The Mambo Kings
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Movie Reviews of The Mambo Kings
Movie Review: Movie Review for Mambo Kings
Summary: 5 Stars
Movie came in real fast, in good condition. Could not find this movie at any local stores for purchaseMovie Review: In The Name Of The Mambo, The Rumba And The Cha-Cha-Cha
Summary: 4 Stars
While the film THE MAMBO KINGS is not as detailed or insightful as Oscar Hijuelos's novel THE MAMBO KINGS PLAY SONGS OF LOVE which won the 1990 Pulitzer prize it is still an excellent entertaining film. The most striking feature of the movie is how well it makes 1950's Cuban American life in upper Manhattan live again complete with wonderful mambo and other Latin music of the period and even a visit from Desi Arnaz (played by his son with amazing accuracy).
The two Mambo kings are the Castillo brothers - Cesar and Nestor - musicians who fled Havana after a bloody dispute with a nightclub owner. Cesar is the ambitious older brother played perfectly by Armand Assante. Assante magically captures Cesar's sleazy good looks and coarse confident charisma. As one character in the film says of Cesar "He thinks he is the last Coca Cola in the desert." Nestor is played with surprising sensitivity by Antonio Banderos and he is the song writer and trumpet player for the Mambo Kings. Nestor longs for Cuba and the girl he left there, Maria, though he also rather touchingly constantly reads a book entitled FORWARD AMERICA apparently written by one of the Vanderbilts. Both men find significant others in the US with an American blond bombshell who sells cigarettes in one of the clubs becoming Cesar's best girl while Nestor eventually marries another Cuban immigrant, the shy but beautiful Delores, who aspires to be a teacher.
The boys have some early success in New York but mostly because of Cesar's temper and pride fall on hard times and are reduced to working as butchers by day and playing for Bar Mitzvahs, weddings and strippers by night. Eventually they get a break from Desi Arnaz who lets them play on his hit TV show I LOVE LUCY. In a fun bit Assante, Bandearas and Arnaz Jr. are inter-cut with footage with Lucille Ball from the original classic show. But lasting happiness and success are not in the cards for the brothers.
MAMBO KINGS is an important film as it preserves the dance, music and culture of the Latin communities in NYC in the 50's. Legendary Tito Puente appears as himself and salsa queen Celia Cruz plays an interesting character on the mambo scene and demonstrates her singing and dancing talents and both add to the authenticity of the film. This well made movie will be appreciated be most discriminating film fans.
Movie Review: Beautiful Maria of My Soul
Summary: 4 Stars
I rate this movie 3 stars and a half (or 7 out of 10), and I definetely recommend it to everyone. It is entertaining, the music is great, and the actors are good. I think this is the first movie Banderas did in America, and he was learning English while shooting the movie. He is a great actor, that caught the directors' eye for his roles in Almodvar's movies, and he did great. Jeremmy Irons did a screen test for that role, but Antonio got the job instead. The night club scenes are really good, and the best is the relationship between the two brothers, who leave Cuba behind searching for the American Dream (and trying to save Nstor's life).
It is very interesting to follow the director's commentary after you watched the movie, because he tells you a lot of interesting things. I know the movie should speak by itself, but once you watch the movie, if you have time, give that extra a try. It is really worth it, and one of the reasons we should be thankful of the DVD format.
The best in the movie is the music (we get to see Tito Puente and Celia Cruz, both already passed away now), and the worst may be the plot, with some "holes" that in my opinion make the movie weaker. For example, the relationship between Dolores and Csar could have been developed deeper (I did not read the book, so I do not know if the movie is 100% loyal to the book). The DVD comes with a "Behind the Scenes" documentary, which is nice to see, but it is too short (sometimes they are too long, but this is too short) and you get to hear all maine actors and the director sepaking about the movie.
Movie Review: Loosely Based On The Hijuelos Novel
Summary: 4 Stars
Oscar Hijuelos' great novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love forms the basis for this film although the movie version stops about halfway through Hijuelos' story largely ignoring the tragic second half of Cesar Castillo's life without his brother.
The brothers are played by Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas and both are extraordinarily well cast. Assante conveys the more hedonistic Cesar with greaat intensity and Banderas actually steals the film with a remarkable performance as the more sensitve brother Nestor.
Fine casting, including a fairly strong performance by the late Celia Cruz makes this movie a pleasure to watch. Marusckha Detmers plays Nestor's wife Dolores and while she looks great she poses more effectively than she acts.
Overall this is a fine entertaining film and while the plot is derived from the novel in order to translate it to the screen some obvious liberties were taken with the story that frankly do not detract much from the enjoyment of a film that stands on it's own merit.
The backdrop of 1950's Mambo-crazed NYC is also very cool and well done.
Movie Review: The Best (and only) Mambo Movie I've Ever Seen!
Summary: 4 Stars
Excellent "mambo" music and colorful characters made me rate this a "five-star" after the first viewing. After several looks, the novelty - how many mambo movies are there? - wore off and it settled into a still-good "four stars" film. One thing: it's always fun to watch.
Armand Assante was particularly good in here and I was intrigued with Maruschka Detmers, a new face which at times looked striking. Since she resides in France and hasn't made many, if any, English-speaking films, we here in North America haven't really seen her since this film. Assante and Antonio Bandaras are the two leads, however, sharing the spotlight with the music. Both actors are excellent, maybe the best roles of their careers.
The story moves best the first 40 minutes with a lot of that "hot" music but then gets a little melodramatic afterward. However, I found it interesting all the way through with a nice tale of brotherly love and devotion.
For all you "Ricky Ricardo" fans of "I Love Lucy" television: if you want a real feel of Latin Americans-in America during the 1950s, check this film out