The Three Caballeros
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''The Three Caballeros'' is a 1944 American live-action/animated
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
anthology film An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...
produced by
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
and released by
RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...
. The film premiered in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the United States on February 3, 1945 and in the United Kingdom in March 1945. It was the 7th Walt Disney animated feature film, and it marks the 10th anniversary of
Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...
and plots an adventure through parts of Latin America, combining
live-action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ga ...
and
animation Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
. This is the second of the six package films released by
Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
in the 1940s, following ''
Saludos Amigos ''Saludos Amigos'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "Greetings, Friends") is a 1942 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated anthology film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures. It is the List of ...
'' (1942). It is also notable for being one of the first feature-length films to incorporate traditional animation with live-action actors. The film is plotted as a series of self-contained segments, strung together by the device of
Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...
opening birthday gifts from his Latin American friends. Several Latin American stars of the period appear, including singers
Aurora Miranda Aurora Miranda da Cunha Richaid (20 April 1915 – 22 December 2005) was a Brazilian singer and actress. She began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. Miranda appeared in several films, including ''The Three Caballeros'', where she danced with ...
(sister of
Carmen Miranda Carmen Miranda, (; born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, 9 February 1909 – 5 August 1955) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress and film star who was active from the late 1920s onwards. Nicknamed "The B ...
) and
Dora Luz Dora Luz (27 May 1918 – 12 July 2018) was a Mexican singer and recording artist. She is known for her performance in Walt Disney's ''The Three Caballeros'' (1944), in which she sings Agustín Lara's "You Belong to My Heart" to Donald Duck. She a ...
, as well as singer and dancer Carmen Molina. The film was produced as part of the studio's goodwill message for Latin America. The film stars
Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...
, who in the course of the film is joined by old friend José Carioca, the cigar-smoking parrot from ''Saludos Amigos'', who represents
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, and later becomes friends with a pistol-packing rooster named
Panchito Pistoles Panchito Pistoles is a cartoon character, cartoon anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic rooster created by Fred Moore (animator), Fred Moore. He first appeared in the 1944 Disney film ''The Three Caballeros'' with his friends Donald Duck and José Ca ...
, who represents
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.


Plot

The film, celebrating Donald Duck's 10th anniversary, consists of seven segments, each connected by a common theme. In the film, it is
Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...
's birthday (namely Friday the 13th), and he receives three presents from friends in
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
. The first present is a
film projector A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying motion picture film by projecting it onto a screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras. Modern ...
, which shows him a documentary about birds called . The first segment of the documentary tells the story of Pablo, a penguin seeking the warm weather of Equatorial South America. The next segment details some of the odd birds of Latin America. During this part documentary, he learns about the Aracuan Bird, who received his name because of his eccentric song. The documentary then shifts to the perspective of a man narrating a story from his childhood, where he discovers and befriends a donkey with the wings of a condor in
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
. The next present is a book given to Donald by José. This book tells of
Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
(spelled "Baía" in the film), which is one of Brazil's 26 states. José shrinks them both down so that they can enter the book. Donald and José meet up with several of the locals, who dance a lively
samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
, and Donald ends up pining for one girl Yaya, the cookie seller, but fails and gets jealous of another man. After the journey, Donald and José leave the book. Upon returning, Donald realizes that he is too small to open his third present. José shows Donald how to use "black magic" to return himself to the proper size. After opening the present, he meets Panchito, a native of Mexico. The trio take the name "The Three Caballeros" and have a short celebration. Panchito then presents Donald's next present, a . Panchito tells Donald of the tradition behind the piñata. José and Panchito then blindfold Donald, and have him attempt to break open the piñata, eventually revealing many surprises. The celebration draws to a close when Donald is fired away by firecrackers in the shape of a ferocious toy bull (with which the
firecracker A firecracker (cracker, noise maker, banger) is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang, usually for celebration or entertainment; any visual effect is incidental t ...
s are lit by José with his cigar). Throughout the film, the Aracuan Bird appears at random moments. He usually taunts everyone with his madcap antics, sometimes stealing José's cigar and trying to make José jealous. His most famous gag is when he re-routes a train that Donald and José are riding on by drawing new tracks, causing the train to disassemble. The film consists of seven segments:


