''Holiday in Mexico'' is a 1946

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

musical directed by

George Sidney George Sidney (October 4, 1916May 5, 2002) was an American film director and producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His work includes cult classics '' Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963) and ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964). With an extensive backgr ...

and starring

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

Jane Powell Jane Powell (born Suzanne Lorraine Burce; April 1, 1929 – September 16, 2021) was an American actress, singer, and dancer who first appeared in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals in the 1940s and 50s. With her soprano voice and girl-next-door image ...

, and

Ilona Massey Ilona Massey (born Ilona Hajmássy, June 16, 1910 – August 20, 1974) was a Hungarian-American film, stage and radio performer. Early life and career She was born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary (now in Hungary). Billed as "the new Die ...

Plot

The film starts with a brief cartoon of telephone wires from Washington, DC trying to call Mexico. Jeffrey Evans (

), an American ambassador to

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 ...

, is the sole parent to his teenage daughter, Christine (

). She finds fulfillment in managing her father's life and spending time with him. Her father forces her to attend a party where her childhood friend, Stanley Owen (

Roddy McDowall Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 4 October 1998) was a British actor, photographer and film director. He began his acting career as a child in England, and then in the United States, in ''How Green Was My Valley'' (1 ...

), who has just turned sixteen, awaits her. In revenge she gives Stanley one of her father's expensive, brand-new tobacco pipes. Stanley, thinking that this gift was meant to show that he is finally a man, asks Christine to be "his girl", but she insists that she is too busy for that. Yvette Baranga (

Helene Stanley Helene Stanley (born Dolores Diane Freymouth; July 17, 1929 – December 27, 1990) was an American actress. She is best known for being the live model for Cinderella, Aurora, and Anita Radcliffe. Early life Stanley was born in Gary, Indiana. ...

), the daughter of the French ambassador, begs Christine if she can attend Jeffrey Evans' upcoming party. Christine agrees, unaware that Yvette has a crush on her father. When they return home, Christine asks her father to permit her to arrange the party, to which he agrees. The next day, Stanley comes to drive her to her errands. Christine apologizes for being rude to Stanley, and says he doesn't have to drive her, but he takes her to speak with Toni Karpathy (

), who agrees to sing at the party. Unbeknownst to Christine, Toni was once a love interest of her father. She then goes to meet with the piano virtuoso (

Jose Iturbi Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...

). He is impressed by her skills of putting his crazy household back into place and comments that her father is lucky to have her, but he is blown away when he hears her sing and asks her to perform in his concert. She declines because she and her father will be leaving to visit her grandmother. The party is a success, however Christine misses half of it because she forgot to get herself ready. Her spirits are lifted when Jose arrives and not only performs, but gives her an expensive corsage. Stanley becomes jealous and argues with Christine. Through the week, Jeffrey Evans spends more time with Toni. Christine, not knowing what her father is up to, calls Stanley. She has him help sneak her into the evening club to spy on her father. They successfully get past the guards, but Stanley makes a fool of himself by tripping into customers. When Christine sees her father in the club with Toni, she sadly leaves. At home she complains that no one needs her anymore. Stanley says that he needs her, but Christine puts him down saying he has his mother to take care of him. She then remembers what Jose told her and begins to dream of marrying him, though he is decades older than she is. Stanley leaves furious. Later, her father tells her that he won't go to visit Christine's grandmother. Christine also decides to stay so that she can perform in Jose's concert. Stanley visits Jeffrey and tells him that she is in love with Jose, but her father assures him that it is nothing to be worried about. However, he reconsiders when he sees one of her drawings of Jose. Yvette drops by and Jeffery, thinking she was visiting Christine, asks her if it is possible for a young woman like herself to be interested in an older man. Yvette, believing that he is referring to her, says yes and happily leaves. Jeffrey goes to see Jose and finds that he is not romantically interested in Christine. The Evans visit Jose and he introduces Christine to his grandchildren. Christine, shocked, returns home and tearfully goes to her room to pack for her grandmother's. Jeffrey tries to follow however he is stopped by the French ambassador, who tries to make arrangements for Yvette to marry Jeffrey. Realizing this situation would take forever resolving, he says he cannot marry Yvette because her dowry is too low. Jeffrey then goes to speak with his daughter and tells her that running away from her problems will not solve them. She stays and performs in the concert while her father, Toni, and Stanley proudly watch her.

Cast

as Jeffrey Evans *

as Christine Evans *

José Iturbi José Iturbi Báguena (28 November 189528 June 1980) was a Spanish conductor, pianist and harpsichordist. He appeared in several Hollywood films of the 1940s, notably playing himself in the musicals ''Thousands Cheer'' (1943), ''Music for Mill ...

as Himself *

as Stanley Owen *

as Countess Toni Karpathy *

Xavier Cugat Xavier Cugat (; 1 January 1900 – 27 October 1990) was a Spanish musician and bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a leading figure in the spread of Latin music. In New York City ...

as Himself *

Hugo Haas Hugo Haas (19 February 1901 – 1 December 1968) was a Czech film actor, director and writer. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1926 and 1962, as well as directing 20 films between 1933 and 1962. Life and career Haas was born in B ...

