Last week’s mystery movie was the 1946 MGM picture “Holiday in Mexico,” with Walter Pidgeon, Jose Iturbi, Roddy McDowall, Ilona Massey, Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra, and your young singing star Jane Powell, Hugo Haas, Mikhail Rasumny, Helene Stanley, Wm. “Bill” Phillips, Amparo Iturbi, and the grandchildren of Jose Iturbi, Tonia and Teresa Hero.
And no, I don’t think for a moment that Fidel Castro was an extra in this film, despite what IMDB says.
Screenplay by Isobel Lennart. Original story by William Kozlenko.
Musical direction by Georgie Stoll.
Photographed in Technicolor. Photography by Harry Stradling, Technicolor color director Natalie Kalmus. Associate, Henry Jaffa.
Edited by Adrienne Fazan, recorded by Douglas Shearer. Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Jack Martin Smith. Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Arthur A. Krams. Special effects by Warren Newcombe. Costumes by Irene. Men’s costumes by Valles. Makeup by Jack Dawn.
Produced by Joe Pasternak.
Directed by George Sidney.
“Holiday in Mexico” is available on DVD from TCM. It was once available from Warner Archive, but not any more and good grief the redesigned Warner Archive website is horrible.
Seriously, Warner Bros., you have to work at being this unhelpful and useless.
I was on vacation last week – except there’s no rest for the mystery movies. So I picked “Holiday in Mexico,” which helped Roddy McDowall bridge the gap between child and adult roles (he’s about 18 in the film).
——————–
Correction: A previous version of this post said “Holiday in Mexico” was Jane Powell’s film debut. Powell debuted in “Song of the Open Road.”
——————–
Let’s see which New York Times critic hated it….
Oh my! T.M.P. (Aug. 16, 1946) liked it! Well, sort of.
To paraphrase a popular tune of a couple of years ago, the new musical which arrived yesterday at the Capitol is lovely to look at and delightful to hear. For Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and more particularly the producer-director team of Joe Pasternak and George Sidney, have built a lavish and entertaining show around a serviceable romantic comedy plot in “Holiday in Mexico.” In fact, it might be said that the studio has been generous to a fault in turning out this two-hour Technicolor display. With about thirty minutes less running time, the first part of the picture could be tightened to advantage, thus doing away with the edge of slowness it now has.
I hardly ever get to do mystery guests from animation. But for Monday, we have a treat: a mysterious animated bird, also an incredibly human utility pole.
You say you would like another hint? OK.
Our mysterious animated bird has a mysterious animated bird buddy. With, incredibly enough, another lifelike utility pole.
Update: The animation sequence at the beginning of the film was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery guest in a helmet and goggles.
Update: This is Roddy McDowall.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (you’re warm on the animators), and Sylvia E. (right era for animation).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mystery woman. Her companion has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness and will appear Friday.
Update: This is Helene Stanley and Walter Pidgeon as Side of the Head Guy.
Update: For Friday, our mystery woman has a mystery companion.
We also have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Linda Christian.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious gent), Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery gent) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery gent). Half-credit to Dan Nather: Right mystery studio, a different decade.
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this dapper mystery gent.
Update: This is Mikhail Rasumny.
We also have this perplexed mystery gent.
Update: Yes, this is Grady Sutton – with a mustache.
Here’s an arty shot of a mystery gent, also a mystery Chihuahua.
Update: This is Xavier Cugat with Tico-Tico. It was hard to pick just one of these photos as there are a bunch of him peering through the strings of various instruments.
And yet another arty shot of a mystery gent.
Update: Jose Iturbi in yet another peering through the strings shot.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery women), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery women) and Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Wednesday’s Mystery Woman No. 1).
For Friday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Ilona Massey.
We also have these formally dressed mystery gents.
Update: This is Roddy McDowall and Walter Pidgeon.
And finally, we have a mystery woman serenading a mystery bird.
Update: This is Jane Powell .