"The Cold-Blooded Penguin"

This segment is narrated by
Sterling Holloway Sterling Price Holloway Jr. (January 4, 1905 – November 22, 1992) was an American actor and voice actor who appeared in over 100 films and 40 television shows. He did voice acting for The Walt Disney Company, playing Mr. Stork in ''Dumbo'', Ad ...
, reproducing images of the penguins of in
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
. In the segment, a penguin named Pablo is so fed up with the freezing conditions of the
South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, Terrestrial South Pole or 90th Parallel South, is one of the two points where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on Earth and lies antipod ...
that he decides to leave his home for warmer climates, navigating the long coast of Chile (including the
Juan Fernández Islands The Juan Fernández Islands ( es, Archipiélago Juan Fernández) are a sparsely inhabited series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean reliant on tourism and fishing. Situated off the coast of Chile, they are composed of three main volcanic i ...
and
Viña del Mar Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located within the Valparaíso Region, and it is Chile's fourth largest city w ...
), passing by
Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
(the capital of
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...
) and
Quito Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley o ...
(the capital of
Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
) before landing on the
Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands (Spanish: , , ) are an archipelago of volcanic islands. They are distributed on each side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, and are part of the Republic of Ecuador ...
.


"The Flying Gauchito"

This segment, with adult narration provided by Fred Shields, involves the adventures of a little boy from Uruguay and a winged donkey, who goes by the name of Burrito (which is Spanish for "little donkey").


"Baía"

This segment involves a pop-up book trip through the Brazilian state of
Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
(spelled Baía in the film), as Donald and José meet up with some of the locals who dance a samba and Donald pining for one of the women, portrayed by singer
Aurora Miranda Aurora Miranda da Cunha Richaid (20 April 1915 – 22 December 2005) was a Brazilian singer and actress. She began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. Miranda appeared in several films, including ''The Three Caballeros'', where she danced with ...
.


"Las Posadas"

This is the story of a group of Mexican children who celebrated
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
by re-enacting the journey of
Mary, the mother of Jesus Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
and
Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...
searching for room at the inn. meant "inn", or "shelter", and their parents told them "no " at each house until they came to one where they were offered shelter in a stable. This leads to festivities including the breaking of the , which in turn leads to Donald Duck trying to break his ''own'' as well.


"Mexico: Pátzcuaro, Veracruz and Acapulco"

Panchito gives Donald and José a tour of
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
and the country of Mexico on a flying
sarape The serape or jorongo is a long blanket-like shawl/cloak, often brightly colored and fringed at the ends, worn in Mexico, especially by men. The spelling of the word sarape (or zarape) is the accepted form in Mexico and in other Spanish-spea ...
, or magic carpet. Several Mexican dances and songs are learned here. A key point to what happens later is that Donald is pining for some more ladies again, tries to hound down every single one he sees, and gain return affections, but once more he fails every time and ends up kissing José while blindfolded.


"You Belong to My Heart" and "Donald's Surreal Reverie"

