Latin Lovers (1953 film)

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Latin Lovers
Latin Lovers 1953 poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Written by Isobel Lennart
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Starring Lana Turner
Ricardo Montalbán
John Lund
Louis Calhern
Cinematography Joseph Ruttenberg
Edited by John McSweeney Jr.
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Color process Technicolor
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • August 25, 1953 (1953-08-25)
Running time
104 min
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,769,000 [1]
Box office$2,089,000 [1]

Latin Lovers is a Technicolor 1953 romantic musical comedy film made by MGM. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy, and written by Isobel Lennart. The music score is by Nicholas Brodszky, and the cinematographer was Joseph Ruttenberg.

Contents

Plot summary

Nora Taylor has a fortune worth $37 million, but fears men only want her for her money. The current man in her life is Paul Chevron, who is even wealthier than she is.

Paul delays further discussion of marriage until he returns from a trip to Brazil to play polo. After hearing that men who go to Brazil often fall for the beautiful women there, Nora decides to fly there and surprise Paul, taking along trusty secretary Anne.

It is she who meets a new romantic interest, dashing Roberto Santos, who sweeps her off her feet. Once again, though, Nora is concerned about whether it's her or her riches that attracts him, so she announces her intention to give away all her money. Roberto disagrees about that because he thinks money can make life easier, so Nora leaves him.

Having remained calm during Nora's distraction with a new man, Paul returns to the U.S. and proposes marriage to her. Nora realizes she is not in love with him and says so. Anne surprisingly declares her own love for Paul, saying when it comes to the heart, money shouldn't matter. Nora comes to her senses and returns to Roberto, saying she still intends to give all her money away, but to him.

Cast

Notes

Fernando Lamas was originally cast in the role that Ricardo Montalbán played. Lamas and Lana Turner were lovers and when they broke up, she insisted he be replaced. [2]

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,056,000 in the US and Canada and $1,033,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $320,000. [1] Film critic of the time, Pauline Kael, said of the film that it was an "incarnation of American speed and efficiency, vigor and abundance, held together by the conviction that all this is good (life)." [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. Latin Lovers
  3. "The Age of Movies: Selected Writings of Pauline Kael (paperback)". Library of America. Retrieved 2025-10-04.