. John Carroll is rather bland, and there are somewhat hammy turns from Akim Tamiroff and Fortunio Bonanova.Scripting-wise, 'Fiesta' is pretty pedestrian and contrived, not much wit here, while the story does lack momentum, is as thin as ice and credibility-straining nonsense. As for the bull scenes, for such a brutal "sport" they are pretty tame. Richard Thorpe's direction is undistinguished at best and the most energetic 'Fiesta' gets is in the scenes with Montalban and Charisse and the music.In summary, colourful but uneven. Good for a one-time watch, but not good enough for repeat viewings. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Although Esther Williams is top-billed, "Fiesta" is really a vehicle for the musical talents of Ricardo Montalban; his dancing duet with a young Cyd Charisse is a definite highlight, but you don't have to sit through the entire film to see it, you can find it on Youtube. There is also some good bullfighting footage (though obviously not involving the main actors, but stand-ins), and an unusual for a Hollywood musical Mexican flavor. But the "plot" is so exceedingly lame (and tiresome) that it buries an interesting theme underneath (tradition & father pressure vs. personal choice & creativity): are we supposed to believe that entire arenas full of people can't tell the difference between Ricardo Montalban and Esther Williams?! Less plot and more music were needed in this case. ** out of 4.

When "Fiesta" played in Tampa, more local Latinos went to see Montalban than the film or anyone else in it! This was because Montalban was a well known star from the many Mexican movies that played locally.However, in Mexico he was a serious actor while in Hollywood he was a "latin lover". In his first years more time was spent making him into a musical star than giving him time to display his acting talent.(He had to loose his hair to be taken seriously!) The movie was a vehicle for Esther Williams sans swimming pool (except for one brief scene) but it was Montalban and Cherrise's dancing that made it a hit. This was odd because Montalban was never in musicals in his native country. He sang -well he carried a tune- but actually danced quite well in order to creditably partner Cherrise and later on Anne Miller.The one dramatic scene -in which Montalban who wants to be a composer and not follow his father's footsteps in the arena - that shows off Montalban's acting. He is in a wayside saloon and on the radio he hears his composition...actually Aaron Copelands "Fantasia Mexicna"..and goes to a piano and interprets with passion, vigor and sensitivity his composition.An entertaining film and a great vehicle to feature Montalban. Too bad that his early cinematic years did not allow him to display his serious acting ability. Oh well, "That's Hollywood"...Ay Caramba!

Nobody has too much fun at this fiesa -- supposedly MGM's ads proclaimed "See-Esther in Fiesta" apparently confusing a party with a nap-- which is a closer description of this improbably Mexican diversion. Esther battles bulls to redeem her brother's name (Montalban) after he flees the ring the pursue a career as a composer. The music he wrote is actually Copland's "El Salon de Mexico" -- a piece whose hokey, bloated exoticism meshes perfectly with this movie. Nice color photography, and the producers, as usual, found an opportunity for Williams to get wet.