MovieChat Forums > Sombrero (1953) Discussion > Warning: not suitable for all viewers

Warning: not suitable for all viewers

posted 9 years ago by gonemoab
3 replies | jump to latest

Dangerous flamenco dancing and shameless melodrama is involved. Self-important film auteur-types may vomit or inflict self-injuries. For anyone else willing to be charmed, amused and generally warmed by frivolously indulgent love stories, make the popcorn.

It's true that the script suffers from Hollywood's signature post-war reality-free effluvia, and the overacting during comic scenes rivals anything from the period. However, solos and intimate scenes among principal characters demonstrate the skill of the actors in sometimes daring caricatures. Pier Angeli, Rick Jason, Cyd Charisse, Nina Foch, and even Ricardo Montalban. And, of course, the supernaturally beautiful Yvonne de Carlo, never more appealing. And Jose Greco, though Italian, treats you to a stunning flamenco solo, as others have noted.

The sets and location cinematography is fan-tabulous. No studio B makeovers here.

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Timothy Leary's dead

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

This movie is ridiculous on many levels but I enjoyed it; mostly because of all the familiar faces who were in it.

The story of the gypsy girl whose brother held her captive because he couldn't be safe unless she remained pure was the most absurd. The premise was bad enough but then she kills him with a voodoo doll then has to do a sword dance to the elements to free herself from the curse. Wow, crazy!

What about Maria? I thought for sure she'd turn up pregnant with her lover's child and a grandson for pops but when that didn't happen I had to wonder. With all the talk about an heir, is she now going to marry her true love's father to produce a child, a new heir? When he calls her by the family name, I didn't know what to make of it. I think a lot was left unsaid as far as that's concerned.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] gonemoab 9 years ago

What about Maria? I thought for sure she'd turn up pregnant with her lover's child and a grandson for pops but when that didn't happen I had to wonder.

You'd think so, eh? Well, after all, it was the height of puritanism via the Hayes code.

I think a lot was left unsaid as far as that's concerned.

The defense rests.

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Timothy Leary's dead

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

gonemoab says > the supernaturally beautiful Yvonne de Carlo,

Yes, she was beautiful. It's funny how she was the town's most beautiful in this movie yet in the Ten Commandments, her sisters made fun of her for being the least desirable. They were surprised Moses picked her for his wife. Maybe that's because she was the eldest of the sisters and considered over the hill.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]