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests and mystery Chihuahua), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, mystery guests and interesting information on our mysterious animators), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery goggled youth, Wednesday’s mystery women and Thursday’s mysterious musicians), Beach Gal (mystery movie and all mystery guests, peering into the future to see Friday’s guests), Suzanne Stone (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2, and Thursday’s mystery musicians and mystery mustachioed gent, peering into the future to see Friday’s guests), David Inman (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery musicians and mysterious mustachioed gent), Funky PhD (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery musicians), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery musicians and mysterious mustachioed gent), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and mysterious musician No. 1), Gary (mystery movie and interesting background on films set in Latin America), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guests), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Benito (Thursday’s mystery gents, but alas, it’s a different mystery movie).
ladailymirror.com 
“The Three Caballeros”?
LikeLike
A good guess. But no Jose Carioca this week.
LikeLike
Mel Blanc must be involved!
LikeLike
Alas, Mel was elsewhere when this was done.
LikeLike
Based solely on the sombrero I would say Los Three Caballeros.
LikeLike
An interesting guess! But no Jose Carioca this week.
LikeLike
Hanna Barbera cartoon?
LikeLike
Cute animated birds at the US/ Mexico border is my only guess so far. Looks like the animation is post WWII.
I’ll keep plugging away.
LikeLike
Roddy McDowall in HOLIDAY IN MEXICO (1945).
LikeLike
Roddy McDowell?
LikeLike
I’m really going out on a limb here . . . and guessing this is an MGM cartoon animated by Hugh Harmon and/or Rudy Ising in the late 30s or early 40s (pre-Tex Avery).
LikeLike
Dick Van Dyke in helmet from Chitty Chitty?
LikeLike
An interesting guess. But our mystery movie is somewhat earlier and it’s another studio.
LikeLike
HOLIDAY IN MEXICO?
LikeLike
Roddy McDowell today.
LikeLike
I’m going to guess though it’s very early in the week for me.
The animation looks ‘Disney-esque’ to me. Tuesday’s guy in goggles looks like Dick Van Dyke. Is the movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”?
LikeLike
Alas, it’s a different mystery studio and an earlier era. But all will become clear soon enough.
LikeLike
Oh well. Now I think my guess is wrong. Have no other guess though.
LikeLike
Helene Stanley and Linda Christian. On a little vacation ha ha?
LikeLike
Helene Stanley; Linda Christian.
LikeLike
Helene Stanley in “Holiday in Mexico”
LikeLike
Mikhail Rasumny, Grady Sutton (with a mustache!), Xavier Cugat, and Jose Iturbi.
LikeLike
Mikhail Rasumny; Grady Sutton; Xavier Cugat; Jose Iturbi
LikeLike
Tico-Tico: Xavier Cugat’s Chihuahua
LikeLike
“Holiday in Mexico” 1946
Tuesday’s be-goggled guy is Roddy McDowell!
Thursday, still working on guy number 1, number 2 is Grady Sutton, number 3 is Xavier Cugat and piano guy is Jose Iturbi. Maybe guy 1 is Hugo Haas, but I’m not sure. I read that the dog has a female name but, like Lassie, is a male. Working on all. Fun picture.
LikeLike
Holiday in Mexico
Roddy McDowall, Helene Stanley, Linda Christian, Xavier Cugat, Jose Iturbi
LikeLike
Holiday in Mexico
Tues helmet/goggles guy is Roddy McDowell. Wed girl in green cap is Helene Stanley. Wed mysterious beauty is the future Mrs. Tyrone Power, Linda Christian. Thurs gent #1 is Mikhail Rasumny. Gent #2 is Xavier Cugat with his dog Tico Tico. Gent #3 is Jose Iturbi. We should see Jane Powell and Walter Pigeon tomorrow.
LikeLike
Oops! I left out perplexed mystery gent, Grady Sullivan.
LikeLike
Double oops. Spell check. That should be Grady Sutton as perplexed gent.
