Down Argentine Way (Studio Classics)

With much of the European market cut off by World War II in the early 1940s, Hollywood concentrated on Latin America, particularly with musicals. Down Argentine Way, considered one of the best of these, introduced Brazilian singer-dancer "bombshell" Carmen Miranda (Springtime in the Rockies, Copacabana) to the movies and launched Betty Grable (How to Marry a Millionaire, Pin-Up Girl) as a star of musicals.

The film, like most others in this genre, pictures South America in  glowing, touristic splendour, constantly bubbling over with songs and dances. Grable is an American girl on holiday in Argentina who falls in love with a wealthy race horse owner (Don Ameche, Cocoon, Trading Places) and, after a somewhat shaky start, agrees to marry him.

Featuring gorgeous background shots of Argentina and plenty of sparkling musical numbers, Down Argentine Way earned Academy® Award nominations for Best Cinematography (Ray Rennahan, Leon Shamroy), Art Direction (Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright) and Music/Song (for “Down Argentine Way” by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren).