User Reviews

I bought and watched this solely as a Sinatra completist. I has no illusions, I've been hearing for years how bad it was and now I've seen for myself. Four For Texas, Sergeants Three, Marriage On The Rocks, want some beating but Kissing Bandit is up to the task. Basically it's Destry Rides Again crossed with The Desert Song with spin, the spin being that the Sinatra character really IS a big girl's blouse and not Macho Man in drag. For reasons best known to himself J. Carroll Naish sports a false nose but otherwise he and the ever reliable Mildred Natwick work their socks off in support while Ann Miller and Cyd Charisse contribute class in a tacked-on number shot in isolation. See it once just to say you have.

If, Hope, Skelton, Crosby or even Kelly had taken the place of Sinatra, this much maligned film might be considered an entertaining, if still flawed, lavish romantic musical farce. But, someone with a good voice and style for romantic ballads was needed for the lead role of Ricardo, and Sinatra was the most available choice for MGM at the time.He didn't want to do it, and Kathryn Grayson didn't want her lead role either. In fact, both later said this was their least favorite film role. But, it doesn't really show that much. Yes, Sinatra often looks uncomfortable in his role, but any man would. The main problem is the often trite dialogue that makes the players seem like unbelievable idiots,logical holes in the script, and the characterization of Ricardo, that makes him more suitable for Hope or Skelton to play. If you have seen the Minnelli-directed musical "The Pirate", released around the same time, or the previous non-musical Hope-Mayo-starring "The Princess and the Pirate" farce, you will no doubt see significant similarities in plot and style. However, both these films are rated much higher at IMDb.

The story begins with the death of Ricardo's father: an inn keeper and notorious bandit chief in the Mexican province of Upper California.He was especially noted for kissing the female passengers of the stages he held up, often to their liking.Ricardo(Sinatra),who has been cloistered away in Boston for most of his life(why?), arrives by horse, crashing headfirst through the inn door when his horse stops too suddenly. He learns from innkeeper Chico(J. Carrol Naish) that his father was a famous bandit chief and that he is expected to take his place. No way, Jose, says he. But, he makes a brave attempt at robbing a stage, in which the governor's daughter, Teresa(Kathryn Grayson) is riding. The stage horses bolt, with only Teresa and Ricardo aboard. They get acquainted, and Teresa is disappointed because he refuses to kiss her. Later, at her mansion, she sings "What's Wrong with Me", when told Ricardo kisses all the women. Ricardo,at his inn, sings a version appropriate for him. He then rides to her mansion, and serenades her with "If I Steal a Kiss". But bullets then fly,so he has to leave. Back at his inn, the arrogant Count Belmonte and sleepy General Torro, from Spain, arrive to spend the night, before traveling to collect taxes from the Governor. Chico, Ricardo's new father figure, is caught stealing from their treasure chest, and they fight.The Count and General are tied up, Ricardo and Chico put on their clothes and take their letter of introduction to the Governor. Teresa recognizes them as imposters, but keeps quit. Meanwhile, middle-aged Isabella is warming up to Chico.Teresa sings a version of "If You Steal a Kiss", as a reply to Ricardo's previous serenade. Teresa gets jealous when Ricardo tells her he has kissed many women, but not her, because she is too beautiful.Later, she sings "There is Nothing Wrong with Me", after Ricardo suggests they elope. Ricardo then sings "I Offer You the Moon" and Teresa sometimes chimes in with a reply, as they confirm their love for each other. Later, Teresa sings "Love is Where You Find It" to express her joy. But, the real Count and General then show up, and have Ricardo and Chico thrown in jail. They escape via a halfwit jail keeper, and Ricardo wrestles with the Count, beating him, after he sees him trying to seduce Teresa. At Isabella's suggestion, Chico is appointed the new tax collector. Ricardo tells Teresa he no longer wants to be a bandit, thus she will not be entralled by him. She replies 'no problem' and serenades him with a reprise of "If You Steal a Kiss". He tells her he never was a bandit, never kissed a woman, and inherited none of his father's charisma. She kisses him and faints. He remarks "Or did I".

There are two spectacular specialized dances. At the fiesta, Ann Miller and Cid Charisse compete for Ricardo Montalban in an adaptation of some kind of traditional Mexican dance, I assume.I'm no expert on such. Earlier, Sono Osato(not Cid Charisse, as one reviewer claims)included a spectacular bull whip cracking ballet in her unsuccessful attempted seduction of Ricardo(to divert his attention from the politically dangerous Teresa). Rather reminds me of Astaire's firecracker dance in "Holiday Inn", the whip snapping sounding like firecrackers. Sono was trained in ballet, mostly in Europe, and mostly performed on stage. Most notably, she developed the character 'Miss Turnstiles'in the Broadway musical "On the Town". Vera-Ellen would later take this part in the film version.

I recommend that you give this film a chance, despite Sinatra's and Grayson's relative lack of comedic skills in their roles. Kathryn, at this age, was always a delight to look at, with large expressive eyes. There are a number of decent romantic ballads, although none made the hit parade. Naish's talent as a supporting actor helps make the film more palatable. He would return for a similar comedic role in "The Toast of New Orleans", starring Mario Lanza and Kathryn Grayson. Despite costarring with Sinatra in 3 musicals,Grayson reportedly did not find him romantically attractive.