Latin Lovers (1953)

"Latin Lovers" is a tough movie to love. After all, the main character, Nora (Lana Turner), is very rich AND very arrogant. Through much of the film she seems to think she is entitled due to her money...yet she also is worried a man might want her for her money. Oddly, despite this, she is uninterested in marrying her long-time boyfriend (John Lund)...who is even richer than her.When the boyfriend goes to Brazil to play polo, she follows and soon is smitten with Roberto (Ricardo Montalban). She worries he, too, wants her money. And, when she tells him she's loaded, he's thrilled...futher convincing her that all men want is her cash, not her circa 1953 hot bod.In addition to Nora acting dumb and annoying through much of the film, the two men in her life aren't exactly prizes either--though you still often wonder WHAT they see in her! This is because Nora OFTEN gets angry and huffy and is as pleasant as a lion with a toothache. So, with some unlikable characters all you have left is the nice MGM gloss...which this one has in spades.

Beautiful blonde Lana Turner (as Nora Taylor) worries men may want her because she is worth $37 million dollars. She is engaged to handsome blond John Lund (as Paul Chevron), who is worth $48 million dollars. It sounds like a good match, but Ms. Turner is still worried. When she was poor, a greedy boy stole all her marbles, she tells her analyst. Both Turner and Mr. Lund go to picturesque Brazil, where he plays polo. Turner wears expensive clothes and meets muscle-glistening Ricardo Montalban (as Roberto Santos). They are mutually attracted. Turner decides to hide her $37 million estate from Mr. Montalban, because she (now) thinks men are not interested in marrying beautiful and wealthy women. Honest. This story is as silly as it sounds. However, it is worth watching to see how the crew at MGM could pull out the big guns; in this case, for Turner and Montalban. The production always looks great.***** Latin Lovers (8/12/53) Mervyn LeRoy ~ Lana Turner, Ricardo Montalban, John Lund, Louis Calhern

When I was young I thought the two most beautiful women in the world were Sophia Loren and Lana Turner. Then I saw Lana Turner in an extensive interview, and discovered that she was close to being the clichéd dumb blond. There is something more stupid however -- this movie. Another one of those feel sorry for the rich because they have such difficult lives...even more pathetic since this is a romantic comedy.Speaking of beauty, Lana is not at her most beautiful here...a little full in the face. And it's difficult to judge her acting here since the story is so dumb. Ricardo Montalban actually does quite well here, as does John Lund. Louis Calhern is absolutely delightful in the illogical role of the Latin Lover's grandfather. And, it's nice to see Beulah Bondi in an atypical role for her -- psychiatrist (too bad it was such a small -- though pivotal -- role). Jean Hagen is pretty good in her supporting role here, but Eduard Franz has a disappointing role for such a fine character actor.But, the film is beautiful in its color, and there's some very nice Latin music here.Mervyn Leroy is one of the great directors, but, as the old saying goes, you can't win them all.

This gorgeously-directed film presented Lana Turner as Nora Taylor, a lady who has everything in the world—including $37 million which she inherited from her father… Her one big problem: not even her psychoanalyst can tell her whether men love her for herself or her money… She isn't even sure of Paul Chevron (John Lund), her stuffy fiancé, who is worth $48 million in his own right… His reaction to her ardor is unenthusiastic, so when he goes off to Brazil with his polo team, she follows him in the hope that the change in climate will warm him up… Unfortunately for Nora, the land of romance does nothing for Paul, who is just as businesslike as ever…But she does meet Roberto Santos(Ricardo Montalban), a young and handsome plantation owner, who sweeps her off her feet… At first, Nora is afraid that he'll refuse to marry her when he learns about her fortune, but she's even more upset when he expresses great delight in the discovery…What follows is a game of wits, and the picture can be likened to a multicolored parfait… It's entertaining of its kind and not nearly as slight as it would have been in less capable hands… "Latin Lovers" was more a romantic comedy with music than one of MGM's traditional super-musicals of the period… It did feature five original Nicholas Brodsky—Leo Robin tunes, two of which were "sung" by Ricardo Montalban…Other music included the rippling strains of several red-hot sambas, staged by Frank Veloz…The film was still another great showcase for Turner the clotheshorse… Helen Rose, who was Oscar-nominated for her work in both "The Merry Widow" and "The Bad and the Beautiful" came up with an unusual idea in designing the star's wardrobe… All of Lana's more than twenty costumes were created in black and white—or a combination of both—and pitted against the rich1y Technicolored backgrounds, it resulted in a striking and unusual effect