Memorable, crazy movie

Better Late Then Never

A Masterpiece!

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

ALTHOUGH THE EFFECT of this animation/live action hybrid was less spectacular than Disney's other efforts, such as SNOW WHITE, FANTASIA, BAMBI and DUMBO; it certainly was a success. Both at the Box Office and in critical praise, SALUDOS ANIGOS was adjudged a winner; both domestically and in the overseas marketplaces.SUCCESS IN THE third area of its reasons for existence were even more overwhelmingly effective than had been anticipated by anyone. The behind the scenes genesis of the film was an alliance between Disney and the United States Department of State. Presents us with a most perfect example of collaboration between the Private Sector and the Public in the form of the U.S. Federal Government, Roosevelt Administration.UNLIKE MOST SUCH experimentations, this one worked and paid big dividends for both parties.IN MMAKING SHORT work of a long story, the State Department underwrote a good will tour by Walt and a group of his artists, musicians and writers. The tour was of South America with stops in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and some others. The purpose was two fold. One being as a sort of bulwark against the growing fascination with Fascism on the Conytinent; with the other's being an extended junket by the Disney Company in discovering the customs, manner of dress, language, literature and music of the many countries and regions of South America. Both ends were highly successful.THE SCENARIO FOLLOWS the real life tour of the Disney crew and uses the tour by airplane as the link between four animated segments. The first finds American tourist, Donald Duck, replete with faithful camera, visiting the Bolivia-Peru border at Lake Titicaca. The second finds a story very much like LITTLE TOOT (the tugboat); but has at its center a family of anthropomorphic airplanes whose job is to fly the mail over the Andes Mountains. The third examines how the Argentine Gaucho is the South American equivalent of the Cowboy of the Old West. Segment four brings Donald Duck to Rio de Janero in Brazil; where he meets and interacts with Portuguese speaking Parrot, Jose Carioca.ONE FURTHER OBSERVATION which we found was regarding the format that they used in framing the individual story segments. As a central dramatic device, Disney chose that of the touring artisans being moved about the continent from one country to another their charter airliner; much in the same manner that the real tour did. THE FICTIONAL MOVIE flight reminded us of our 4th grade geography book. In it one character "Peter Martin" was privy to his father's trans-global flight in which the two (along with us 9 year olds) visited all of the continents save for Antarctica.THE GREAT STORY of behind the scenes story of SALUDOS AMIGOS and its sequel, THE THREE CABALEROS, is told in the 2008 documentary film, WALT & EL GRUPO.

This feature was made to improve relations with South America. It features a few animated shorts with live action breaking the scenes up. The live action is designed to teach about South American culture.I am someone who really likes this feature (even though it is short). I love the scene with Jose Caricoa (sp?) where Donald can't pronounce his name. "Joe-say...". I would watch this at my old job at a video store every chance I got! I would recommend it to everyone, but since some people are not impressed with this feature I would suggest renting it first.Overall very good!!!

This is the fore runner of the many of the Disney TV shows of the 50's, 60's and 70's, mixing live action travel footage with cartoons that tie into the subject.It is also the first of the multi-short film that Disney would release as feature through the 1940's and early 1950's, but its one of the better ones since the pieces are all about on the same level. This, to me, is a better film than the Three Caballeros which followed it and which more people know about than this.There are really only only four shorts, Donald a tourist, Goofy as a gaucho, Pedro the mail plane, and a piece set to the song Brazil that introduces Joe Carioca.The real problem with this film is it just stops. Brazil ends and so does the movie. I know they say leave them wanting more but this is ridiculous.This is a renter. The DVD box says its 75 minutes, but only if you include the short documentary, which is almost as long as the movie itself. If you and your kids like it, then buy it, but its too little to be throwing 20 bucks away on.

Animators on assignment from Walt Disney tour South America (along with Donald Duck!) to soak up new cartoon ideas. This long-unseen Disney item is full of color and music, but is obviously a holding-pattern release for the company. I watched the film on video, coupled with the quite-entertaining additional 20-minute documentary which regales even more of the non-animated adventures. Never too popular with the kids, probably because a major cartoon segment involving Pedro the Airplane isn't very funny and lacks the local flavor. Otherwise, some visually dazzling bits but not as good as the similar "The Three Caballeros", released in the US in 1945. **1/2 from ****