- Nancy Goes to Rio
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Nancy Goes to Rio 
Argentinean theatrical release posterDirected by Robert Z. Leonard Produced by Joe Pasternak Written by Sidney Sheldon
Story:
Ralph Block
Frederick Kohner
Jane HallStarring Jane Powell
Ann Sothern
Barry Sullivan
Carmen Miranda
Louis Calhern
Scotty BeckettCinematography Ray June Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release date(s) March 10, 1950 Running time 100 minutes Country United States Language English Nancy Goes to Rio is a musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1950. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced by Joe Pasternak from a screenplay by Sidney Sheldon, based on a story by Ralph Block, Frederick Kohner and Jane Hall. The music was directed and supervised by George Stoll and includes compositions by George and Ira Gershwin, Giacomo Puccini, Jack Norworth and Stoll.
The film stars Ann Sothern, Jane Powell, Barry Sullivan, Carmen Miranda, Louis Calhern and Scotty Beckett.
Nancy Goes to Rio is a remake of the 1940 film It's a Date, also based on the story by Block, Kohner and Hall, starring Deanna Durbin. Kay Francis and Walter Pidgeon starred in the roles of Durbin's mother and step-father.
Contents
Plot
On the closing night of a Broadway play, leading actress Frances Elliott {Ann Sothern) hosts a party attended by many guests, including her eccentric father Gregory (Louis Calhern), who is also an actor; her seventeen-year-old daughter, Nancy Barklay (Jane Powell), an aspiring actress; and Brazilian playwright Ricardo Domingos, who is considering starring Frances in his next play.
Frances eagerly pursues the part in Ricardo's play, and though she is virtually assured of the role, Ricardo asks her not publicize the news until a final decision is made. Later, Ricardo privately tells Frances' producer that Frances may not be right for the part and that he had a younger actress in mind. Then, when Ricardo meets Nancy, he instantly knows that he has found the perfect young woman for the role.
The next day, Frances sets sail for Rio de Janeiro, where she intends to vacation and devote herself to studying her lines. Gregory accompanies Frances to Rio, while Nancy, who is about to star in a small stock company play, goes to Connecticut. After observing Nancy's acting abilities, Ricardo offers her the part that he promised Frances. Nancy accepts the role, though she is unaware that Ricardo has already promised it to her mother.
Seeking the quiet she needs to study for the part, Nancy follows her mother and grandfather to Rio. On board the ship, businessman Paul Berten overhears Nancy rehearsing her lines and mistakenly concludes that she is a deserted wife and an expectant mother. Paul takes pity on Nancy and enlists the help of his business partner, Marina Rodrigues (Carmen Miranda), to counsel the young girl.
Nancy does not know that Paul is trying to help her and mistakes his paternal concern for a marriage proposal. She rejects Paul's apparent proposal, and bids him farewell when the ship reaches Rio.
Soon after she is reunited with her mother, Nancy overhears her rehearsing her lines and immediately realizes that they are studying for the same part. The revelation devastates Nancy and prompts her to bow out of the play. She does not tell her mother that she was set to star in Ricardo's play, and instead informs her that she came to Rio to get married.
Confusion abounds when Nancy later visits Paul at his office and tries to accept the marriage proposal she thought he had made. Paul is perplexed by her behavior, and still thinks that Nancy is pregnant and troubled. He sends her home to talk to her mother about her situation, but Nancy misunderstands him and thinks that he meant for her to discuss their impending marriage with her mother.
Marina follows Nancy to her mother's house, and privately tells Frances about Nancy's supposed pregnancy. The confusion is heightened when Frances misunderstands her daughter's anguish and concludes that she must be pregnant by Paul.
Frances demands a private meeting with Paul, during which he reveals his romantic attraction to Frances. Frances leaves Paul in disgust, but the situation is soon clarified when Paul tells Gregory that he had only just met Nancy on the boat. Gregory immediately recognizes Nancy's supposed predicament from the story of the play that Frances was reading, and explains the situation to Frances.
When Frances learns the truth about Paul, she changes her impression of him and they embark on a romance. After announcing her engagement to Paul, Frances withdraws from Ricardo's play and suggests Nancy as her replacement. All ends happily when the show opens in New York with Nancy in the starring role.
