By Frank Miller
Holiday in Mexico
Brief Synopsis
An ambassador's daughter falls for a famous musician.
Cast & Crew
Read More
George Sidney
Director
Walter Pidgeon
Jeffrey Evans
José Iturbi
Himself
Roddy Mcdowall
Stanley Owen
Ilona Massey
Toni Karpathy
Xavier Cugat
Film Details
Also Known As
Mexican Holiday
Genre
Musical
Comedy
Release Date
Sep
1946
Premiere Information
New York opening: 15 Aug 1946
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 7m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Synopsis
Christine Evans, the fifteen-year-old daughter of the widowed American ambassador to Mexico Jeffrey Evans, believes that she is no longer a young girl and that she has fully matured into adulthood. Eager to make her mark in the sophisticated world of foreign diplomats living in Mexico, Christine appoints herself as organizer of her father's social activities and takes over the planning of a big garden party he will be hosting. Because he loves his daughter, Jeffrey is patient with Christine's meddling and allows her to take charge. At the same time, Stanley Owen, the young son of the British ambassador to Mexico and Christine's sweetheart, is perplexed by the sudden change in Christine's behavior. To ensure that the party at her house will be a great success, Christine visits the nightclub where famous orchestra leader Xavier Cugat is appearing, and asks him if he and his Hungarian singer, Toni Karpathy, will perform at her father's party. Cugat accepts Christine's invitation but tells her that Toni does not sing at private functions. Unaware that Toni and Jeffrey were former sweethearts, Christine sneaks into the singer's home and implores her to sing at the party. Toni consents when she realizes that the party will be hosted by Jeffrey. Later, Christine and Stanley visit pianist José Iturbi, who is rehearsing his new show, hoping that he, too, will agree to perform at the party. José, however, mistakes Christine for one of the many singers who seek an audition with him, and has her sing a song. Enchanted by Christine's voice, José immediately offers her a spot in his next concert. Christine eventually explains her reason for visiting José, and though he is disappointed that she will not be singing with his orchestra, he agrees to perform at the party. Before the party, Jeffrey pays a secret visit to Toni, and the two reminisce about their past. Jeffrey and Toni eventually rekindle their romance, and Christine becomes jealous. Christine later accepts the starring role in José's show, but complications arise when she mistakes his kindness to her for romantic interest. Stanley, jealous of Christine's attentions to José, tells Jeffrey that Christine has fallen in love with José. Jeffrey initially dismisses Stanley's claims as mere jealousy, but certain clues soon lead Jeffrey to suspect that José and Christine may be engaged in an unsavory affair. Confused about his daughter's relationship with José, Jeffrey tries to learn more about it by asking Christine's young friend Yvette Baranga some hypothetical questions about the nature of girlhood crushes on older men. Unknown to Jeffrey, Yvette, who has a crush on him, confuses his awkward questions for romantic interest. Jeffrey later is relieved when José insists that he and Christine are just friends, and José breaks Christine's heart when he tells her that he loves her as he loves his two grandchildren. Confusion abounds at the Evans home, as Jeffrey is visited by Yvette's parents, who are eager to see him marry Yvette and pay them a dowry. Jeffrey eventually scares away Yvette's parents by demanding dowry from them. Christine becomes distraught and plans to run away from home until Jeffrey comforts her and tells her that it is only human to make mistakes and look foolish. Christine later joins José on stage for her concert debut, which is attended by Stanley and Jeffrey, with Toni at his side.
Director
George Sidney
Director
Cast
Walter Pidgeon
Jeffrey Evans
José Iturbi
Himself
Roddy Mcdowall
Stanley Owen
Ilona Massey
Toni Karpathy
Xavier Cugat
Jane Powell
Christine Evans
Hugo Haas
Angus
Mikhail Rasumny
Baranga
Helene Stanley
Yvette Baranga
Wm. "bill" Phillips
Sam
Amparo Iturbi
Iturbi's sister
Antonia Hero
Teresa Hero
Paul Stanton
Sir Edward Owen
Doris Lloyd
Lady Millicent Owen
Linda Christian
Angel
Marina Koshetz
Mme. Baranga
Warner Lee
Chinese boy
Ann Codee
Margaret
Rosita Marstini
Maria
Edward Kilroy
Secretary of State
Ruth Lee
Vera
Nino Pipitone Jr.