The skies of Mexico City result in Donald falling in love with singer
Dora Luz Dora Luz (27 May 1918 – 12 July 2018) was a Mexican singer and recording artist. She is known for her performance in Walt Disney's ''The Three Caballeros'' (1944), in which she sings Agustín Lara's "You Belong to My Heart" to Donald Duck. She a ...
. The lyrics in the song itself play parts in the scenarios as to what is happening as well. Then several imagined kisses lead to Donald going into the "Love is a drug" scene. Donald constantly envisions sugar rush colors, flowers, and Panchito and José popping in at the worst moments, making chaos. The scene changes after Donald manages to dance with Carmen Molina from the state of Oaxaca, from the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec The Isthmus of Tehuantepec () is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Before the opening of the Panama Canal, it was a major overland transport route known simply as the Te ...
. The two dance and sing the song . Carmen begins by singing the song, with Donald "quacking" out the rest of the chorus with her. The "drunkenness" slows down for a second after Donald multiplied himself while dancing, but speeds up again when Carmen reappears dressed in a
Charro Charro has several meanings, but it generally refers to Mexican horse riders, who maintain traditional dress, such as some form of sombrero, which in Mexican Spanish are called ''sombrero de charro'' (a charro's hat). The charros could also ...
's outfit and uses a horsewhip as a conductor's baton to make
cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...
appear in many different forms while dancing to , a trademark song of the
Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
. This scene is notable for providing the masterful combination of live-action and cartoon animation, as well as animation among the cacti. The scene is interrupted when Panchito and José suddenly spice things up for the finale of the movie, and Donald ends up battling the same toy bull with wheels on its legs the day before from earlier. The catch is that it is now loaded with fireworks and other explosives, following with a fireworks finale with the words "The End" exploding from the fireworks, first in Spanish (), in the colors of the
flag of Mexico The national flag of Mexico ( es, Bandera de México) is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these thre ...
, then the second in Portuguese (), in the colors of the
flag of Brazil The national flag of Brazil ( pt, bandeira do Brasil), is a blue disc depicting a starry sky (which includes the Southern Cross) spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto "''Ordem e Progresso''" ("Order and Progress"), within a y ...
, and finally in English, in the colors of the
flag of the United States The national flag of the United States, United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rect ...
(''The End'').


Voice cast

*
Clarence Nash Clarence Charles "Ducky" Nash (December 7, 1904 – February 20, 1985) was an American voice actor. He was best known as the original voice of the Disney cartoon character Donald Duck. He was born in the rural community of Watonga, Oklahoma, and ...
as
Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...
*
José do Patrocínio Oliveira José do Patrocínio Oliveira ( Jundiaí, February 11, 1904 – Los Angeles, December 22, 1987), known by the pseudonym Zé Carioca, was a Brazilian musician and voice actor. Biography Self-taught on musical instruments, Zé Carioca played the ...
as José Carioca (Used in the Brazilian Portuguese version) *
Joaquin Garay Joaquin Garay (November 15, 1911 – September 13, 1990) was a Mexican actor and singer known for voicing Panchito Pistoles in the 1944 Walt Disney film ''The Three Caballeros''. Career Born in El Oro, Mexico, Garay came to America at eleven mon ...
as
Panchito Pistoles Panchito Pistoles is a cartoon character, cartoon anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic rooster created by Fred Moore (animator), Fred Moore. He first appeared in the 1944 Disney film ''The Three Caballeros'' with his friends Donald Duck and José Ca ...
(Used in the Mexican Spanish version) *
Pinto Colvig Vance DeBar Colvig Sr. (September 11, 1892 – October 3, 1967), professionally Pinto Colvig, was an American voice actor, newspaper cartoonist, and circus and vaudeville performer whose schtick was playing the clarinet off-key while mugging. C ...
as the Aracuan Bird *
Aurora Miranda Aurora Miranda da Cunha Richaid (20 April 1915 – 22 December 2005) was a Brazilian singer and actress. She began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. Miranda appeared in several films, including ''The Three Caballeros'', where she danced with ...
as Yaya *
Dora Luz Dora Luz (27 May 1918 – 12 July 2018) was a Mexican singer and recording artist. She is known for her performance in Walt Disney's ''The Three Caballeros'' (1944), in which she sings Agustín Lara's "You Belong to My Heart" to Donald Duck. She a ...
* Carmen Molina *
Sterling Holloway Sterling Price Holloway Jr. (January 4, 1905 – November 22, 1992) was an American actor and voice actor who appeared in over 100 films and 40 television shows. He did voice acting for The Walt Disney Company, playing Mr. Stork in ''Dumbo'', Ad ...
as the Narrator (''Pablo the Cold-Blooded Penguin'') * Frank Graham as the Narrator * Fred Shields as the Narrator (''The Flying Gauchito'') (Spanish with a Mexican accent) * Francisco "Frank" Mayorga as the Mexican Guitarist * Nestor Amaral as José Carioca singing voice ''Baia'' *
Trío Calaveras Trío Calaveras is a Mexican guitar and vocal trio, notable for its performances and recordings with the pop singer Jorge Negrete. History ''Calaveras'', in Spanish, means "skulls". The original members of the trio in the 1930s were Guillermo ...
* Trío Ascencio del Río * Padua Hills Player * Carlos Ramírez – ''Mexico''


