Banana-da-Terra
About Banana-da-Terra
Oscarito plays a publicity man stuck with a surplus of bananas. He kidnaps the queen of Bananolândia, an imaginary Pacific island, played by Dircinha Batista, and brings her to Rio. She falls in love with Aloísio de Oliveira, a member of Carmen Miranda's group Bando da Lua. The rest of the picture is set in Rio radio studios and casinos so the songs can be staged. Carmen Miranda sings O Que é Que a Baiana Tem?
Cast & crew
More about Banana-da-Terra
Ruy Costa directed. João de Barro (Braguinha) and Mário Lago wrote it. Sonofilmes released it on 10 February 1939. It runs 88 minutes. Aurora Miranda, Linda Batista, and Dorival Caymmi are among the musical guests. It was Carmen Miranda's last film in Brazil.
Themes
Background
Sonofilmes opened it in Brazil on 10 February 1939. Within the year Miranda left for the United States.
Making
Costa built the plot around a banana surplus and a kidnapped island queen so the Rio casino floors could carry a string of current sambas.
Music
Carmen Miranda's number is O Que é Que a Baiana Tem? The score also includes songs by Aurora Miranda, Dircinha Batista, Bando da Lua, Carlos Galhardo, and Orlando Silva.
Preservation
No complete copy is known. A little more than three minutes survives, including Miranda's baiana number.
Notes
- Miranda also sings Pirulito with Almirante. Aurora Miranda sings Menina do Regimento. Dircinha Batista sings A Tirolesa.
- Other numbers include Eu Vou Pra Farra and Não Sei Por Quê by Bando da Lua, and A Jardineira by Orlando Silva.
- While performing O Que é Que a Baiana Tem? at the Urca casino in Rio, Miranda was seen by Lee Shubert, who took her to Broadway and then to Hollywood.
- A little more than three minutes of the film is known to survive. No complete copy is known.
- The Wikimedia file of the baiana number is that fragment, not the feature.
Scenes
- The publicity man kidnaps the queen of Bananolândia and lands her in Rio.
- Carmen Miranda sings O Que é Que a Baiana Tem? in the baiana costume.