PAN- AMERICANA

US, 1945, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Philip Terry, Audrey Along, Eve Arden, Robert Benchley, Lita Baron, Miguelito Valdes.
Directed by John H. Auer.

There is no major reason for seeing this film – and very few minor reasons. However, it is of some historical interest, reflecting the pan-American attitude during the war, although the film came out just as the war was ending.

The plot is slight. Eve Arden, always worth seeing with her sardonic remarks and screen presence, is the editor of a magazine and wants to have a series on the most beautiful women in the world, specifically in Latin America. She summons the main photographer of the magazine, Philip Terry, who wants a holiday but who is forced to agree to go on the tour. A young woman in the office, played by Audrey Long, insinuates herself into his good books and becomes his assistant. In fact, she only wants to wangle the trip in order to get to Brazil to meet up with her fiance. Nobody will be surprised that by the end, she teams with the photographer and they end up together.

While the film has a tour of Latin American countries, it is still studio-bound touring.

Interspersed with the slight plot, there are various performances, music, dancing and songs, especially from some big names in Latin American show business of the time.

There is also some supporting comedy by Robert Benchley.

(Nothing to do with the film but Philip Terry was Joan Crawford’s fourth husband and Audrey Long married Leslie Charteris, the author of The Saint series!)