The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat

Last updated
"The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat"
Song by Carmen Miranda
Released1943
Genre Pop
Songwriter(s) Leo Robin
Composer(s) Harry Warren

The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat is a song composed by Harry Warren and Leo Robin, performed by Carmen Miranda for the film The Gang's All Here (1943).

Contents

This was the first Technicolor film directed by Busby Berkeley, whose extravagant musical numbers received critical acclaim, particularly the scene featuring "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat". [1] In this sequence, dancers appear holding bananas about half a meter long, which, according to critics, suggest a metaphor for erect penises. The performance culminates with Carmen Miranda balancing a large bunch of bananas on her head. [2]

Background

Carmen Miranda moved to Los Angeles in 1940 and, in the following years, appeared in a series of musicals for 20th Century-Fox. In 1941, she starred in That Night in Rio and, later that same year, appeared in Week-End in Havana . As her fame grew, producers began offering her more lines and greater visibility as an actress. In 1943, Busby Berkeley was hired by Fox to direct the lavish wartime musical The Gang's All Here, which featured one of Carmen Miranda's most iconic numbers: "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat". [3]

Context

Carmen Miranda in The Gang's All Here (1943). Carmen Miranda in The Gang's All Here trailer cropped.jpg
Carmen Miranda in The Gang's All Here (1943).

The musical number "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat", performed by Carmen Miranda in the film The Gang's All Here (1943), is one of the most memorable sequences in 1940s Hollywood cinema. Directed by Busby Berkeley, known for his extravagant choreography, the number captures the essence of the visual and performative style that cemented Carmen as a pop icon. [4]

The scene is marked by grandiose choreography that blends geometric shapes, hypnotic patterns, and surreal elements. The use of giant bananas as stage props creates a lavish visual spectacle, balancing humor and sensuality. This exaggerated aesthetic is reinforced by Carmen's costume, which includes her signature fruit-decorated turban and an outfit that accentuates her stage presence. The vibrant Technicolor hues, a technological innovation of the time, amplify the tropical and extravagant tone of the performance.

The narrative of the number reflects the cultural context of the time, particularly the "Good Neighbor Policy" promoted by the United States during World War II. Hollywood, at the time, often portrayed Latin America in a romanticized and stereotyped manner, and although Carmen Miranda was Brazilian artist, she was incorporated into this vision. However, her presence on stage transcends these clichés by turning these elements into her personal trademark, delivering a performance that combines charisma, humor, and authenticity. [5]

Berkeley's art direction, with its symmetrical framing and elaborate camera movements, transforms the number into a unique visual spectacle. The scene blends parody and celebration, playing with the exoticization of tropical culture, while Carmen Miranda captivates the audience with her contagious energy. "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" remains a landmark in classic Hollywood cinema. While embedded in a context of cultural stereotypes, the number is widely celebrated not only for its artistic execution but also for the lasting impact Carmen Miranda had on popular culture. [6]

Cultural Impact

Carmen Miranda singing "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" in The Gang's All Here, 1943. Carmen Miranda in The Gang's All Here (1943).jpg
Carmen Miranda singing “The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat” in The Gang's All Here, 1943.

The musical number "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat", performed by Carmen Miranda, became a cultural landmark, generating countless references and tributes over the decades. Its vibrant aesthetic and Carmen's unique performance left a legacy that continues to be celebrated and reinterpreted in various contexts. In classic cartoons such as Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry , the number was often parodied. [7] Female characters or even animals were depicted wearing fruit-laden turbans in comedic scenes, directly evoking the image of Carmen Miranda. These moments helped solidify the visual of the number as part of the collective imagination. Carmen's iconic costume – especially her fruit-filled turban – became a cultural symbol associated with tropicalism and exuberance. This aesthetic transcended cinema, appearing in fashion shows, carnival costumes, and advertising campaigns over the years. [8]

In cinema and television, the number continues to be referenced, as seen in The Simpsons , where characters Homer and Bart wear fruit hats, a clear reference to Carmen Miranda. [9] Another example is The Mask (1994), in which Jim Carrey’s character dances in a scene that evokes the exaggerated and tropical style characteristic of the artist. [10]

In addition, contemporary artists such as Madonna, [11] Katy Perry, [12] and Anitta [13] incorporate tropical elements and extravagant costumes into their performances, clearly influenced by Carmen Miranda’s style. Cabaret performers and drag queens also frequently reinterpret the number, bringing Carmen's legacy to stages worldwide. [14]

Comedy shows, such as Saturday Night Live , have also used the number as a reference in comedic sketches, while the visual of "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" has inspired artists and designers. In the fashion world, names like Miuccia Prada and Jean-Paul Gaultier have cited Carmen Miranda as an influence in collections that celebrate tropical exuberance. [15]

Legacy

In December 2014, the Library of Congress recognized The Gang's All Here as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. [16] Additionally, the film was nominated by the American Film Institute in 2004 and 2006 for two important lists: 100 Years... 100 Songs (for the song "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat") and The Greatest Movie Musicals , respectively. In 2018, Billboard magazine ranked the musical number "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" as one of the "100 Greatest Movie Musical Performances," placing it at number 65. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Miranda</span> Portuguese-born Brazilian singer, dancer and actress (1909–1955)

Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, known professionally as Carmen Miranda, was a Portuguese-born Brazilian singer, dancer, and actress. Nicknamed "The Brazilian Bombshell", she was known for her signature fruit hat outfit that she wore in her American films.

