Excellent Choice
Added 1/7/2010
I was very pleased with this movie. I couldn't find it anywhere else and it was packaged perfectly and extremely affordable.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Great movie
Added 11/27/2009
Calling all Antonio Banderas fans..here's one you gotta have in your collection. Great story line about 2 brothers coming from Cuba to America in search of the American dream. Great story line and the music just makes you want to get up and Mambo!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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A must have to own
Added 10/10/2009
Cuban rhythms aren't my favorite, however, the stirring performances of Assante and especially Banderas wrap the viewer in the period, the music and the pain of lost love. This was Banderas' first movie in the US, what a treasure he is, he expresses more in his eyes and face than most actors do with words and full body physicality. The scene with Assante (Cesar) and Banderas (Nestor) when Banderas finds out the love of his life (Maria) did love him and sacrificed herself to save him was so touching it brought tears to my eyes, the viewer can feel the heart pain of Nestor, the loss of everything important to him, the total despair of knowing deep in his soul the love of his life was gone forever. Assante as Cesar did an excellent job of playing the dominant older brother, the one with the dreams of fame and success. Nestor, the younger brother, was the talented one of the two, Cesar felt Nestor needed to be both protected and pulled along with Cesar's dream for the two; he couldn't help treating Nestor like a kid ignoring Nestor's own dreams. So strong was Cesar's ego and personality that Nestor's dreams were totally overshadowed by the desire of the older brother for fame and fortune. In the end, Cesar realizes Nestor was the talent, the soul of the two brothers.
The music in this movie is beautiful, especially the signature song, the haunting Beautiful Maria of My Soul--such a song of the heart and lost love. Both Assante and Banderas are talented musically, Assante is excellent on the drums; Banderas has a beautiful voice and the harmony of the two was very nice on Beautiful Maria of My Soul. Assante's final rendition of the song was touching and his best in the movie. Banderas is a tremendously talented actor, his brooding dissatisfaction in the direction of his life is palatable; the pain he displayed in his eyes in the last scene with DeLores when both knew the marriage was over just pierced the heart. The emotions exchanged as the eyes of the two brothers met when Cesar celebrated the final achievement of playing the Palladium (totally arranged by Nestor) spoke volumes without the exchange of a word. This is a movie to watch several times, the depth of acting especially from Banderas is appreciated more and more with each viewing.
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Passionate
Added 9/24/2009
I first saw this movie on cable Televsion, and "fell in love" with the performances of two of Hollywoods most "sexiest men!"...It was an even more pleasant surprise that they could sing so beautifully.What "chemisty and passion"...This movie has it all!I just had to "own it!!"
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The Best (and only) Mambo Movie I've Ever Seen!
Added 3/16/2009
Excellent "mambo" music and colorful characters made me rate this a "five-star" after the first viewing. After several looks, the novelty - how many mambo movies are there? - wore off and it settled into a still-good "four stars" film. One thing: it's always fun to watch.
Armand Assante was particularly good in here and I was intrigued with Maruschka Detmers, a new face which at times looked striking. Since she resides in France and hasn't made many, if any, English-speaking films, we here in North America haven't really seen her since this film. Assante and Antonio Bandaras are the two leads, however, sharing the spotlight with the music. Both actors are excellent, maybe the best roles of their careers.
The story moves best the first 40 minutes with a lot of that "hot" music but then gets a little melodramatic afterward. However, I found it interesting all the way through with a nice tale of brotherly love and devotion.
For all you "Ricky Ricardo" fans of "I Love Lucy" television: if you want a real feel of Latin Americans-in America during the 1950s, check this film out
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Excellent Choice
Added 1/7/2010
I was very pleased with this movie. I couldn't find it anywhere else and it was packaged perfectly and extremely affordable.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Great movie
Added 11/27/2009
Calling all Antonio Banderas fans..here's one you gotta have in your collection. Great story line about 2 brothers coming from Cuba to America in search of the American dream. Great story line and the music just makes you want to get up and Mambo!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
A must have to own
Added 10/10/2009
Cuban rhythms aren't my favorite, however, the stirring performances of Assante and especially Banderas wrap the viewer in the period, the music and the pain of lost love. This was Banderas' first movie in the US, what a treasure he is, he expresses more in his eyes and face than most actors do with words and full body physicality. The scene with Assante (Cesar) and Banderas (Nestor) when Banderas finds out the love of his life (Maria) did love him and sacrificed herself to save him was so touching it brought tears to my eyes, the viewer can feel the heart pain of Nestor, the loss of everything important to him, the total despair of knowing deep in his soul the love of his life was gone forever. Assante as Cesar did an excellent job of playing the dominant older brother, the one with the dreams of fame and success. Nestor, the younger brother, was the talented one of the two, Cesar felt Nestor needed to be both protected and pulled along with Cesar's dream for the two; he couldn't help treating Nestor like a kid ignoring Nestor's own dreams. So strong was Cesar's ego and personality that Nestor's dreams were totally overshadowed by the desire of the older brother for fame and fortune. In the end, Cesar realizes Nestor was the talent, the soul of the two brothers.
The music in this movie is beautiful, especially the signature song, the haunting Beautiful Maria of My Soul--such a song of the heart and lost love. Both Assante and Banderas are talented musically, Assante is excellent on the drums; Banderas has a beautiful voice and the harmony of the two was very nice on Beautiful Maria of My Soul. Assante's final rendition of the song was touching and his best in the movie. Banderas is a tremendously talented actor, his brooding dissatisfaction in the direction of his life is palatable; the pain he displayed in his eyes in the last scene with DeLores when both knew the marriage was over just pierced the heart. The emotions exchanged as the eyes of the two brothers met when Cesar celebrated the final achievement of playing the Palladium (totally arranged by Nestor) spoke volumes without the exchange of a word. This is a movie to watch several times, the depth of acting especially from Banderas is appreciated more and more with each viewing.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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