- Actors: Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, John Payne, Cesar Romero, Cobina Wright
- Directors: Walter Lang
- Writers: Darrell Ware, Karl Tunberg
- Producers: Darryl F. Zanuck, William LeBaron
- Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
- Language English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- DVD Release Date: 21 Feb 2006
- Run Time: 81 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000BZISUI
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 27,551 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This 1941 film takes us to Havana having previously been down Argentine Way and spent time in Rio. This is a magnetic, enjoyable excursion into Latin American territory for the third time. A strong leading cast, support acting,fast-paced direction (Walter Lang), authentic local settings, vibrant costumes (Gwen Wakeling), decent musical and dance numbers with romance,of course, thrown in produced great entertainment.
Nan Spencer (Alice Faye) is a Macey's shop girl who has scrimped and saved for the trip of a lifetime to Havana.The cruise ship she is to board malfunctions. Enter Jay Williams (John Payne) sent by his Steamship Company boss (played by George Barbier) to obtain waivers from the passenger list to avoid possible litigation. Problem is Jay is about to marry the boss's daughter Terry McCracken (Cobina Wright Jr). After Terry coerces her father to embelish Jay's prospects, Jay arrives to obtain the necessary paperwork successfully. All except stubborn Nan Spencer. To placate her he has her flown on a luxurious all-expenses paid vacation to Havana, accompanying her.Jay and Nan eventually fall in love as we knew all along and the fiancee, Terry, who is easily dislikable, gets her comeuppance in rejection by Jay after deceiving him.
In between we have cunning cad Monte Blanca (Cesar Romeo), who has a love-hate relationship with Rosita Rivas (Carmen Miranda), befriending Nan for financial gain. Rosita is a nightclub entertainer who dances and sings with her tongue-twisting accented voice whilst clad in her extravagant costumes and exotic headgear. Nan (Alice) has two numbers.Leaning against a pillar, her charming face framed by the camera, singing a plaintive 'Tropical Tango' and later dancing with Monte, 'Romance and Rhumba'. The choreography is excellent especially the climactic 'The Nango' with Rosita and her entourage in knockout form. Comical moments from Romero, bellboy (Leonid Kinsky) and restaurateur Billy Gilbert.
All in all a delightful, fun-film with chemistry and ease amongst the leads. The script was originally written for Betty Grable but Alice was assigned the role at the last minute. John Payne's role was for Henry Fonda then changed to Don Ameche, typical star rotation by Zanuck. Alice was pregnant towards end of filming and shortly after release married Phil Harris.
Nan Spencer (Alice Faye) is a Macey's shop girl who has scrimped and saved for the trip of a lifetime to Havana.The cruise ship she is to board malfunctions. Enter Jay Williams (John Payne) sent by his Steamship Company boss (played by George Barbier) to obtain waivers from the passenger list to avoid possible litigation. Problem is Jay is about to marry the boss's daughter Terry McCracken (Cobina Wright Jr). After Terry coerces her father to embelish Jay's prospects, Jay arrives to obtain the necessary paperwork successfully. All except stubborn Nan Spencer. To placate her he has her flown on a luxurious all-expenses paid vacation to Havana, accompanying her.Jay and Nan eventually fall in love as we knew all along and the fiancee, Terry, who is easily dislikable, gets her comeuppance in rejection by Jay after deceiving him.
In between we have cunning cad Monte Blanca (Cesar Romeo), who has a love-hate relationship with Rosita Rivas (Carmen Miranda), befriending Nan for financial gain. Rosita is a nightclub entertainer who dances and sings with her tongue-twisting accented voice whilst clad in her extravagant costumes and exotic headgear. Nan (Alice) has two numbers.Leaning against a pillar, her charming face framed by the camera, singing a plaintive 'Tropical Tango' and later dancing with Monte, 'Romance and Rhumba'. The choreography is excellent especially the climactic 'The Nango' with Rosita and her entourage in knockout form. Comical moments from Romero, bellboy (Leonid Kinsky) and restaurateur Billy Gilbert.
All in all a delightful, fun-film with chemistry and ease amongst the leads. The script was originally written for Betty Grable but Alice was assigned the role at the last minute. John Payne's role was for Henry Fonda then changed to Don Ameche, typical star rotation by Zanuck. Alice was pregnant towards end of filming and shortly after release married Phil Harris.
4 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
An excellent "old time " movie. Great fun to watch and the type of movie you dont get these days.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
29 reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
It's Just A Fun Film And There's Nothing Wrong With That!
17 Jun 2006
Format:DVD
No WEEKEND IN HAVANA is not one of Hollywood's greatest efforts. And no, this Twentieth Century Fox release can't be compared to the musicals of MGM that were released at the same time. Still, it's one of those time period films that you can't help but enjoy.
