Fun in Acapulco (1963)

A young American living in Mexico suffers from post-traumatic disorder. He sees an opportunity for self-treatment when he lands a job as a lifeguard at a hotel pool.

This musical drama is extremely gorgeous-looking. This somehow justifies it, but its main commercial appeal was probably the magnetism which its male star exerted on a huge number of people. The script is not very relevant here, except as a structured series of cues for showing the beautiful scenery and places. The complete disagreement between the title and the plot actually proves what I am saying (unless one considers psychotherapy fun). The songs are a musically unremarkable mish mash of American stereotypes about Latin America whose lowest point is possibly the proverbial misassociation of Brazilian bossa nova with hispanic America. But they are somehow not important either, as they are merely an excuse for displaying the singer's talents. Overall, a poor film, but, as I said, not altogether without a raison d'être or two.

Rating: 31