IN CALIENTE (First National, 1935), directed by Lloyd Bacon, is a musical tribute to a then popular Mexican resort town south of the border from San Diego, California, most noted for its horse racing and gambling. It stars hot tamale Mexican-born actress Dolores Del Rio in a lightweight story with an overly familiar plot redeemed by a good score and fine choreography by Busby Berkeley. With Berkeley on hand, instead of focusing on his trademark dance numbers of geometric patterns and overhead camera shots, he leans heavily on the current trend of ballroom dancing popularized by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The dancers in question for IN CALIENTE are the now obscure names of DeMarcos, Tony and Sally.
The story centers upon Larry MacArthur (Pat O'Brien), president, critic and editor of New York City's smartest magazine, Manhattan Madness, who has a habit of writing bad reviews without ever seeing a performance. Harold Brandon (Edward Everett Horton), vice president, wants to break up Larry's engagement to Clara Thorne (Glenda Farrell), a gold digger who not only prefers to get married on a Thursday, but has had won three previous breach of promise suits. Knowing the upcoming marriage will be a mistake, Harold succeeds in getting Larry drunk enough to take him unconscious from both his job and Clara via airplane to Aqua Caliente, a Mexican resort. While there, the conscious Larry at first demands to be returned to New York, but once he meets up with Rita Gomez (Dolores Del Rio), he decides to have his holiday in Mexico and remain, unaware that Rita, a concert dancer, was one of the performers he criticized in his review. Recognizing Larry as the man who had given her a bad write-up, Rita plots on humiliating him, with the help of Jose Gomez (Leo Carrillo), her uncle and manager who pleasures in cheating "suckers" at cards. More problems arise when Clara arrives to claim Larry.
On the musical program, songs include: "Mexicando/In Caliente" (several reprises, mostly sung by Mariachis); "To Call You My Own" (sung by Phil Regan, danced by Dolores Del Rio and unidentified partner); "The Lady in Red" (sung by Winifred Shaw, chorus, Judy Canova), by Mort Dixon and Allie Wrubel; and "Muchacha" by Harry Warren and Al Dubin (sung by Phil Regan, Dolores Del Rio, and chorus).
Long on story and comedy, with songs spread apart while the two Berkeley production numbers are saved for the near conclusion. Of the songs presented, only "The Lady in Red" is notable. While introduced in IN CALIENTE by Winifred Shaw, and given the reprise "hillbilly treatment" by comedienne Judy Canova, it's best remembered as a dance number sung and performed by Desi Arnaz in one of the classic episodes to the 1950s TV comedy series, I LOVE LUCY (CBS, 1951-1957) starring Lucille Ball. Phil Regan, an Irish tenor, playing the role of Pat Casey, but acting the part as Pedro Casinova, is the male vocalist. He heads the grand finale of "Muchacha" opposite Del Rio, in a rare opportunity in which she sings (briefly) on film. Her vocalization is adequate, but at times sounds more like the singing of Kitty Carlisle from two Bing Crosby musicals, HERE IS MY HEART and SHE LOVES ME NOT (Paramount, 1934). Carlisle, however, is best noted for her performance opposite The Marx Brothers in A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (MGM, 1935).
While this is essentially a showcase for Dolores Del Rio and Pat O'Brien, Edward Everett Horton not only comes close in stealing his many scenes in his overly familiar performance from his leading actor, concluding the story with a funny fadeout. Another plus is the location filming at Agua Caliente. Chris Pin-Martin, as one of the mariachis, recites the catch phrase, "English not so very good looking." IN CALIENTE is typical yet manages to be entertaining as 1930s movies go. For more enjoyment with this south of the border musical comedy, watch IN CALIENTE whenever it plays on Turner Classic Movies. (***).
