Brazil
"The Musical Love Story of Pan-America!"
Synopsis
Brazil is perhaps the best of the handful of US films made by singing sensation Tito Guizar. In typical screwball-comedy fashion, the plot is set in motion by authoress Nicky Henderson, who has hit the best-seller charts with her latest tome, Why Marry a Latin? While researching her next book in Rio De Janeiro, she finds out "why" when she meets handsome songwriter Miguel Soares. Upon learning about Nicky's book, Miguel decides to teach her a few lessons in the affairs of the heart. Edward Everett Horton is also on hand, twittering his way through the role of a well-meaning buttinsky. Thanks to the "Good Neighbor" policy of the 1940s, South American musicals were a glut on the market, but Brazil was good enough on its own merits to pay its way at the box office.
Principal Cast8

Tito Guízar
Miguel Soares

Virginia Bruce
Nicky Henderson

Edward Everett Horton
Everett St. John Everett

Robert Livingston
Rod Walker

Richard Lane
Edward Graham

Veloz
Veloz
Yolanda
Yolanda

Fortunio Bonanova
Senor Renaldo Da Silva
Media4
Backdrops
Posters
Director

Joseph Santley
Director →
Keywords
External Links
Reviews1
American writer “Nicky” (Virginia Bruce) arrives in Brazil on a fact-finding mission for her latest novel, only it's population of men are less than impressed with the assertions of her last critique on their manhood. Luckily, her ex-boyfriend “Rod” (Robert Livingston) is the local embassy official and so he offers to be her escort and show her the sights. First stop is a dancing establishment and some elegance from Veloz & Yolanda, but she wants to get her hands dirty. She intends to see the the real Brazilians in their own environment, so heads off to the travel agents and that’s where she meets the charming “Miguel” (Tito Guízar) who immediately takes a shine to her. He is a musician suffering from the most interminable mental constipation and thinking she is a sort of prettier version of Baedeker, offers to help her explore in the hope that she will at least revitalise his creative juices. He’d better hope so because his boss in coming in from the States expecting a completed number. With “Rod” still keen on her, “Miguel” (and/or his Portuguese speaking twin) falling for her too and now “Graham” (Richard Lane) demanding his song, the scene is set for a comedy romance that does have it’s moments, just not enough of them. It’s at it’s best when it focuses on the musical numbers. The remainder of the drama is all a bit dull and it probably didn’t help that I found Guizar’s thickly-accented crooning really quite hard on the ears. His “Rio de Janiero” maybe didn’t benefit so much from Ned Washington’s translation to English, but in any case it fell a bit flat as did most of the tunes bar the familiar and instantly recognisable refrain from the title. Bruce tries her best but there simply isn’t any chemistry between her and Guizar and I lost interest after the two-headed sibling made his brief appearance. It might have made for a decent distraction amidst the continuing War, but time has done it few favours.
Feb 21, 2026






















