April in Portugal (film) explained

April in Portugal
Director:Euan Lloyd
Producer:Irving Allen
Albert R. Broccoli
Cinematography:Ted Moore
Music:George Melachrino
Studio:Warwick Films
Distributor:Columbia Pictures
Starring:Trevor Howard
Jocelyn Lane
Amalia Rodrigues
Runtime:20 minutes
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English

April in Portugal is a 1954 travel film directed by Euan Lloyd, starring Jocelyn Lane and narrated by Trevor Howard. It was released in 1956.

Cast

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This brief visit to Portugal is given the customary CinemaScopic treatment, and, in its effort to reveal the varied splendours of Lisbon, succeeds in telling us very little. Miss Jackie Lane, the film's guide (who wears a different creation in almost every shot) is accompanied by a smiling bullfighter, Antonio dos Santos, and a fulsome commentary delivered by Trevor Howard. The fudos singer, Amalia Rodrigues, renders several well-known songs – one of which, sung from a yacht on the Tagus, suddenly suggests that the film has taken to parodying itself – a folk dance team perform a few steps, a military parade is held in honour of the President of Brazil, and Antonio himself provides the climax shot at a Portuguese bull-fight. These, and sundry other events, are photographed in bright glossy colours, and the title tune is played, in a rich stercophonic arrangement, by George Melachrino's Orchestra. A chromium-piied travelogue which, nevertheless, wears a decidedly old-fashioned look."[1]

Notes and References

  1. 1 January 1955 . April in Portugal . . 22 . 252 . 184 . subscription . ProQuest.