French boy
Frances Chung
Chinese girl
Jade King
Chinese girl
Grady Sutton
Tom
Juan Torena
Assistant
Gino Corrado
Assistant
Alfredo Sabato
Doorman
Albert Morin
Headwaiter
Jack Chefe
Headwaiter
Paul Bradley
Headwaiter
Tom Tamarez
Waiter
Lou Davis
Waiter
George Gastine
Waiter
William Hall
Naval attache
Bela Capary
Count Karpathy
Leon Belasco
Orchestra leader
Loraine Allen
Elsie, a maid
Harry Denny
Guest
Eugene King
Guest
Charles Gonzales
Guest
Ed Agresti
Guest
Olaf Hytten
Butler
Chris-pin Martin
Photographer
Emilia Diaz
Fortune teller
Robert Cory
British attache
Bob Thom
U.S. Army attache
Sam Savitsky
Diplomat
Julio Bonini
Diplomat
Joe Dominguez
Diplomat
Henry De Silva
Diplomat
John Piffle
Diplomat
Henry Orosco
Diplomat
Charles Legneur
Diplomat
Nestor Eristoff
Diplomat
Jack Deery
British secretary
Marie Farnum
Girl
Alice Grace
Girl
Sally Conlin
Girl
Leo Vandervelde
Boy
Denis Browne
Boy
Boots Brown
Boy
Bill Clauson
Boy
Paul Hilton
Boy
Tico-tico, A Dog
Xavier Cugat's chihuahua
Jascha, A Dog
The St. Bernard
Charles Regan
Lala De Tolly
Crew
Paul Abraham
Composer
Earl Brent
Composer
Nacio Herb Brown
Composer
James Campbell
Composer
Frédéric Chopin
Composer
Reginald Connelly
Composer
Xavier Cugat
Composer
Mark Davis
Matte paintings, Camera
Jack Dawn
Makeup created by
Alfred De Musset
Composer
Peter P. Decker
Music mixer
Leo Delibes
Composer
Ervin Drake
Composer
Rafael Duchesne
Composer
Ted Duncan
Orchestration
Jack Elliott
Composer
Sammy Fain
Composer
Ed Farley
Composer
Adrienne Fazan
Film Editor
James Z. Flaster
Re-rec and Effects mixer
Ralph Freed
Composer
Cedric Gibbons
Art Director
Victor Herbert
Composer
Red Hodgson
Composer
Irene
Costume Supervisor
Henry Jaffa
Associate (Color)
Natalie Kalmus
Technicolor Color Consultant
William Kozlenko
Original Story
Arthur A. Krams
Set Decoration
Sam Leavitt
2nd Camera
Isobel Lennart
Screenwriter
Frank B. Mackenzie
Unit mixer
Don Marcotte
Composer
Paul Marquardt
Orchestration
Noro Morales
Composer
Warren Newcombe
Special Effects
Ray Noble
Composer
Joseph Nussbaum
Orchestration
Joe Pasternak
Producer
Ralph A. Pender
Re-rec and Effects mixer
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Composer
George Rhein
Assistant Director
George Richelavie
Research Director
Mike Riley
Composer
William J. Saracino
Music mixer
Rece Saxon
Singing double for Ilona Massey
Franz Schubert
Composer
Wilbur Schwandt
Orchestration
Douglas Shearer
Recording Director
Robert W. Shirley
Re-rec and Effects mixer
Jack Martin Smith
Art Director
Raul Soler
Composer
Newell Sparks
Re-rec and Effects mixer
William Steinkamp
Re-rec and Effects mixer
Michael Steinore
Re-rec and Effects mixer
Sammy Stept
Composer
Georgie Stoll
Music Director
Harry Stradling
Director of Photography
Valles
Men's Costume
Richard Wagner
Composer
Felix Wayne
Research Assistant
Don T. Whitmer
Re-rec and Effects mixer
Edwin B. Willis
Set Decoration
Ed Woehler
Unit Manager
Rida Johnson Young
Composer
Film Details
Also Known As
Mexican Holiday
Genre
Musical
Comedy
Release Date
Sep
1946
Premiere Information
New York opening: 15 Aug 1946
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 7m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Articles
Holiday in Mexico