Tropicália, also known as tropicalismo, was a Brazilian artistic movement that arose in the late 1960s. It was characterized by the amalgamation of Brazilian genres—notably the union of the popular and the avant-garde, as well as the melding of Brazilian tradition and foreign traditions and styles. Today, tropicália is chiefly associated with the musical faction of the movement, which merged Brazilian and African rhythms with British and American psychedelia and pop rock. The movement also included works of film, theatre, and poetry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busby Berkeley</span> American film director and musical choreographer (1895-1976)

Berkeley William Enos, known professionally as Busby Berkeley, was an American film director and musical choreographer. Berkeley devised elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns. Berkeley's works used large numbers of showgirls and props as fantasy elements in kaleidoscopic on-screen performances.

<i>Down and Out in Beverly Hills</i> 1986 film by Paul Mazursky

Down and Out in Beverly Hills is a 1986 American comedy film co-written and directed by Paul Mazursky, based on the 1919 French play Boudu sauvé des eaux, which was later adapted into the 1932 film Boudu sauvé des eaux by Jean Renoir. The film stars Nick Nolte, Bette Midler, and Richard Dreyfuss. The plot follows a rich but dysfunctional family who save the life of a suicidal homeless man. Musician Little Richard appears as a neighbor, and performs "Great Gosh A'Mighty" during a party scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rita Lee</span> Brazilian musician (1947–2023)

Rita Lee Jones was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, presenter, actress, writer, and activist. Known as the "Queen of Brazilian Rock," she sold more than 55 million records, making her the most successful female artist by record sales in Brazil and the fourth overall, behind Tonico & Tinoco, Roberto Carlos, and Nelson Gonçalves. She built a career that started with rock but over the years flirted with various genres, such as psychedelia during the Tropicália era, pop rock, disco, new wave, pop, bossa nova, and electronic, creating a pioneering hybrid between international and national genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ary Barroso</span> Musical artist

Ary Evangelista de Resende Barroso was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV. He was one of Brazil's most successful songwriters in the first half of the 20th century. Barroso also composed many songs for Carmen Miranda during her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tutti Frutti (song)</span> 1955 single by Little Richard

"Tutti Frutti" is a song written by Little Richard and Dorothy LaBostrie, recorded in 1955, which was his first major hit. With its energetic refrain, often transcribed as "A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-lop-bam-boom!", and its hard-driving sound and wild lyrics, it became not only a model for many future Little Richard songs, but also for rock and roll itself. The song introduced several of rock music's most characteristic musical features, including its loud volume, powerful vocal style, and distinctive beat and rhythm.

<i>The Gangs All Here</i> (1943 film) 1943 film by Busby Berkeley

The Gang's All Here is a 1943 American Twentieth Century Fox Technicolor musical film starring Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda and James Ellison. The film, directed and choreographed by Busby Berkeley, is known for its use of musical numbers with fruit hats. Included among the 10 highest-grossing films of that year, it was at that time Fox's most expensive production.

<i>Down Argentine Way</i> 1940 film by Irving Cummings

Down Argentine Way is a 1940 American musical film made in Technicolor by Twentieth Century Fox. It made a star of Betty Grable in her first leading role for the studio although she had already appeared in 31 films, and it introduced American audiences to Carmen Miranda. It also starred Don Ameche, The Nicholas Brothers, Charlotte Greenwood, and J. Carrol Naish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marília Pêra</span> Brazilian actress

Marília Soares Pêra was a Brazilian actress, singer and theater director. Throughout her career, she won around 80 awards, acting in 49 plays, 29 telenovelas and more than 20 films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fruit hat</span> Style of hat popularized by Brazilian performer Carmen Miranda

A fruit hat is a festive and colorful hat type popularized by Carmen Miranda and associated with warm locales. This type of hat has been worn by fashionistas, in films, by comic strip characters, and for Halloween. The fruit used tends to sit on the top or around the head, and varies in type, e.g. bananas, berries, cherries, pineapples.

<i>Greenwich Village</i> (film) 1944 film by Walter Lang

Greenwich Village is a 1944 American comedy-drama musical film from Twentieth Century Fox directed by Walter Lang. It stars Carmen Miranda and Don Ameche.

