Purely Joyful Movie!

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Carmen Miranda, in rare form, greets you with the title song in this 1941 film.When a tourist ship is hit by a reef, the owner of the company sends his prospective son-in-law to Havana to settle with the passengers. All do so with the exception of Alice Faye who puts demands on Jay, John Payne...and the fun begins.Payne wines and dines her and even gets Cesar Romero, a gigolo after rich women to get involved. Of course, Romero believes that Faye is a wealthy woman, from her room and certainly not a Macy's sales-girl.Romero owes money to the Cuban mob and Payne attempts to pay his debts off. When Miranda, Romero's girl-friend finds out what is going on, all appears to be lost, but Payne finds romance with Faye, until his bride-to-be pays an unexpected visit.Very lively fanfare with a predictable ending, but you will not in the least, as the picture is entertaining and enjoyable.

Fox channel aired this film right after "Sun Valley Serenade", both released in 1941. This emphasized to me that both musical romances had basically the same plot, but in very different settings and with different lead actors, except for John Payne. In both films, Payne is engaged to be married to a society knockout, but gradually comes to realize he really prefers a newcomer "nobody", Alice Faye , in the present film. Whereas in SVS, Payne spends most of the film trying to deny that he is falling in love with Sonja Henje's character, who keeps popping up unexpectedly, in the present film, it's Payne who keeps popping up unexpectedly in the life of Alice Faye, who initially shows no interest in him. Both films are blessed with multiple stars with complementary and overlapping talents. As usual, Payne is the straight man for a series of embarrassing and comedic situations, can sing, and eventually winds up with the leading lady. Cesar Romero functions as the primary male comedian as well as something for the ladies to swoon over. Carmen Miranda is her usual effervescent flirtatious self, as different in personality and looks from prim dreamy-eyed Alice Faye, as one can imagine. She is the centerpiece of occasional lavish costume musical numbers, whereas Alice renders her ballads in quite a different style. While Romero makes a play for Alice, whom he thinks is filthy rich,and Carmen flirts with Payne, savvy viewers sense that Carmen will return to Romero, while Payne and Alice will return together to NYC. Like SVS, this film is just a fun time, with a vaudevillian mix of song and dance, comedy, drama and romance.

I really enjoyed this musical. Carmen Miranda and Ceasr Romero are especially charming and at the top of their game. The songs and dancing routines are first class, a little "Hermes Pan" influence. I am also a fan of John Payne. His understated and often over looked skills as an actor are on display as be brings a light touch to this enjoyable romp. I thought Alice Faye was wonderful but would like to have seen her do a couple of more musical numbers like she has done in her other projects. No one can introduce a song during the era of the 30s and 40s like Alice. The colors are big, bright and beautiful and makes for a wonderful watch. I may be old fashioned but this is a film i could watch with the grand children and laugh out loud with them.

Fox makes ample use of their stock company players--ALICE FAYE, JOHN PAYNE, CARMEN MIRANDA, CESAR ROMERO, as well as a bevy of dependable supporting actors to make sure that their technicolor investment in WEEKEND IN HAVANA pays off. Unfortunately, it's a routine assignment for all concerned. The script is light, even for a Fox musical.Faye had better musicals at the studio and is saddled with playing a rather pushy department store clerk who expects to get the royal treatment in Havana after her cruise is interrupted by a shipwreck. Naturally, a handsome corporate man (Payne) is assigned to take care of her "vacation" in Havana, and therein lies the nub of the plot. Everything that follows is quite predictable, including misunderstood romantic complications, but the end result is nevertheless entertaining.Both Alice and Carmen Miranda have opportunities to demonstrate their prowess with a song and John Payne makes an attractive partner for Faye. Cesar Romero plays a Latin charmer with his usual confident air. It's all very pretty in Fox's typically garish technicolor but fails to stay in the memory as some of Faye's other films do since there's nothing especially memorable about either the plot or the music.