The Kissing Bandit

MGM, 1949
Starring Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, J. Carrol Naish, and Mildred Natwick
Directed by Laslo Benedek
Music by Nacio Herb Brown; Lyrics by Earl Brent and Edward Heyman

If you've never heard of this Frank Sinatra vehicle, you're in good company. The only place I'd ever seen it before I found the DVD for rent at a local library was the "Dance of Fury" showing up in That's Entertainment III. Evidently, it was obscure even when it was new. According to Wikipedia, it was a massive flop in January 1949 and would become one of the least-successful musicals of MGM's 40's and 50's golden age. Does this tale of a shy young bandito deserve to ride off into the sunset, or should it be trampled under the feet of those fiery flamenco dancers? Let's find out...

The Story:  We're in California in the 1850's. Ricardo (Sinatra) is called back from Boston by his late father's former partner Chico (Naish) to take over as the Kissing Bandit, a legendary thief who steals from the ladies, then kisses them before taking off. Ricardo is tall, skinny, shy, can't ride a horse, and is awkward around girls. He's never kissed a girl in his life! He'd rather return to Boston, but he's more-or-less forced into it. On his first raid,  he falls head-over-heels for feisty Teresa (Grayson), the beautiful daughter of the Governor Don Jose (Mikhail Rasumny). His sister Isabella (Natwick) is her guardian and confidante. He wants to tell her how he feels, but not only does she think he's the Bandit, he's just too shy.

Meanwhile, he and Chico discover that a rude man who visits their inn (Carleton G. Young) and his fat general (Billy Gilbert) are tax collectors who intend to bilk the government out of the money. They pass themselves off as the nobleman and his general to get their hands on the gold themselves. While it works with Don Jose and Isabella, Teresa knows better. Ricardo can't bring himself to hurt her, no matter what Chico wants, even it means playing the Bandit for real and stopping the nobleman from doing any real harm.

The Song and Dance: The character actors and stunning Technicolor costumes and sets carry the day. Southern California of the 1850's is a rainbow of lime greens, flame oranges, and sunset golds, with everyone costumed in the most elaborate finery this side of the Cisco Kid. We even get some actual outdoor scenery in the beginning, during the raid. Naish and Natwick are particularly fun as Ricardo's sidekick and the one who keeps him from running off and Teresa's strong-willed aunt.

Favorite Number: As mentioned above, the movie is best known for "The Dance of Fury," performed at the fiesta towards the end of the film. Ricardo Montalban finds himself dealing with two of MGM's best dancers, Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller, who definitely don't want to share him! It's a blaze of color and fancy footwork that stands out in the dull surroundings. Broadway dancer Sono Osato also gets a nifty solo with a whip about half-way through. Sinatra's "Siesta" is actually kind of funny, and is much better than the attempts at ballads earlier.

What I Don't Like: Sinatra and Grayson were pretty much forced into this movie. Neither thought they were suited for it, and it wound up being among their least-favorite of their films. I'm afraid they were right. While Grayson isn't bad as the lovely senorita, Sinatra is totally at sea as the timid young scholar who would rather be studying in Boston than stealing from pretty women. The two have no chemistry; their romance is stiff and dull. Like Bing Crosby, Sinatra just wasn't made for period films.

The two amazing dances make up somewhat for the music being bland. Neither Sinatra nor Grayson's big ballads register, and the differences in their instruments mean there's no duets.

The Big Finale: Unless you're a really huge fan of Sinatra, Grayson, or MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's, I'd look up "The Dance of Fury" online or in That's Entertainment III and skip the rest.

Home Media: While it is easy to find solo on DVD and on Amazon Prime, your best bet may be to pick this up with a collection of other lesser-known Sinatra vehicles from the 40's, Frank Sinatra: The Early Years.

DVD
Amazon Prime
Frank Sinatra: The Early Years DVD set