Sombrero *** (1953, Ricardo Montalban, Pier Angeli, Vittorio Gassman, Yvonne De Carlo, Cyd Charisse, Rick Jason, Nina Foch, Kurt Kasznar) – Classic Movie Review 10,567

Romance and drama down Mexico way are to the fore in three tales of frustrated love in director Norman Foster’s pleasingly peculiar 1953 Technicolor romantic musical Sombrero, based on Josefina Niggli’s book A Mexican Village. It is filmed on location in Mexico City, Tepoztlán and Tetecala, Mexico.

Pepe Gonzales (Ricardo Montalban) and Eufemia Calderon (Pier Angeli) have to battle their fighting families to find happiness; rich but dying Alejandro Castillo (Vittorio Gassman) has to fight for the hand poor Maria of the River Road (Yvonne De Carlo), but she fixes him up with Elena Cantu (Nina Foch); Lola de Torrano (Cyd Charisse) loves roadside salesman Ruben (Rick Jason), but her disapproving bull-fighting brother Gitanillo de Torrano (José Greco) puts a spoke in their wheel.

The highlights are provided by the flashing feet of Charisse (Gypsy Dance), the sharp tongue of De Carlo (also performing ‘You Belong to My Heart’), the oily vocals of Montalban (Cartas a Ufemia) and the edgy acting of Gassman and Foch.

The MGM musical Sombrero is at least interestingly different.

Despite all the hard work, the film was a big financial flop for MGM, and Gassman considered it his worst movie.

Also in the cast are Kurt Kasznar, Walter Hampden, Thomas Gomez, John Abbott, Andrés Soler, Fanny Schiller, Luz Alba and Alfonso Bedoya.

The screenplay is by Josefina Niggli and Norman Foster.

It starts: ‘We wish gratefully to acknowledge the friendly cooperation of the Mexican Government and the genuine hospitality of the Mexican people, without whose assistance the filming of this picture in their country would not have been possible.’

Pier Angeli replaced Ava Gardner. It is Rick Jason’s film debut.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,567

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