PLOT:
Musician brothers Cesar and Nestor leave Cuba for America in the 1950s, hoping to hit the top of the Latin music scene. Cesar is the older brother, the business manager, and the ladies’ man. Nestor is the brooding songwriter, who cannot forget the woman in Cuba who broke his heart.
REVIEW:
What did I like?
In the name of the mambo, the rhumba, and the cha-cha-cha. In college, a friend called me an :”honorary Mexican” due to my love of all things Latin. I have a deep love and affection for the music, of which there is no shortage in this film. As great as the music is on its own, though, it should be noted that the filmmaker succeeds in portraying the 1950s aesthetic and the interest people had in the music back then.
Home of the nice splice. About halfway through the film, our leads meet Desi Arnaz (portrayed by his actual son, Desi Arnaz, Jr.), who invites them out to Hollywood to appear on I Love Lucy. Seeing Armand Assante, Antonio Banderas, and Arnaz, Jr. appear on the same screen as Lucille Ball was impressive, especially at the time this was made. What is remarkable though, and fans of the show will notice this, is the episode in which Assante and Banderas’ characters are appearing in an actual episode that features two Cuban musicians…same lines, movements, and everything. Wow…just wow!
Welcome to America. I cannot imagine what it was like to be an immigrant coming to America in the 50s. These guys had a couple of family members living in New York but, other than that, they came with just their music and dreams. Kudos to the filmmaker for not only making us feel that sense of awe, but also how much opportunity there was to be had in the US, at least back in those days. Watch Banderas’ portrayal of Nestor reading his Rockefeller book and you will see everything you need to see when it comes to the sense of awe these guys, as well as others coming to this country, felt.
What didn’t I like?
Mob tactics. At the beginning of the film, we are in Cuba and see Caesar, played by Armand Assante, defending his brother against a mobster who has obviously threatened the love of his life, Maria, if she isn’t with him. There is a struggle of some sort, which results in Assante getting injured with a knife and coming out to tell him to take Nestor out of Cuba. Not a bad setup, right? I am left to wonder, though, what it is that put Maria in the crosshairs of this gangster, besides being beautiful. I understand that Cuban people are very passionate, but to slit a man’s throat for defending his brother? This is based on a novel, so perhaps I need to read the book to get some more backstory.
Covet thy brother’s wife. It seems to be implied that Caesar has feelings for Nestor’s new wife, Dolores. From the moment they meet at the club and he dances with her, to all the gifts he gives her, and even in the final scene after Banderas’ death, there is a look they share that is quite uncomfortable. The theme of the film is Nestor’s love for Maria, so I don’t think there would have been a big blow up if Caesar “stole” Dolores from him. I would feel bad for Cathy Moriarty’s character, though. Still, these looks cannot be ignored as it is painfully clear that there is a mutual attraction between the two, yet the film just teases us with…well, nothing but some glances. Such a waste!
Maria. For a character that is so central to the plot, Maria is almost a figment of Nestor’s imagination. Had it not been for the opening scene, audiences would surely be wondering if he was ever with her. All that said, I have to mention the gorgeous song “Beautiful Maria of My Soul”. If you are not familiar with it, go look it up on Youtube. It was up for an Oscar the year this was released, but lost to a small ditty called “A Whole New World”. That is beside the point, though. My issue is this song is in this film more than a few times, and almost each time we listen to the entire 4 minutes of it. I’m a lover of good music as much as the next guy, and the song is integral to the plot, but isn’t this a bit of overkill?
Final verdict:
What did I think of The Mambo Kings? My first introduction to this film was when I heard the Boston Pops perform “Beautiful Maria…” on television when I was a freshman in high school. I seem to recall seeing an ad for the movie on pay-per-view (and trying to watch it through the scrambled picture) that same evening. I became reacquainted with the film in college, due to one of our marching band shows being the music from this picture. Notice how everything is about the music of this film? If you take the music out of this film, there isn’t much left. Sure there are good performances and that I Love Lucy scene is a nice touch, but it isn’t enough to make this film memorable and that is perhaps why when/if you mention this film outside of certain circles, no one has ever heard of it. If it is known for anything else, it is that it is one of the first English speaking roles (I won’t mention his fake trumpet playing…this time) for Antonio Banderas. Do I recommend it? Yes and no. The music and setting are worth a viewing, but the story leaves much to be desired.
3 3/4 out of 5 stars
Mystery Man's Musings 