Yolanda and the Thief
Johnny Riggs, a con man on the lam, finds himself in a Latin-American country named Patria. There, he overhears a convent-bred rich girl praying to her guardian angel for help in managing her tangled business affairs. Riggs decides to materialize as the girl's "angel", gains her unquestioning confidence, and helps himself to the deluded girl's millions. Just as he and his partner are about to flee Patria with their booty, Riggs realizes he has fallen in love with the girl and returns the money, together with a note that is part confession and part love letter. But the larcenous duo's escape from Patria turns out to be more difficult than they could ever have imagined.
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- Cast：
- Fred Astaire , Lucille Bremer , Frank Morgan , Mildred Natwick , Mary Nash , Leon Ames , Ludwig Stössel
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Reviews
Simply Perfect
Fantastic!
A story that's too fascinating to pass by...
The acting in this movie is really good.
This MGM musical might just win the award for the weirdest musical of all time...or at least until the film "The Apple" debuted in 1980. It's a one-of-a-kind strange film...that's for sure.The film is set in the mythical South American nation of Patria. A young lady in a convent (Lucille Bremer) is about to reach her 18 birthday and assume control over a HUGE corporation that practically owns the nation. However, she's feeling completely overwhelmed and prays for divine assistance. Well, it happens that a devilish thief (Fred Astaire) heard her prayer and decides to become her guardian angel--and thereby rob her of her fortune. However, like you'd expect in an old time musical, Fred is torn and just can't bring himself to hurt poor Lucille. What's next? Well, I won't say but I will say it gets a lot weirder yet!! This is brainless fun...but clearly brainless. It's not a particularly good script and the film also suffers from a couple dance numbers that are too long and time-consuming--most likely to cover for the fact the film just hasn't got much of a plot. Worth seeing for Astaire lovers---all others be careful! By the way, if you do see the film look at the opening number. This must be the most sexually repressed imaginary country on the planet, as the folks shower while dressed!! You wonder how (and IF) they make love!
Vincente Minnelli's "Yolanda and the Thief" never fails to fascinate me; the Technicolor, extraordinary art direction, costume design, orchestration (unfortunately the Arthur Freed-Harry Warren songs are not up to the task) and the extraordinary photography of Charles Rosher are compelling and wonderful. In defense of Lucille Bremer, the role of Yolanda was probably an unplayable one and no matter how coached she couldn't quite pull it off. Could anybody have played this part? I don't think so. (Unfortunately it appears to have ended her career at MGM.) In the dream sequence, "Angel" and "Coffee Time" she is excellent; otherwise she struggles with the part and it shows. The more veteran performers - Astaire, Frank Morgan and Mildred Natwick shore up the enterprise. As with the equally baroque "The Pirate", "Yolanda and the Thief" pushed the limits of the film technology and audience sensibilities of the time and I think they were worth it thanks to Arthur Freed (producer) and Vincente Minnelli (director).
Lovely Lucille Bremer is Yolanda and Fred Astaire is the thief in "Yolanda and the Thief," a 1945 musical directed by Vincente Minnelli and also starring Frank Morgan, Leon Ames, and Mildred Natwick. Astaire and Morgan are con men in a Latin American country called Patria which is practically owned by the Aquaviva family. The heir to the fortune, Yolanda (Bremer) has just left convent school to take over the estate, and Johnny (Astaire) decides to get it away from her. He hears her praying to an angel statue how worried she is about all the money, etc., and decides to pose as an angel. This, of course, is in keeping with one of the major themes of the day during and after World War II - angels, the dead coming back to life, heaven.This is a beautiful film to look at with some good dance numbers. Minnelli was a brilliant director, even with less than great material. Alas, the stunningly photographed Bremer wasn't much of a presence. She and Astaire are okay together but the whole thing never really gets off the ground. A few nice moments, but one expects more from both Minnelli and Astaire.
Perhaps a wittier script and some really good songs would have made a difference. As it is, "Yolanda and the Thief" is an over-produced mishmash of unashamedly corny situations (even for 1945!)Fred Astaire is a dapper con man who travels to a mythical South American country where he overhears a young woman (Yolanda, Lucille Bremer) praying for a guardian angel. He and his fellow rogue, Frank Morgan, attempt to fleece the rich young woman and--well, basically, that's the thin plot.Fred and Lucille have a couple of dancing highlights ("Will You Marry Me?" and "Coffee Time"), the latter being a dazzling display of artistry from set decorators and costume designers, a feast for the technicolor camera. But the script is full of painful attempts at humor that only make Mildred Natwick look foolish as a dotty Aunt, and even the reliable Leon Ames can do little with his role as Mr. Candle. Most of the songs are dreadful, particularly an opening number called "Patria" (fictional name of the country), so bad it gives what follows the look of amateur night at the studio. Not one of Vincente Minnelli's finest hours.