as Angus, Evans' butler *

as Yvette Baranga *

Mikhail Rasumny Mikhail Rasumny (May 13, 1884, in Odessa, Russian empire – February 17, 1956, in United States) was a Soviet and American film actor. Biography Rasumny was born in Odessa, son of the famous cantor Ephraim Zalman (Solomon) Razumny, who was chie ...

as Baranga * William "Bill" Phillips as Sam, Evans' chauffeur *

Amparo Iturbi Amparo Iturbi Báguena (12 March 1898 – 22 April 1969) was a Spanish pianist. Early career Amparo Iturbi Báguena was born in Valencia, Spain, one of four children of Ricardo Iturbi (a piano tuner) and Teresa (Baguena) Iturbi. The younger ...

as Herself * Tonia Hero as Mouse (Iturbi Grandchild) * Teresa Hero as Mouse (Iturbi Grandchild) * Fidel Castro as Extra (uncredited)

Soundtrack

* ''I Think of You'' ** Music based on '' Piano Concerto No.2'' by Sergei Rachmaninoff ** Music Adaptation and Lyrics by Jack Elliott &

Don Marcotte Donald Michel Marcotte (born April 15, 1947) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who served his entire National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins and was noted as a premier defensive forward, while being versatile enough ...

* ''Someone to Love'' ** Music by Paul Abraham ** Lyrics by Ralph Freed * ''These Patient Years'' ** Music by Sammy Fain ** Lyrics by Ralph Freed * ''Holiday in Mexico'' ** Music by Sammy Fain ** Lyrics by Ralph Freed * ''You, So It's You'' ** Music by

Nacio Herb Brown Ignacio Herbert "Nacio Herb" Brown (February 22, 1896 – September 28, 1964) was an American writer of popular songs, movie scores and Broadway theatre music in the 1920s through the early 1950s. Amongst his most enduring work is the scor ...

** Lyrics by Earl K. Brent * ''And Dreams Remain'' ** Music by Raoul Soler ** Lyrics by Ralph Freed * ''Walter Winchell Rhumba'' ** Music by

Noro Morales Norosbaldo Morales (January 4, 1911 – January 15, 1964) was a Puerto Rican pianist and bandleader. Biography Morales was born in the subbarrio Puerta de Tierra of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and learned several instruments as a child. He played ...

* ''Yo Te Amo Much - And That's That'' ** Written by

Sam H. Stept Samuel Howard Stept (aka Sammy Stept; 18 September 1897 – 1 December 1964) was an American songwriter who wrote for Broadway, Hollywood and the big bands. He became known simply as Sam Stept or Sam H. Stept – he rarely used his full middle n ...

Ervin Drake Ervin Drake (born Ervin Maurice Druckman; April 3, 1919 – January 15, 2015) was an American songwriter whose works include such American Songbook standards as " I Believe" and "It Was a Very Good Year". He wrote in a variety of styles and his w ...

& Noro Morales * '' Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor'' ** Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff * '' Polonaise in A Flat, Opus 53'' ** Music by Frédéric Chopin * ''Linda Mujer'' ** Written by Raphael Duchesne * ''

Liebestod "" ( German for "love death") is the title of the final, dramatic music from the 1859 opera ' by Richard Wagner. It is the climactic end of the opera, as Isolde sings over Tristan's dead body. The music is often used in film and television produ ...

'' ** from ''

Tristan und Isolde ''Tristan und Isolde'' (''Tristan and Isolde''), WWV 90, is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the 12th-century romance Tristan and Iseult by Gottfried von Strassburg. It was comp ...

'' ** Music by Richard Wagner * '' Italian Street Song'' ** Music by

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is bes ...

** Lyrics by

Rida Johnson Young Rida Johnson Young (February 28, 1875 – May 8, 1926) was an American playwright, songwriter and librettist.IBDBRida Johnson Young Retrieved November 21, 2007 In her career, Young wrote over thirty plays and musicals, and over 500 songs. She ...

* '' Good Night, Sweetheart'' ** Written by

Ray Noble Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 2 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United ...

, Jimmy Campbell and

Reginald Connelly Jimmy Campbell (born James Alexander Campbell-Tyrie; 5 April 1903–19 August 1967) and Reg Connelly (born Reginald John Connelly; 22 October 1895–23 September 1963) were English songwriters and music publishers. Writing together in t ...

* ''Les filles de Cadiz'' ** Music by

Léo Delibes Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (; 21 February 1836 – 16 January 1891) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, best known for his ballets and French opera, operas. His works include the ballets ''Coppélia'' (1870) and ''Sylvia (ba ...

** Lyrics by Alfred de Musset * ''Csak Egy Szep Lany'' ** Traditional * ''The Music Goes 'Round and 'Round'' ** Written by Mike Riley, Edward Farley and 'Red' Hodgson * ''Three Blind Mice'' ** Traditional * ''Ave Maria'' ** Music by

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

Notes

* This film marked Jane Powell's first picture for MGM at the age of 17 * One of several films in which a young Fidel Castro appears as an extra, mostly in crowd scenes.

Reception

The film earned $3,766,000 in the US and Canada and $1,957,000 elsewhere, leading to a profit of $910,000."60 Top Grossers of 1946", ''Variety'' 8 January 1947 p8
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References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Holiday In Mexico 1946 films 1946 musical comedy films American musical comedy films Films directed by George Sidney Films set in Mexico Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films produced by Joe Pasternak Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films