John Payne is Jay Williams, a cruise ship executive, soon to be married and engaged to the boss' daughter (Terry McCracken played by Cobina Wright). Days before the wedding one of the company's cruise ships malfunctions and Jay is sent to placate the customers. He's able to make everyone happy except Nan Spencer, the Macy's salesgirl who has saved every last penny for the trip. To make her happy, he arranges for a trip to Havana and surprise: the two fall in love! Of course there are a number of twists and turns but we know they'll get together and we don't feel all that sorry for the boss' daughter. early in the story we know we're not supposed to like her. Viewers meet the hot Cuban singer/dancer Rosita Rivas performed by Carmen Miranda in all her glory and the lovable cad Monte Blanca played by Cesar Romero.
Part of the reason I love this film is it's just fun. The plot line is not complicated and we believe that a story that could easily be tawdry is innocent. The musical numbers may not be as well constructed as rival MGM would have done with the same story, but they still have an irresistible quality. Since most viewers will probably purchase the DVD to enjoy and not to over analyze, a corny story that can at times be a bit zany with musical numbers that are just enjoyable is great entertainment and WEEKEND IN HAVANA will be at home in any such collection.
John Payne is Jay Williams, a cruise ship executive, soon to be married and engaged to the boss' daughter (Terry McCracken played by Cobina Wright). Days before the wedding one of the company's cruise ships malfunctions and Jay is sent to placate the customers. He's able to make everyone happy except Nan Spencer, the Macy's salesgirl who has saved every last penny for the trip. To make her happy, he arranges for a trip to Havana and surprise: the two fall in love! Of course there are a number of twists and turns but we know they'll get together and we don't feel all that sorry for the boss' daughter. early in the story we know we're not supposed to like her. Viewers meet the hot Cuban singer/dancer Rosita Rivas performed by Carmen Miranda in all her glory and the lovable cad Monte Blanca played by Cesar Romero.
Part of the reason I love this film is it's just fun. The plot line is not complicated and we believe that a story that could easily be tawdry is innocent. The musical numbers may not be as well constructed as rival MGM would have done with the same story, but they still have an irresistible quality. Since most viewers will probably purchase the DVD to enjoy and not to over analyze, a corny story that can at times be a bit zany with musical numbers that are just enjoyable is great entertainment and WEEKEND IN HAVANA will be at home in any such collection.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
A 1941 TECHNICOLOR DELIGHT
20 Nov 2001
A cruise ship wrecks off the coast of Florida on its way to Havana. Passenger Nan Spencer (Alice Faye), a Macy's Department Store salesgirl from New York City, refuses to sign a waiver which would absolve the steamship company's liability in the accident........This colourful outing provided Faye with two good songs: TROPICAL MAGIC & ROMANCE AND RHUMBA. Her third number, THE MAN WITH THE LOLLIPOP was recorded but cut from the film; however, it is heard briefly when Billy Gilbert sings a part of it at the country inn of which he owns. For tongue-twisting, fruit-laden Carmen Miranda, this film showcased her talents considerably. Hermes Pan choreographed her big production routine THE NANGO; she also sang the title tune, REBOLA A BOLA & WHEN I LOVE, I LOVE. A vintage splashy Technicolor Fox musical complete with the velvety voice of Alice Faye, the devilishly wriggling Miranda and a variety of vintage tunes - with the rather bland but handsome John Payne and latin lover Cesar Romero in support.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Faye, Fast Pacing, and Great Havana Settings
21 Jan 2002
"Weekend in Havana" might well be the fastest paced musical in the career of Alice Faye, whose films never lacked pacing. Director Walter Lang makes adroit use of a gifted cast. Alice Faye and John Payne ultimately fall in love under the bright stars of a Havana evening sky, but after plenty of resistance from spoiled rich girl Cobina Wright Jr., his fiancee. Before she finds love with Payne, Alice is romanced by Cesar Romero at his comedic best as a gigolo perpetually in trouble. Romero in turn is kept in line by regular girlfriend Carmen Miranda, a local nightclub singer and dancer who thinks nothing of bopping Romero to keep him in line.
The comedic highlight of "Weekend in Havana" is a hotel suite scene straight out of Noel Coward's "Private Lines" involving Faye, Payne, Miranda and Romero. When the fiery Miranda calls Faye a "floozy" the blonde erupts with fire of her own.
The plot point of the film is that ship executive Payne, slated to marry boss' daughter Cobina Wright Jr., is compelled to obtain Faye's signature at all costs to avoid liability. The Macey's woman's hosiery clerk Faye saw the negligent cause of the shipwreck of the cruise liner which was supposed to take her to Havana for two weeks of romantic enchantment.
In addition to clever, fast moving scenes, and some great musical numbers featuring the talents of Faye and Miranda, director Lang is able to utilize the comedic abilities of Romero, seeking to remain one step ahead of the mob and the law, along with tough mob boss Sheldon Leonard, restaurant entrepreneur Billy Gilbert, and hilarious hotel bellboy Leonid Kinsky, who has one of the funniest lines in the film. With Faye being kept in the luxury suite by Payne to put her in a mellow mood prior to seeking her signature to sign off on all claims, the Macey's clerk gives Kinsky a dime tip. Misunderstanding, Kinsky, in a script spoof of the rich, tells opportunistic Romero, "From the size of her tip, she must be very rich!"
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