THE TRUMPET BLOWS ...and so does the movie but it can also be amusing, especially if you like the stars. Manuel Montes (George Raft), a New York-educated Mexican (hence the accent), comes home to his brother Pancho's (Adolph Menjou) ranch and finds himself being set up for an arranged marriage but before that can happen, he falls in love with fiery dancer Chulita Valdez (a sultry Frances Drake) not knowing she's his brother's intended. In order not to cause a family rift, Raft runs off to become a famous matador and the usual complications ensue (a goring, Pancho revealed to be a notorious bandito, Manuelito denouncing Chulita) before things come to a head in a Mexico City bullring.
Frances Drake does a hot rumba and except for a brief spin around the dance floor, she doesn't do it with George -but since this is Pre-Code (albeit the tail end), she does spend the night with him. It's preposterous nonsense for sure and Mexican accents come and go but Georgie looks cute in his matador suit and yes, of course there were Latino actors in Hollywood at the time but, again, Paramount found a project for its star and not the other way around (Raft isn't billed above the title for nothing). Other Hollywood "exotics" in the offbeat (to say the least) cast include Sidney Toler & Katherine De Mille.
Frances Drake does a hot rumba and except for a brief spin around the dance floor, she doesn't do it with George -but since this is Pre-Code (albeit the tail end), she does spend the night with him. It's preposterous nonsense for sure and Mexican accents come and go but Georgie looks cute in his matador suit and yes, of course there were Latino actors in Hollywood at the time but, again, Paramount found a project for its star and not the other way around (Raft isn't billed above the title for nothing). Other Hollywood "exotics" in the offbeat (to say the least) cast include Sidney Toler & Katherine De Mille.