LikeLike
“Holiday In Mexico” from 1846 with Jose Iturbi, Xavier Cugat, Tiko Tiko the little dog, Linda Christian, Grady Sutton and soon Jane Powell and Roddy McDowell?
LikeLike
Grady Sutton, Xavier Cugat and Jose Iturbi today, making this “Holiday in Mexico.”
LikeLike
The gent with the chihuahua is Xavier Cugat, and the mystery gent at the piano is Jose Iturbi. That would make this Holiday in Mexico.
LikeLike
I am late getting on board for this Holiday in Mexico.
LikeLike
Grady Sutton, Xavier Cugat and Jose Iturbi in HOLIDAY IN MEXICO.
LikeLike
Holiday In Mexico-and that’s Xavier Cugat!
LikeLike
I was thinking Nancy Goes to Rio but this predates that so it must be Nancy having a Holiday in Mexico. From his biography I have read that Nelson Rockefeller, aware of the number of German Nazi party members infiltrating Latin America, convinced FDR to establish a Good Neighbor policy.One of the components of tha policy was a saturation of Hollywood films with Latin American settings. Now you know. Gracias Nelson.
LikeLike
That was in the late 30’s.
LikeLike
Holiday in Mexico (1946) w/Jane Powell, Walter Pidgeon, Roddy McDowell, Jose Iturbi, Helene Stanley, Xavier Cugat, Ilona Massey, Grady Sutton…
LikeLike
Mikhail Rasumny, Grady Sutton, Xavier Cugat and Jose Iturbi
LikeLike
Our movie is Holiday in Mexico with animation by Hanna-Barbera. Our first Wednesday guest is Helene Stanley. For Thursday, we have Mikhail Rasumny, Grady Sutton, and Xavier Cugat with Tico-Tico.
LikeLike
Helene Stanley, Linda Christian. I think Thurs’ guy is Mikhail Rasumny (maybe).
We’ll have Ilona Massey, Jane Powell and Walter Pidgeon on Friday.
The animation of the birds on the telephone wires from D.C to Mexico, must be the MGM crew. I believe Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera were still at MGM during the post WWII years, so will try to find out more about that.
LikeLike
Holiday in Mexico
I don’t know who voiced the birds.
Tuesday: Roddy Mcdowell
Wednesday: Helene Stanley, Linda Christian
Thursday: Mikhail Rasumny, Grady Sutton, Xavier Cugat, José Iturbi
LikeLike
Going through IMDb, Bill Hanna got co-producer credit. Hanna and Joe Barbera are listed as uncredited in the ‘animation’ category. I checked with Larry Huber (my animation guru,) he mentioned animators Ray Patterson and Ken Muse (‘anchor’s aweigh’ animation) were also at MGM at that time. They were indeed listed in the credits. Fred Quimby, production manager (animation.)
LikeLike
Grady Sutton, Xavier Cugat and Jose Iturbi today. Guessing its ANCHORS AWEIGH 1945. Just waiting for Kathryn!
LikeLike
Walter Pidgeon appears for Wednesday, and then Ilona Massey, Rodney McDowell and Walter Pidgeon, and Jane Powell today.
LikeLike
Fri. Ilona Massey, Roddy McDowell with Walter Pigeon, Jane Powell.
LikeLike
Ilona Massey, Roddy McDowell, Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell.
LikeLike
Ilona Massey, Roddy McDowall, Walter Pidgeon, and Jane Powell
LikeLike
Ilona Massey, Roddy, Walter Pidgeon and Jane Powell. No idea on the ID of the mystery parrot.
LikeLike
Walter Pigeon, Ilona Massey, Roddy McDowell and Jane Powell.
LikeLike
Illona Massey; Roddy McDowall, Walter Pidgeon; Songbird Jane Powell
LikeLike
Roddy McDowall and Jane Powell
LikeLike
HOLIDAY IN MEXICO 1946. PS Jose Iturbi sure got around
LikeLike
Friday: Ilona Massey, Roddy Mcdowall, Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell
LikeLike
Pingback: Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +) |