Just perfect...

Brilliant and touching

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

When there is a cast like Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Cyd Charisse and Mary Astor, the film in question promises much. Because all four of these people are very talented at what they do and have been rarely less than watchable in their films.'Fiesta' is a long way from a bad film, it's colourful and it does have several good things about it. It is however a very uneven and heavily problematic film that considering the calibre of talent should have been much better than it was.Starting with 'Fiesta's' strengths, it's very handsomely mounted and is shot in glorious Technicolor. The music is full of liveliness and makes one want to tap their toes and get up and dance, a kind of energy that the rest of the film doesn't match. Love the use of Copland's 'El Salon Mexico'.The dance choreography is even better, the fiery dance routines with Montalban and Charisse are electrifying and 'Fiesta' is worth seeing for them alone. Montalban is as suave, dashing and charismatic as ever, while Charisse is charming and dances a dream. Astor is touching, though she deserved a bigger role and better material.On the other hand, as radiant as Williams looks and her brief swimming scene is nice (though nowhere near one of her best routines) she does look ill at ease and any drama never rings true, her character being somehow related to Montalban severely strains credibility. John Carroll is rather bland, and there are somewhat hammy turns from Akim Tamiroff and Fortunio Bonanova.Scripting-wise, 'Fiesta' is pretty pedestrian and contrived, not much wit here, while the story does lack momentum, is as thin as ice and credibility-straining nonsense. As for the bull scenes, for such a brutal "sport" they are pretty tame. Richard Thorpe's direction is undistinguished at best and the most energetic 'Fiesta' gets is in the scenes with Montalban and Charisse and the music.In summary, colourful but uneven. Good for a one-time watch, but not good enough for repeat viewings. 5/10 Bethany Cox

I applaud the Esther Williams for agreeing to be Ricardo's fraternal TWIN sister, tomboy, would-be bullfighter. An audience doesn't expect a fine tuned rendering of a story -- we kind of KNOW it's only a dramatization, not REAL life.This was a pro-Mexico film in its day when Mexican-Americans were limited to patronage of Los Angeles movie theaters only one day of the week.I watched from start to finish expecting to see a dance sequence found on You Tube - where Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller compete for the attention of Ricardo. Maybe it was cut from this film and released as a Music Short Suject???? Anyway it is well written, well acted, a slimmer Akim Taaaroff feigns a nice Spanish accent. Viva Esther, Cyd, and Ricardo in a nice family story -- would have been rated G.

Twins who grow up to be Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban are born to Mexico's top matador Fortunio Bonanova and wife Mary Astor. Of course it's the father's dream that Montalban succeed him in the ring, but Ricardo is interested in music and is a pianist and composer. But Esther's something of a tomboy and she likes showing off in the bull ring every now and then. That is the basis for the plot of Fiesta which introduced Ricardo Montalban to the American cinema.Though Esther takes only a small dip in the water and barely gets wet, Fiesta is a decent enough film for her even though her specialty is not really promoted. What's really promoted is Cyd Charisse who plays Montalban's girlfriend and who does some fine dancing. Also promoted is a piano concerto by Aaron Copland, Montalban's masterpiece which convinces music maestro Hugo Haas that Montalban belongs behind a piano not in front of a bull. When he's in the latter position his head's just not in the game and that can be fatal for a matador.Since Fiesta is classified as a musical I was disappointed that John Carroll who plays a scientist and is courting Williams was not given a song in the film. Doubly disappointed because in another Latin role in Rio Rita Carroll did get to sing in that opposite Kathryn Grayson. He had a good baritone and should have sang more often in films. Possibly a number for him was cut.Though it's hardly in the front rank of Esther Williams films, Fiesta is a good programmer for MGM and for her as well.

This film introduced Ricardo Montalban to the screen. He is with his twin sister, played by Esther Williams. You can see from childhood that Ricardo loves music more than the bull ring. His father is passionate about the latter and literally demands that Mario, Montalban, follow his career into the ring as well.Of course, we have the inevitable showdown between father and son. To lure Montalban back, sister Maria goes into the ring herself to fight the bulls.The music, while lively, is the typical Mexican dance routines. Mary Astor plays the mother of Mario and Maria, and she has one dramatic scene where she tells of her fear of the ring both for her husband and son.The ending is a bit silly, but these kind of pictures generally have that air about themselves anyway. Note a young Cyd Charisse, as Mario's girlfriend. She does little dancing, but Esther Williams is not in the water either.