A 17-year-old Jane Powell made her MGM debut as the daughter of widowed ambassador Walter Pidgeon in this charming, tune-packed musical. The studio launched its newest star with a strong package featuring guest performances by Jose Iturbi and Xavier Cugat and a second blonde leading lady in Ilona Massey. They even allowed Pidgeon, once a star in operettas, a rare chance to sing on-screen. But the show is Powell's all the way as she sings "Ave Maria," an adaptation of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto called "I Think of You," the art song "Les Filles de Cadix," and one of Jeanette MacDonald's most popular numbers, "Italian Street Song." MGM even brought in Stanley Donen to choreograph and gave her an on-screen boyfriend played by Roddy McDowell, a relationship that's shaken when she develops a crush on the much-older Iturbi. The studio had signed the young soprano in 1944, but loaned her to United Artists for her first two pictures. Then they assigned her to producer Joe Pasternak, who had made teen soprano Deanna Durbin one of the '30s' biggest stars at Universal Pictures. He would go on to produce some of Powell's most popular pictures, including A Date With Judy (1948) and Rich, Young and Pretty (1951).
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
Holiday in Mexico
A 17-year-old Jane Powell made her MGM debut as the daughter of widowed ambassador Walter Pidgeon in this charming, tune-packed musical. The studio launched its newest star with a strong package featuring guest performances by Jose Iturbi and Xavier Cugat and a second blonde leading lady in Ilona Massey. They even allowed Pidgeon, once a star in operettas, a rare chance to sing on-screen. But the show is Powell's all the way as she sings "Ave Maria," an adaptation of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto called "I Think of You," the art song "Les Filles de Cadix," and one of Jeanette MacDonald's most popular numbers, "Italian Street Song." MGM even brought in Stanley Donen to choreograph and gave her an on-screen boyfriend played by Roddy McDowell, a relationship that's shaken when she develops a crush on the much-older Iturbi. The studio had signed the young soprano in 1944, but loaned her to United Artists for her first two pictures. Then they assigned her to producer Joe Pasternak, who had made teen soprano Deanna Durbin one of the '30s' biggest stars at Universal Pictures. He would go on to produce some of Powell's most popular pictures, including A Date With Judy (1948) and Rich, Young and Pretty (1951).
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
One of several films in which a young Fidel Castro appears as an extra, mostly in crowd scenes.
Notes
The film's working title was Mexican Holiday. This film marked Jane Powell's first picture for M-G-M. According to a pre-production news item in Hollywood Reporter, actor Skippy Homeier was originally sought for the part played by Roddy McDowall. Pre-production news items also noted that Hedy Lamarr and Ray Bolger were set for roles, but they did not appear in the released film. A March 1944 Hollywood Reporter news item listed Carlos Ramirez in the cast, but he was not in the released film. A January 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item noted that director George Sidney filmed added scenes featuring former St. Louis Browns baseball team manager Fred Haney in the role of a baseball commentator. Though Haney's scene was set for the opening sequence, it was not used in the final film. According to an August 1945 memo in the file on the film in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, the Hays Office complained to producer Joe Pasternak that the film had portrayed Mexicans as only "underlings and servants," and urged him to "find some way to get into your picture some nice Mexicans." Memos in the file also indicate that Pasternak complied with the Hays Office's request by changing the character of the boy who dances with Jane Powell from a French boy to a Mexican boy. Modern sources list Stanley Donen as the film's choreographer and include silent star King Baggot in the cast as "dress extra".