Soundtrack

The film's original score was composed by Edward H. Plumb, Paul J. Smith, and
Charles Wolcott Charles Frederick Wolcott (September 29, 1906 in Flint, United States – January 26, 1987 in Haifa, Israel) was a music composer who served as a member of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Baháʼí Faith, between 19 ...
. * The title song, "The Three Caballeros", based its melody on , a Mexican song composed by
Manuel Esperón Manuel Esperón González (August 3, 1911 – February 13, 2011) was a Mexican songwriter and composer.
with lyrics by Ernesto Cortázar. was originally released in a 1941 film of the same name, starring
Jorge Negrete Jorge Alberto Negrete Moreno (; 30 November 1911 – 5 December 1953) was a Mexican singer and actor. Life and career Negrete was born in the city of Guanajuato and had two brothers and three sisters; his father was a Mexican Army Colonel who ...
. After seeing Manuel Esperón's success in the Mexican movie industry, Walt Disney called him personally to ask him to participate in the movie. New English lyrics were written to the song by
Ray Gilbert Ray Gilbert (September 5, 1912 – March 3, 1976) was an American lyricist. He grew up in Hartford, Connecticut. Career Gilbert is best remembered for the lyrics to the Oscar-winning song " Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" from the film ''Song of the South'', ...
. *"Baía" based its melody on the Brazilian song which was written by
Ary Barroso Ary de Resende Barroso (1903–1964), better known as Ary Barroso, was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV. He was one of Brazil's most successful songwriters in the first half of the 20th centur ...
and first released in 1938. New English lyrics were written by Ray Gilbert. Another Ary Barroso song, , was featured in the earlier film ''
Saludos Amigos ''Saludos Amigos'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "Greetings, Friends") is a 1942 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated anthology film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures. It is the List of ...
'' with its original Portuguese lyrics. * " Have You Been to Bahia?" was written by
Dorival Caymmi Dorival Caymmi (; April 30, 1914 – August 16, 2008) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, actor, and painter active for more than 70 years, beginning in 1933. He contributed to the birth of Brazil's bossa nova movement, and several of his samba ...
and was originally released in 1941. The song was translated into English with no major changes, other than replacing the word (a woman of African descent) with "Donald", who the song is addressed to in the film. Parts of the song are still sung in its original Portuguese. *"Pandeiro & Flute" was written by Benedito Lacerda, and is played during the Baia train sequence. It is the opinion of Disney's Chief Archivist Emeritus, Dave Smith, that the piece was not written originally for the film, but was instead licensed to Disney; however, he is unaware of any evidence that proves this opinion. The piece was developed by Charles Wolcott, and Lacerda went uncredited in the film. * was written by Ary Barroso and first released in 1941. Unlike Barroso's other song to be featured in this film, was left in its original Portuguese. The song is sung by
Aurora Miranda Aurora Miranda da Cunha Richaid (20 April 1915 – 22 December 2005) was a Brazilian singer and actress. She began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. Miranda appeared in several films, including ''The Three Caballeros'', where she danced with ...
in the film. * is briefly interrupted by Nestor Amaral singing a small portion of which was written by Braguinha in 1931. This song was first recorded under the name and came to be known as in 1936. * "Mexico" was composed by Charles Wolcott with lyrics by Ray Gilbert and was sung by Carlos Ramírez. It is the only song in the film to be completely original. * The was written by Jonás Yeverino Cárdenas in 1900. It is considered one of the most famous compositions from the Mexican state of
Coahuila Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...
. * " Lilongo" was written by Felipe "El Charro" Gil and copyrighted in the U.S. in 1946, though it was first recorded in the U.S. in 1938. It is performed by
Trío Calaveras Trío Calaveras is a Mexican guitar and vocal trio, notable for its performances and recordings with the pop singer Jorge Negrete. History ''Calaveras'', in Spanish, means "skulls". The original members of the trio in the 1930s were Guillermo ...
in the film. * "
You Belong to My Heart "You Belong to My Heart" is the name of an English-language version of the Mexican Bolero song "Solamente una vez" (''Only Once'', in English). This song was composed by Mexican songwriter Agustín Lara and originally performed by singer Ana Marí ...
" based its melody on the Mexican song , which was written by
Agustín Lara Ángel Agustín María Carlos Fausto Mariano Alfonso del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Lara y Aguirre del Pino (; October 30, 1897 – November 6, 1970), known as Agustín Lara, was a Mexican composer and performer of songs and boleros. He is recogn ...
. Like and , new English lyrics were written to the song by Ray Gilbert. * (also spelled ) is a traditional Mexican song and the unofficial anthem of the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec The Isthmus of Tehuantepec () is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Before the opening of the Panama Canal, it was a major overland transport route known simply as the Te ...
, in the Mexican state of
Oaxaca Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...
. The melody is believed to have originated from
Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
and was rearranged by Andres Gutierrez. Lyrics were written to it by Máximo Ramó Ortiz in 1853. It was arranged for this film by Charles Wolcott. * The instrumental composition which plays while the cacti are dancing is , a trademark of the
Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
which was written by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés in 1916. Over time this piece has also come to be known under the names "J.C. Polka", "Jesse Polka", and "Cactus Polka". * The instrumental composition ("Over the Waves") written by Mexican songwriter
Juventino Rosas José Juventino Policarpo Rosas Cadenas (25 January 18689 July 1894) was a Mexican composer and violinist. Life and career Rosas was born in Santa Cruz, Guanajuato, later renamed Santa Cruz de Galeana, Guanajuato, and still later into Santa Cru ...
and first published in 1888 can be heard in the film's score during "The Cold-Blooded Penguin" segment while Pablo the penguin is sailing to the Galápagos Islands. A small portion of "
Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857. It has been claimed t ...
" is briefly sung by Donald Duck. *"Babalu" by Desi Arnaz is used briefly. * The title song from is heard instrumentally when Donald first opens his presents.


