Holiday in Havana
Holiday in Havana is a 1949 American [1] musical comedy directed by Jean Yarbrough, and starring Desi Arnaz, Mary Hatcher and Ann Doran. The film is about a Cuban hotel busboy (Arnaz) who dreams of becoming a composer. According to author Mary Beltrán, in his portrayal of Carlos Estrada, Arnaz "established a successful negotiation of tensions inherent in playing a Latin romantic lead in this period, a negotiation that set the stage for what would make Ricky Ricardo so popular with American viewers.[2] His music, with songs such as "Holiday in Havana" and the "Arnaz Jam" featured in the film.
| Holiday in Havana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jean Yarbrough |
| Produced by | Ted Richmond |
| Written by | Karen DeWolf Robert Lees Frederic I. Rinaldo |
| Story by | Morton Grant |
| Starring | Desi Arnaz Mary Hatcher Ann Doran |
| Music by | Paul Mertz |
| Cinematography | Vincent J. Farrar |
| Edited by | Henry Batista |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 73 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
Plot summary
The story about the difficult role of a Cuban bandleader Carlos Estrada (Desi Arnaz). His romantic vis-a-vis is a peppery dancer named Lolita Valdez (Mary Hatcher). Just before the lovers participate in a gala Havana festival, Carlos has a lot of explaining to do when Lolita catches him in the arms of another.[3]
Cast
- Desi Arnaz as Carlos Estrada
- Mary Hatcher as Lolita Valdez (Dolores)
- Ann Doran as Marge Henley
- Steven Geray as Lopez
- Minerva Urecal as Mama Valdez
- Sig Arno as Pepe
- Ray Walker as Sam Keegan
- Nacho Galindo as Police Sergeant
References
- Pérez, Louis A. (2008). On Becoming Cuban: Identity, Nationality, and Culture. Univ of North Carolina Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-8078-5899-8.
- Beltrán, Mary (2009). Latina Stars in U.S. Eyes. University of Illinois Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-252-07651-0.
- http://www.allmovie.com/movie/holiday-in-havana-v22728