<i>Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business</i> 1995 film directed by Helena Solberg

Carmen Miranda: Bananas is My Business is a 1995 documentary filmed and directed by Helena Solberg. This documentary chronicles the life and career of Carmen Miranda, Hollywood's symbol of Latin American spirit in the 1940s. The documentary tells her life story in a series of stages, beginning with her roots and rise to stardom in her home country of Brazil, her transition and development as a performer in the United States, first on Broadway in New York City, then in the film industry after she signed with 20th Century Fox in Los Angeles, and her later years in life, before her death and her return to Brazil. Helena Solberg uses two different film styles, biography and directorial reverie, in which Solberg uses actor Erick Barretos to “resurrect Carmen Miranda in several fantasy sequences. Helena Solberg's attitudes shift throughout the documentary from awe-struck child to empathetic and forgiving Brazilian woman, which she uses to represent the contradictory subplots of Carmen Miranda's life. Alongside the fantasy like resurrection of Miranda, Solberg accompanies her documentary with multiple interviews with Carmen Miranda's friends and family, like her sister, her first boyfriend, the guitarist Laurindo Almeida, samba song-writer Synval Silva, Cesar Romero, and Alice Faye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt</span> American retail chain

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt is an American retail chain of self-serve frozen yogurt. Tutti Frutti has over 100 outlets in California and other states in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Miranda Museum</span> Museum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Carmen Miranda Museum, located in the Parque Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes, is a museum established in homage to singer and actress Carmen Miranda and open to the public since 1976. The museum was officially opened on the 21st anniversary of her death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O Que É Que A Baiana Tem?</span> Song

O que é que a baiana tem? is a song composed by Dorival Caymmi in 1939 and recorded by Carmen Miranda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Draped turban</span> Type of headwear

A draped turban or turban hat is a millinery design in which fabric is draped to create headwear closely moulded to the head. Sometimes it may be stiffened or padded, although simpler versions may just comprise wound fabric that is knotted or stitched. It may include a peak, feather or other details to add height. It generally covers most or all of the hair.

Paducah is a song written by Leo Robin and Harry Warren, originally performed by Carmen Miranda and Benny Goodman and His Orchestra. The song was part of the 1943 musical The Gang's All Here starring Alice Faye, James Ellison, and Carmen Miranda. The movie cemented Miranda's image as the lady with the big fruity hats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Miranda filmography</span>

This is a complete filmography of Carmen Miranda, a Portuguese-Brazilian singer, actress, and dancer.

<i>The Carmen Miranda Collection</i> American film

The Carmen Miranda Collection is a box set featuring five top movie titles starring Carmen Miranda. It was released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on June 17, 2008.

References

  1. ↑ "The Gang's All Here". AFI Catalog. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ Garcia-Navarro, Lulu (April 22, 2015). "Of Fruit Hats And 'Happy Tropics,' A Renaissance For Carmen Miranda". National Public Radio . Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  3. ↑ Daniel Bernardi, Michael Green (July 7, 2017). Race in American Film: Voices and Visions That Shaped a Nation [3 Volumes]. [S.l.]: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   9798216135067. Retrieved November 16, 2024
  4. ↑ Balieiro, FF (2014). "Carmen Miranda entre os desejos de duas nações: cultura de massas, performatividade e cumplicidade subversiva em sua trajetória" (PDF). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  5. ↑ José Canelo, Maria (2014). "Producing Good Neighbors: Carmen Miranda's Body as Spectacular Pan-Americanism". Cairn.info. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  6. ↑ Menta, Glauco. "Carmen Miranda em Hollywood: vestindo formas, cores e culturas". Revista Universitária do Audiovisual (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  7. ↑ Marcos L Souza (January 3, 2018). História Da Música. [S.l.]: Editora Clube de Autores (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 16, 2024
  8. ↑ "Família de Carmen Miranda profissionaliza gestão da marca". O Globo (in Portuguese). December 4, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Homer Simpson quer voltar ao Brasil. Listamos gafes para ele não repetir". Revista Veja (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  10. ↑ "This Is the Best Dance Scene in a '90s Movie, and It's Not 'Pulp Fiction'". Collider . September 5, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  11. ↑ "«On Madonna's Dick Tracy-inspired album, she sings, 'I just like things a little rough, and you better not disagree". New York Magazine . May 14, 1990. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Katy Perry se inspira em Carmem Miranda na apresentação de 'I Kissed a Girl'". Gazeta do Povo (in Portuguese). February 9, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Anitta posta traje de Carmen Miranda usado na inspiração de fantasia para seu bloco: 'Guerreira maior'". O Globo (in Portuguese). February 25, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  14. ↑ Orosco, Dolores (January 19, 2011). "'Carmen Miranda é a mãe das drag queens', diz convidado da SPFW". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  15. ↑ Pacce, Lilian (February 9, 2017). "108 anos do fenômeno Carmen Miranda". lilianpacce.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  16. ↑ "'Big Lebowski,' 'Willy Wonka' Among National Film Registry's 25 Selections". Variety. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  17. ↑ "The 100 Best Acting Performances by Musicians in Movies". Billboard. October 4, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.