Capturing the South American Market.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13233, 8 January 1941, Page 7

Capturing the South American Market.

Hollywood has nor been very successful in its first serious effort to i capture the South American market —as an off-sei to the slump in Europe. Twentieth Century Fox spent a i fortune on '"Down Argentine Way," i starring Betty Grable and Don Ameche. They rushed a print of the film, when completed, to their manager in Buenos Aires. anticipating he would rave over its future reception in his vast area. What the manager did was to wire the New York sales office requesting them not to release the Sim in South America at all! Hollywood producers are. apparently completely ignorant of the South American peoples, their way of life, their native pride. All that "Down Argentine Way" does is to make them all look ridiculous. For instance, when Betty Grable arrives by plane at the airport in Buenos Aires she is met by a reception committee consisting of a quartet of double talk comedians. Leonid Kinskey portrays an asinine gigolo who gets a rake-off from the hotels and night clubs on the money he induces rich American women to spend. And so it goes.

These caricatures, presumably presented as authentic types, would be as annoying to South Americans as a film showing all Englishmen as "silly asses,' 7 sporting monocles, would be in England; just as annoyj ing to them as an American film de- ! picting all Americans as cigar-chew-ing, loud-mouthed individuals, who spit between every word, would be to the American public. Hollywood producers and directors are advised to visit LatinAmerican countries before embarking on any more such pictures. However, 20th Century-Fox are going to have another try. They are to make "Road to Rio," with Alice Faye as star. Alice is taking lessons in Spanish and Portuguese so that she can record the songs in language understanuable to the fans in South America.