Release


Theatrical

The film premiered in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the United States on February 3, 1945, and in the United Kingdom in March of that year. ''The Three Caballeros'' was re-released to theaters on April 15, 1977. For this re-issue, the film was edited significantly and re-released in
featurette In the American film industry, a featurette is a kind of film that is shorter than a full-length feature, but longer than a short film. The term may refer to either of two types of content: a shorter film or a companion film. Medium-length film ...
form at 41 minutes, to accompany a re-issue of '' Never a Dull Moment''.


Television

For the film's television premiere, ''The Three Caballeros'' aired as the ninth episode of the first season of
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
'' television series. Edited, shortened, and re-titled ''A Present for Donald'' for this December 22, 1954, broadcast and subsequent re-runs, Donald receives gifts from his friends for Christmas, instead of for his birthday as in the original.


Home media

* November 19, 1982 (VHS and
Betamax Betamax (also known as Beta, as in its logo) is a consumer-level analog recording and cassette format of magnetic tape for video, commonly known as a video cassette recorder. It was developed by Sony and was released in Japan on May 10, 1975, ...
) * October 6, 1987 and October 4, 1988 (VHS, Betamax and
Laserdisc The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...
) * October 28, 1994 (VHS and Laserdisc – Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection) * 1995 (Laserdisc – Exclusive Archive Collection) * May 2, 2000 (VHS and DVD – Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection) * April 29, 2008 (DVD – Classic Caballeros Collection) * January 30, 2018 (Blu-ray – 75th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection)


Reception


Critical reception

''The Three Caballeros'' received mixed reviews upon its original release. Most critics were relatively perplexed by the "technological razzle-dazzle" of the film, thinking that, in contrast to the previous feature films up to this time, "it displayed more flash than substance, more technique than artistry."
Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...
for one wrote in ''The New York Times'', "Dizzy Disney and his playmates have let their technical talents run wild." Other reviewers were taken aback by the sexual dynamics of the film, particularly the idea of Donald Duck lusting towards flesh-and-blood women. As
Wolcott Gibbs Wolcott Gibbs (March 15, 1902 – August 16, 1958) was an American editor, humorist, theatre critic, playwright and writer of short stories, who worked for ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1927 until his death. He is notable for his 1936 parody o ...
put it in a negative review of the film for ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', such a concept "is one of those things that might disconcert less squeamish authorities than the Hays office. It might even be said that a sequence involving the duck, the young lady, and a long alley of animated cactus plants would probably be considered suggestive in a less innocent medium." The film holds an 83% approval rating on
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
based on 18 reviews, with an average score of 6.50/10. The site's consensus reads, "One of Disney's more abstract creations, ''The Three Caballeros'' is a dazzling, colorful picture that shows the company at an artistic acme."


Box office

The film returned rentals to RKO by 1951 of $3,355,000 with $1,595,000 being generated in the U.S. and Canada. The film generated in excess of $700,000 in Mexico.


