This week’s mystery movie was the 1947 MGM film Fiesta, with Esther Williams, Akim Tamiroff, John Carroll, Mary Astor, Cyd Charisse, Fortunio Bonanova, Hugo Haas, Ricardo Montalban, Jean Vanderwilt, Joey Preston, Frank Puglia, Los Bocheros, and Alan Napier.
Original screenplay by George Bruce and Lester Cole.
Photographed in Technicolor.
Photographed by Sidney Wagner, Charles Rosher and Wilfrid M. Cline.
Technicolor consultant Natalie Kalmus.
Associate Henri Jaffa.
Musical score by Johnny Green.
El Salon Mexico by Aaron Copland.
Adapted and orchestrated for the screen as Fantasia Mexicana by Johnny Green.
Additional orchestration by Ted Duncan.
Dances staged by Eugene Loring.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and William Ferrari.
Edited by Blanche Sewell.
Recording by Douglas Shearer.
Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis.
Associate Thomas Theuerkauf.
Costume supervision by Irene.
Makeup by Jack Dawn.
Produced by Jack Cummings.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.
Further information on Fiesta is available from the AFI Catalog.
Fiesta is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I picked Fiesta by going through the trades and opted to return to Harrison’s Reports because the other publications on Lantern were too cumbersome. A lightweight plot in a role reversal of a twin brother and sister; she wants to fight bulls and he wants to write music. And MGM manages to slip in a swimming sequence, because this is an Esther Williams picture.
I’m guessing Bosley will dismiss this as a bit of mildly entertaining fluff.
I’m half-right. It’s Abe Weiler writing as one of the “alphabet critics” (The New York Times, June 27, 1947):
Brimming over with goodwill toward our neighbor republic Mexico, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer labored long and obviously at great expense to fashion Fiesta, which settled down yesterday at the Capitol. But the musical, filmed there almost in its entirety is only a cursory excursion below the Rio Grande struggling fitfully between snatches of excellent, staccato native songs and dances and a lame and weary plot.
For Monday, we have a mysterious pianist.
Update: The hands of our mysterious pianist, Ricardo Montalban.
For Tuesday, we have a mysterious guest who is not the mystery pianist.
Update: This is Hugo Haas.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have two mysterious fellows. Neither of them is the mysterious pianist.
Update: This is Fortunio Bonanova, left, and Akim Tamiroff.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (mystery movie and both mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (Tuesday’s mystery guest) and Blackwing Jenny (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a woman of great mystery. She is not the mysterious pianist.
Update: This is Mary Astor.
Brain Trust roll call: L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Stacia (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious hombres), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery hombres), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Sheila (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have three mysterious guests, none of whom is the mysterious pianist!
Update: This is, from left, Cyd Charisse, Esther Williams and John Carroll.
And at last, the mysterious pianist is revealed!
Update: This is Ricardo Montalban.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery woman), Sylvia (mystery movie and all mysterious guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery woman) and Megan and Thom (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
“The Eddy Duchin Story” starring Tyrone Power (1956)?
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A great guess. But alas, it’s another pianist!
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Oscar Levant?
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An excellent guess. But alas, it’s another pianist.
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Paul Whiteman, KING OF JAZZ.
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An excellent guess! But alas….
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Monday – just for grins
The Eddie Duchin Story 1956
Tyrone Power’s hands
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That’s two votes for Tyrone Power!
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Jose Iturbi
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Another great guess! But alas….
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Dick Jaymes, WHEN IRISH EYES ARE SMILING.
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An excellent guess. But alas….
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Just a wild guess but Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces.
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Another great guess! But alas….
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Ricardo Montalban and Hugo Haas in FIESTA.
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Hugo Haas.
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Hugo
Haas!
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NANCY GOES TO RIO. Banda du Lua’s hands Monday, and Fortunio Bonanova and carlos Barbe.
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Fiesta (1947) w/Ricardo Montalban, Esther Williams, Fortunio Bonanova, Akim Tamiroff, Mary Astor, Cyd Charisse, John Carroll, Hugo Haas
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Wednesday is Fortunio Bonanova and Akim Tamiroff so this must be FIESTA!
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Fortuna Bonanova. I was going to take a stab at Fiesta yesterday, so why not today?
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Went completely down the wrong rabbit hole searching “ragtime” movies, but Wednesday’s guests helped immeasurably.
On Monday, the hands of Ricardo Montalban, on Tuesday, Hugo Haas and on breakthrough Wednesday, Fortunio Bonanova and Akin Tamiroff, in “Fiesta.”
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Fortunio Bonanova and Akim Tamiroff.
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FIESTA. Montalvab’s hands Monday, Hugo Haas Tuesday, and Fortunio with Akim Tamiroff today.
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Fortunio Bonanova and Akim Tamiroff for Wednesday?
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Mary Astor.
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Fiesta 1947
Mon – Ricardo Montalban’s hands
Tues – Hugo Haas
Wed – Fortunio Bonanova and Akim Tamiroff
Thu – Mary Astor
That leaves for Friday, the reveal of Ricardo Montalban plus Esther Williams and maybe Cyd Charisse and John Carroll.
A “thank you” to Ms Astor for guiding me to the solution to this week’s mystery movie.
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Mary Astor.
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Mary Astor
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Our movie is Fiesta with Mary Astor, Fortunio Bonanova, and Akim Tamiroff.
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Code Charise, Esther Williams, John Carroll, and Ricardo Montalban (I was right) on Monday.
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Cyd Charisse, Esther Williams, John Carroll and Ricardo Montalban.
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John Carroll and Ricardo Montalban in FIESTA 1947
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