NR, 1940
WISE Score
IMDb
An American heiress heads to Argentina for a horse, but stays for Carmen Miranda’s hats and a Nicholas Brothers dance number that defies physics.
6.4
If you are looking for a plot, look elsewhere. This is a 1940s variety show wearing a very thin rom-com costume. But that costume is made of vibrant Technicolor and features some of the best dancing in cinematic history.
Most kids will find this a total snooze until the music starts. However, the Nicholas Brothers' routine is a mandatory watch for any kid who thinks they are 'good' at dance. It is physical, athletic, and genuinely jaw-dropping 80 years later.
Best for ages 9 and up. Younger kids will enjoy the bright colors and singing, but the romantic family-feud plot will bore them to tears. It is a perfect 'history of film' pick for theater-loving tweens.
It is a sanitized, high-gloss 1940s romance. The conflict is mostly about family pride and horse breeding, making it emotionally safe and traditional.
The Technicolor production and surreal, extravagant musical numbers represent the peak of studio-era creativity, even if the script is formulaic.
Extremely safe by modern standards. No violence, gore, or language. The only concern is the dated 1940s caricature of South American culture.
The Nicholas Brothers' dance routine is an essential piece of cultural history and a masterclass in physical performance and athleticism.
Down Argentine Way is a fascinating artifact of the 1940s. It was produced as part of the U.S. government's 'Good Neighbor Policy,' which encouraged Hollywood to make movies that would win over South American audiences during World War II. The result is a movie that looks like a giant bowl of fruit—bright, sweet, and entirely artificial.
If you watch this movie for one reason, let it be Fayard and Harold Nicholas. In an era where Black performers were often relegated to the background, their 'Jumpin' Jive' style of tap dancing was so undeniable that they became the highlight of every film they touched. They didn't just tap; they performed acrobatics, including their signature leap-frog splits down stairs, that seem physically impossible. Show your kid the finale; it is the ultimate antidote to 'boring old movie' syndrome.
This was the world's introduction to Carmen Miranda. While her 'Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat' persona eventually became a caricature, here you see the raw charisma that made her a global superstar. It is worth talking to your kids about how Hollywood used her to represent an entire continent, and how that shaped the way Americans saw South America for decades.
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