Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business

For starters, I learned much about the Queen of Kiche; also, I learned that she was worthy of a documentary, certainly. Her beginnings in Brazil, her birth in Portugual, this section of the documentary was well done. Clearly this was the strongest section, including how she linked her fame to superfame in the U.S.. She was a Brazilian superstar long before she went to the U.S. Once in the U.S., up she went within weeks, into Celebrity Heaven. But from there, the documentary does become somewhat hazy, creating more questions than it answers. I do agree with one ImDB reviewer: They, like me, wonder how much of a struggle >did< she make, i.e. to break away from the "living cartoon" caricature she'd become by 1944/45? I mean, that was an "out there" demeaning image, and extremely limiting for a singer/dancer. This issue does not come into focus. I found the wistful, spacy narration of the director/producer somewhat pretentious, but at times it worked for me. Yes, I too agree (with another reviewer) that her marriage to the meatheaded producer just rather popped up and hung there. But, I got the impression, that time limitations lock-stepped them into going light on that. She was a serious, family oriented Roman Catholic, and that rules out divorce--and that point is covered. When Ms. Miranda died (1955) divorce wasn't even allowed in major Catholic countries! Dumping Meathead just would have been, to her and family, not an option. Finally, she made choices--she had choices. Some of these are not explained well enough. But, all in all, I don't consider this a weak effort, but a good one. Worth viewing.

Contrary to the opinions expressed by some reviewers, this documentary, though with some odd moments and sequences, is much more sensitive and personal than their reviews would imply.

Ms Solberg presents a clear theme. Carmen Mianda was misunderstood by her own people. That she was actually portuguesa, makes little difference to the story, though it is important to know. The important point is that she was Brazilian to her core. Even her dear sister Aurora makes that point clear.

The main theme in the story is a subtle apology to the world for the way the upper class Brazilians treated Carmen. Yes, she was a popular singer who had the ear of Getulio Vargas at the right time, but she was never a part of the Brazilian highly detested "elite," those who vilified her at her gala performance on her first return from the USA, the elite who own the news media and were able to manipulate public opinion in Brazil among people who "mattered." Ms Solberg's mother appears to be among those to whom the film refers, since "nice people" never went out where the masses gathered. Ms Solberg also makes the point that these Brazilians did not form their world opinions in Brazil, but in Europe, where they also bought their clothes. Interesting juxtaposition of preferences.

Thus it is wrong to believe that because of her fame and favor with the president at the time, Carmen was socially well-connected. Ms Solberg tells us about those who "always" loved her. These were the people whom the world thinks of as "real" Brazilians, the samba singers, the bahianos, the black people of the northeast, whose culture permeates everything Brazilian. This is why America became obsessed with Carmen at the time that the Brazilin upper crust felt sold out by her.

Thus, the theme is clearly one of a clash of cultures, not so much between North and Soutn America, but rather among Brazilians themselves. And Ms Solberg comes down squarely, as does Carmen, on the side of the majority, those who love the rhythm of Brazil and who adore Carmen Miranda. This documentary was for them, not so much for us norte americanos.

Very good biographical documentary on Portuguese-born Brazilian Broadway and Hollywood star Carmem Miranda. From her childhood in Rio de Janeiro to the beginning of her artistic career, from her first music trips do Buenos Aires to her success in the United States, from her partners and friends in Rio and New York to her failed marriage and death, from the criticisms against her to her worldwide lagacy, the informative and well paced film addresses every important single issue about the great bombshell superstar and the Maria do Carmo (Carmem Miranda's true name) behind her.

Frankly, I found it quite difficult to sit through this "documentary." Re-enactments and psychobabble mar what could have been a fascinating exploration of a film icon.

The genre is one of my favorites, and I have enjoyed attending the IFP Festival in NYC, where documentarians are highlighted.

One hopes to come away from a celluloid, biography viewing experience with a better understanding of the subject. This particular production seemed to meander, and fail to provide an insight into the life of the actress. The Biography Channel could have done a more in-depth analysis, which certainly doesn't say much for this production.

This was a very odd documentary. Normally, I enjoy this forum of film. I enjoy learning about a person or events that I normally would never learn about. I love learning about famous people that to the normal eye would have a normal life, but behind the scenes it was nothing but trials and tribulations. The only issue I have is that sometimes it is hard to create a good documentary, or just another episode of E! True Hollywood Stories. That is exactly the line that Carmen Miranda: Bananas is my Business crosses.

This film goes from decent documentary into a slime fest for the "bombshell" beauty. The problem with this film is that the filmmaker takes too many assumptions with Carmen. For example, there are some scenes that were not captured on film when Carmen was alive, so the director chose to go ahead and place an actress (or in this very odd case and ACTOR) in a reenacting role of Carmen. There were several moments of this film where it would skip from filmed Carmen, to this actor Carmen and the director would take certain risks.

These risks should not be taken when creating a documentary. Why? Because again you are crossing a line. You are taking a documentary, one that lives in the world of fiction, and throw in areas of non-fiction. This cannot happen. You cannot jump genres. How is your audience to believe you? After watching some truths from the taped Carmen from her films, I had trouble jumping from one to the other. I couldn't keep track on what the director wanted to show as "real" and what was dramatized. That is definitely no way to create a story. For example, we open this film to Carmen walking around in her bath robe and suddenly falls, we witness the mirror that Carmen is carrying shatter in front of her. Now I know that the director was trying to show that a beauty, concerned most about her appearance, had a mirror (the sheer instrument of vanity) break in front of her. BUT THIS NEVER HAPPENED. I had to remind myself that the director was taking a chance here, causing my stomach to go down south. Can directors of documentaries take these chances?

Can they dabble the line between fiction and non-fiction while trying to tell a "true" story? My answer friends, is NO. But again, all I am is a mere critic, no director of documentaries.

Grade: ** out of *****