In 1952, Lana Turner was having trouble with her real-life "Latin Lover", Fernando Lamas, with whom she had recently costarred in The Merry Widow (1952). Attending a party one night, Turner was asked to dance by Lex Barker (who she would later marry). This enraged Lamas who made an off-color remark forcing Turner to leave the party. Returning home they were involved in an argument which led to physical violence. As Turner later wrote in her autobiography, "After I got him out of the house I was in such a condition that I dreaded being seen by anyone I knew. I drove immediately to Palm Springs, where I stayed for most of a week. But soon I was due to report for costume fittings for Latin Lovers (1953), which was one long series of love scenes – with Fernando! Back at MGM the first thing I did was to see Benny Thau. [Head of Talent at MGM]. He took one look at my bruises and scratches and asked what had happened to me. I told him the truth, and he said, 'Oh, my God. The doctor must see this and write a full report.' Benny agreed that it would be impossible for me to do the picture with Fernando.
'And I hope you'll keep him away from me,' I told Benny.
'Yes' he said, 'we'll take care of that.'
And he did. Fernando received the word that his part in Latin Lovers was canceled, and almost immediately it was announced that the other Latin lover, Ricardo Montalban, would take the role. I found Ricardo a delightful costar. A rigorously devout Catholic, utterly loyal to his wife, he played his role professionally but not privately."

Billed as "MGM's Musical of Tropical Passions!" staring "The Bad and Beautiful Girl" (capitalizing on Turner's recent hit The Bad and the Beautiful, 1952), Latin Lovers was a simple, frothy movie about a rich woman (played by Turner) who wants to be loved for more than just her cash value. She goes to Brazil where she becomes interested in two men – one she believes is poor (played by Montalban) and the other she knows to be even wealthier than she (played by John Lund). Filming began on December 2, 1952 and lasted through the Christmas holiday, ending in January 1953. The film was directed by Mervyn LeRoy, an old hand at musicals; the screenplay was by Isobel Lennart, who later wrote Funny Girl, and the costumes were designed by Helen Rose, who chose to put Turner in black and white gowns as a contrast to the lush Technicolor surrounding her.

Other cast members included Jean Hagen (who had made a name for herself earlier that year as silent film actress Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain (1952), Louis Calhern, Beulah Bondi, Eduard Franz and Rita Moreno. Montalban was not the only member of the cast to be a last minute replacement. As Montalban's rival, John Lund won the role that had been originally offered to Michael Wilding. The British actor, not willing to take what he considered a secondary role, chose to go on suspension without pay until the studio found him a more suitable part. Paula Kelly and The Modernaires, who had been Glenn Miller's vocalists, sang in the film and even Montalban performed a few musical numbers (although he was dubbed by Carlos Ramirez.)

Cheryl Crane, Turner's daughter, noted that Turner "knew it was not one of her better films. The Bad and the Beautiful was the last of her MGM movies that she really loved, but certain aspects of Latin Lovers made it a pleasant memory. She liked that it involved horseback riding, the South American setting, the samba music, and Ricardo. I was crazy about horses myself, so Mother would take me to the set to watch those scenes."

Reviews of Latin Lovers were generally positive, with Variety writing that "Ricardo Montalban gets his best chance to date opposite Miss Turner, and should win femme favor as the title's Latin Lover. Miss Turner is gorgeously gowned and her blonde charms foil perfectly for the masculine aspects of Montalban's character and delivery. [...] [Producer] Joe Pasternak's production guidance earns him another topnotch credit for escapism entertainment, polished and furbished to a fare-thee-well, to give the paying customers plenty for their ticket coin." The New York Times, however, criticized the screenplay, "It is, as might be noted, a presumably airy, tongue-in-check thesis with which the principals are asked to toy. But sadly enough, it lacks the lighthearted subtlety or wit one might expect in such an adventure. Except for some badinage between the bumbling Eduard Franz, one of the psychiatrists, and his sharp-tongued wife, as well as some oblique kidding of psychiatrists, the script of Latin Lovers is short on originality."

by Lorraine LoBianco

SOURCES:
Crane, Cheryl with De La Hoz, Cindy Lana: The Memories, The Myths, The Movies
"The Screen in Review: Latin Lovers has Lana Turner Struggling with Problem of $37,000,000 at State" The New York Times 13 Aug 1953
Reid, John Films Famous, Fanciful, Frolicsome and Fantastic
Turner, Lana Lana: The Lady, The Legend, The Truth
Valentino, Lou The Films of Lana Turner
"Latin Lovers (Songs-Color)" Variety 22 Jul 1953