Accolades


Other media

* The Aracuan Bird later made an appearance in the 1947 short film '' Clown of the Jungle'', where it constantly interrupts Donald's attempts to photograph birds in a South American jungle. *
Agustín Lara Ángel Agustín María Carlos Fausto Mariano Alfonso del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Lara y Aguirre del Pino (; October 30, 1897 – November 6, 1970), known as Agustín Lara, was a Mexican composer and performer of songs and boleros. He is recogn ...
's song "
You Belong to My Heart "You Belong to My Heart" is the name of an English-language version of the Mexican Bolero song "Solamente una vez" (''Only Once'', in English). This song was composed by Mexican songwriter Agustín Lara and originally performed by singer Ana Marí ...
" was featured in a Disney short called ''
Pluto's Blue Note ''Pluto’s Blue Note'' is a 1947 animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions that stars Pluto. The film was nominated for the 1948 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film but lost to Warner Bros.’ ''Tweetie Pie''. Plot Pluto w ...
'' (1947). It was later recorded by
Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
.
Ary Barroso Ary de Resende Barroso (1903–1964), better known as Ary Barroso, was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV. He was one of Brazil's most successful songwriters in the first half of the 20th centur ...
's song "Bahia" and the title song became popular hit tunes in the 1940s. The complete "Bahia" sequence was cut from the 1977 theatrical reissue of the film. * One of the scenes of the former Mickey Mouse Revue features Donald, Jose and Panchito in the show, performing the movie's theme song. In the queue for
Mickey's PhilharMagic ''Mickey's PhilharMagic'' is a 4D film attraction found at several Disney theme parks around the world, including Magic Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park (Paris), and ...
, there is a poster for , which also features the three protagonists. They also appear in some of Disney's themed resorts, such as
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is a resort hotel at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort that opened on August 1, 1997. The resort is located in the Animal Kingdom Resort Area. Its theme is American colonial Spanish and southwestern A ...
where one can find topiaries of the trio, and
Disney's All-Star Music Resort Disney's All-Star Music Resort is a resort that is part of the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of five resorts in the Value Resort category, along with Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, Disney's Pop Century Reso ...
where a fountain depicting the trio is the centrepiece of the Guitar-shaped Calypso Pool. * Some clips from this film were used in the "Welcome to Rio" portion of the ''
Mickey Mouse Disco ''Mickey Mouse Disco'' is an album released by Disneyland Records in 1979. A late entry in the genre of disco, ''Mickey Mouse Disco'' included disco versions of Disney songs and Disney-fied versions of disco hits. The album was re-released on CD ...
'' music video. * Fictional music group
Alvin and the Chipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply The Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for novelty records in 1958. The group consists of three s ...
covered the title song, "The Three Caballeros", for their 1995 Disney-themed album ''
When You Wish Upon a Chipmunk When You Wish Upon a Chipmunk is a 1995 music album by '' Alvin and the Chipmunks'', released by Sony Wonder, and contains 10 tracks. The album features the Chipmunks and Chipettes singing Disney songs. A footnote on the back of the CD case sta ...
''; however,
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
neither sponsored nor endorsed the album the song was featured on. *
Don Rosa Keno Don Hugo Rosa (), known simply as Don Rosa (born June 29, 1951), is an American comic book writer and illustrator known for his Disney comics stories about Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, and other characters which Carl Barks created fo ...
wrote and drew two comic book sequels: ''
The Three Caballeros Ride Again "The Three Caballeros Ride Again" is a 2000 Donald Duck comic by Don Rosa. The story was first published in the Danish '' Anders And & Co.'' #2000-40; the first American publication was in ''Walt Disney's Comics and Stories'' #635, in August 20 ...