Cast
- Ann Sothern as Frances Elliott
- Jane Powell as Nancy Barklay
- Barry Sullivan as Paul Berten
- Carmen Miranda as Marina Rodrigues
- Louis Calhern as Gregory Elliott
- Scotty Beckett as Scotty Sheridan
- Fortunio Bonanova as Ricardo Domingos
- Glenn Anders as Arthur Barrett
- Nella Walker as Mrs. Harrison
- Hans Conried as Alfredo
- Frank Fontaine as The Masher
Musical numbers
- "Time and Time Again", music by Fred Spielman, lyrics by Earl Brent
- "Shine On, Harvest Moon", music by Nora Bayes, lyrics by Jack Norworth
- "Magic Is the Moonlight", music and lyrics by María Grever (song "Te quiero dijiste"), English lyrics by Charles Pasquale
- "Nancy's Goin' to Rio", music by Georgie Stoll, lyrics by Earl Brent
- "Cae Cae", music by Roberto Martins, lyrics by Pedro Barrios, English lyrics by John Latouche
- "Yipsee-I-O", music and lyrics by Ray Gilbert
- "Embraceable You", music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- "Baião (Ca-Room' Pa Pa)", written by Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga, English lyrics by Ray Gilbert
- "Musetta's Waltz" from the opera La Bohème, music by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
- "Love is Like This" music by Pixinguinha, lyrics by João de Barro (song "Carinhoso"), English lyrics by Ray Gilbert
Production
Despite the title and some colorful second unit footage, the film was filmed mostly on MGM's soundstages.[1] The production makes use of lavish, elegant "New Look" gowns and colorful sets, typical of the top-notch MGM standards.
This was the final film of Ann Sothern's MGM contract; she soon moved on to appear in a series of television sitcoms.
Home media
The film was released on DVD along with Two Weeks with Love as part of the Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol. 3. The set also included several other Powell films, such as Hit the Deck and Deep in My Heart.
References
External links
- Nancy Goes to Rio at the Internet Movie Database
- Nancy Goes to Rio at AllRovi
- Nancy Goes to Rio at the TCM Movie Database
The films of Robert Z. Leonard 1910s The Silent Command • Heritage • Judge Not; or The Woman of Mona Diggings • Secret Love • The Crippled Hand • The Love Girl • Little Eve Edgarton • The Plow Girl • The Eagle's Wing (with Rufus Steele) • On Record • A Mormon Maid • The Primrose Ring • At First Sight • Princess Virtue • Face Value • The Bride's Awakening • Her Body in Bond • Modern Love • Danger, Go Slow • The Scarlet Shadow • The Delicious Little Devil • What Am I Bid? • Big Little Person • The Way of a Woman • The Miracle of Love1920s Stronger Than Death (with Herbert Blaché and Charles Bryant) • April Folly • The Restless Sex (with Leon D'Usseau) • The Gilded Lily • Heedless Moths • Peacock Alley • Fascination • Broadway Rose • Jazzmania • The French Doll • Fashion Row • Mademoiselle Midnight • Circe, the Enchantress • Love's Wilderness • Cheaper to Marry • Time, the Comedian • Bright Lights • Dance Madness • Mademoiselle Modiste • The Waning Sex • A Little Journey • The Demi-Bride • Adam and Evil • Tea for Three • The Five O'Clock Girl • Baby Mine • The Cardboard Lover • A Lady of Chance • Marianne • Marianne1930s The Divorcee • In Gay Madrid • Let Us Be Gay • The Bachelor Father • It's a Wise Child • Five and Ten • Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) • Lovers Courageous • Strange Interlude • Peg o' My Heart • Dancing Lady • Outcast Lady • After Office Hours • Naughty Marietta (with W. S. Van Dyke) • Escapade • The Great Ziegfeld • Piccadilly Jim • Maytime • The Firefly • The Girl of the Golden West • Broadway Serenade1940s New Moon • Pride and Prejudice • Third Finger, Left Hand • Ziegfeld Girl • When Ladies Meet • We Were Dancing • Stand by for Action • The Man from Down Under • Marriage Is a Private Affair • Week-End at the Waldorf • The Secret Heart • Cynthia • B.F.'s Daughter • The Bribe1950s In the Good Old Summertime • Nancy Goes to Rio • Duchess of Idaho • Grounds for Marriage • Too Young to Kiss • Everything I Have Is Yours • The Great Diamond Robbery • The Clown • Her Twelve Men • The King's Thief • The World's Most Beautiful Woman • Kelly and MeSerials The Master Key (1914)Productions Peacock Alley (1930)Categories:- English-language films
- 1950 films
- 1950s musical films
- 1950s romantic comedy films
- American musical comedy films
- American romantic comedy films
- American romantic musical films
- Film remakes
- Films about actors
- Films set in Rio de Janeiro
- Films shot in Technicolor
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
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