Although Esther Williams is top-billed, "Fiesta" is really a vehicle for the musical talents of Ricardo Montalban; his dancing duet with a young Cyd Charisse is a definite highlight, but you don't have to sit through the entire film to see it, you can find it on Youtube. There is also some good bullfighting footage (though obviously not involving the main actors, but stand-ins), and an unusual for a Hollywood musical Mexican flavor. But the "plot" is so exceedingly lame (and tiresome) that it buries an interesting theme underneath (tradition & father pressure vs. personal choice & creativity): are we supposed to believe that entire arenas full of people can't tell the difference between Ricardo Montalban and Esther Williams?! Less plot and more music were needed in this case. ** out of 4.
Review of Fiesta