'' (2000) and ''
The Magnificent Seven (Minus 4) Caballeros "The Magnificent Seven (Minus 4) Caballeros" is a 2005 Disney comic written and drawn by Don Rosa. The story was first published in the Danish '' Anders And & Co.'' #2005-03; the first American publication was in ''Walt Disney's Comics and Stori ...
'' (2005). * In February 2001, José and Panchito performed with Donald in the ''
House of Mouse ''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American Animation, animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired for three seasons on ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001, to ...
'' episode "The Three Caballeros", voiced by
Carlos Alazraqui Carlos Jaime Alazraqui (born July 20, 1962) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, impressionist, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Deputy James Garcia on '' Reno 911!'' and for his voice acting roles. His extensive ...
(Pistoles) and
Rob Paulsen Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program and three Anni ...
(Carioca), appearing as recurring characters after that. In 2015, also makes an appearance in ''
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an animated cartoon Character (arts), character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime mascot of The Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red sho ...
'' episode as performers at Mickey's birthday. The pair later appeared in the ''
Mickey and the Roadster Racers ''Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures'' is an American CGI-animated preschool television series that was broadcast on Disney Junior. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series is the successor to ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse''. Originally ...
'' episode "Mickey's Perfecto Day", in which they are former bandmates of Donald's who perform a concert with
Daisy Duck Daisy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. As the girlfriend of Donald Duck, she is an anthropomorphic white duck that has large eyelashes and ruffled tail feathers around her lowest region to suggest a skirt. She is ...
after Donald is unable to take part. * In September 2006, Panchito and José returned to Walt Disney World where they appeared for meet and greets. They were only found outside the Mexico pavilion in
World Showcase Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Disney Parks, Experiences and ...
at Epcot. Donald also appeared with them. * In April 2007, the film became the basis for a ride at the Mexican pavilion at
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
's
Epcot Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unreal ...
named Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. * The 2011 Mickey's Soundsational Parade at
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
features all three Caballeros and the Aracuan Bird in one parade unit. * Along with many other Disney characters, Panchito, José, and Donald appear in the updated
It's a Small World "It's a Small World" is a water-based boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks worldwide, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo D ...
ride at
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
during the section portraying
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. * On June 9, 2018, a new show called ''
Legend of the Three Caballeros ''Legend of the Three Caballeros'' is an animated television series based on the 1944 animated Disney film ''The Three Caballeros'' and features the characters Donald Duck, José Carioca and Panchito Pistoles. It was first released in 2018 in ...
'' was produced by
Disney Interactive Disney Interactive is an American video game and internet company that oversaw various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company. History 1995–1996: Formation and beginnings In December 1994, Disney announced that it wa ...
focusing on crazy adventures and was first released on the DisneyLife app in the Philippines. It produced 13 episodes. * José and Panchito make appearances in the 2017 ''DuckTales'' reboot, with Bernardo De Paula as José and
Arturo Del Puerto Arturo del Puerto is an American actor known for his roles on '' Fear the Walking Dead'', '' Chicago P.D.,'' ''Ride Along 2'', and the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama series '' For All Mankind.'' Biography Del Puerto is half Puer ...
as Panchito.


See also

* ''
Walt & El Grupo ''Walt & El Grupo'' is a 2008 American documentary film written and directed by Theodore Thomas. Summary A presentation of Walt Disney Family Foundation Films, the film tells the story of Walt Disney's 1941 U.S. Government sponsored trip to Lat ...
'', a 2008 documentary film about the making of ''The Three Caballeros'' *
1944 in film The year 1944 in film involved some significant events, including the wholesome, award-winning ''Going My Way'' plus popular murder mysteries such as ''Double Indemnity'', ''Gaslight'' and '' Laura''. Top-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1944 ...
*
List of American films of 1944 Below is a list of American films released in 1944. ''Going My Way'' won Best Picture at the 17th Academy Awards. The remaining four nominees were ''Double Indemnity'', ''Gaslight'', ''Since You Went Away'' and '' Wilson''. A B C D E-F ...
*
List of Walt Disney Pictures films This is a list of films produced by and released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner (known as that since 1983, with ''Never Cry Wolf'' as its first release) and films released before that under the former name of the parent company, Walt ...
*
List of Disney theatrical animated features This list of theatrical animated feature films consists of animated films produced or released by The Walt Disney Studios, the film division of The Walt Disney Company.This list does not include films or specials streamed on Disney+ as Disne ...
*
List of animated feature films of the 1940s A list of animated feature films released in the 1940s. {{DEFAULTSORT:Animated films 1940 1940s File:1940s decade montage.png, Above title bar: events during World War II (1939–1945): From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft ...
*
List of highest-grossing animated films Included in the list are charts of the top box-office earners, a chart of high-grossing animated films by the calendar year, a timeline showing the transition of the highest-grossing animated film record, and a chart of the highest-grossing animate ...
*
List of films with live action and animation This is a list of films with live-action and animation, films that combine live action and animated elements, typically interacting. Shorts by decade 1900s * 1900 – '' The Enchanted Drawing'' 1910s * 1914 – '' Gertie the Dinosaur'' * 1917 ...
*
List of package films This is a list of animated package films. There are two types of package films — a film with little or no new animation; usually there is only new bridge animation to link older theatrical/TV shorts together, for example ''Daffy Duck's Quackbuste ...


References


External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Three Caballeros, The 1944 animated films 1944 films 1940s American animated films 1940s musical fantasy films 1940s English-language films American animated comedy films American animated fantasy films American anthology films American Christmas films American films with live action and animation Animated anthology films Animated musical films American musical fantasy films Animated films about friendship Animated films about penguins Bullfighting films Cockfighting in film Donald Duck films Fictional trios Films about birthdays Films about chickens Films adapted into television shows Films directed by Bill Roberts Films directed by Clyde Geronimi Films directed by Harold Young (director) Films directed by Jack Kinney Films directed by Norman Ferguson Films produced by Walt Disney Films scored by Paul Smith (film and television composer) Films set in Antarctica Films set in Brazil Films set on the Galápagos Islands Films set in Mexico Films set in Uruguay Walt Disney Animation Studios films Walt Disney Pictures animated films