Cubanocast

I like it when different but equally loved by me things intersect. It's like when James Bond movies have nice watches or cars. It's the principle behind Cracker Jack.

Cracker Jack*r Toys by Larry White

So, there I was minding my own business, preparing a post on Cuban break-up songs when I encountered a Beny More tune called, "Con Silvana Mangano."

"Hmmm, where had I heard that name before? Ahh, Yes!"

It was that beautiful Italian actress from the movie Anna whom I had heard sing "El Negro Zumbon," which is the topic of this post.

Anna (Non-US Format, PAL Region 2)

What else crosses here besides Cuban music and fifties Italian movies set in Brazil? Well, my appreciation of Mediterranean beauty. It turns out that Silvana participated in a beauty pageant in which she came in second to Lucia Bose'. Also participating were Gina Lollobrigida, Eleonora Rossi Drago and Gianna Maria Canale.

Beauty pageants in immediate post-war Italy were notoriously corrupt (No reference and don't ask me for one- just go with it.). To analyze whether a pageant injustice occurred in 1947, I've included pictures and videos below so that you can decide on your own.

The song itself is unexceptional. It has Beny More's soaring voice and swinging band, but the lyrics are an afterthought and the melody unmemorable.

Grabaciones Completas 1953-1960

Here they are all together. If you want, you can stop after this video I'd appreciate it if somebody with some video post-production skills could do something with the underarm hair, too:

First, the winner of the contest, Lucia Bose.

Follow up:

Their videos below their picture. Lucia Again:

The Testament of Orpheus [Region 2]

Second place, Gianna Maria Canale.

You can actually see the whole movie, Hercules here:

Hercules (Le Fatiche di Ercole) [Remastered] 1958

The dragon lady, Eleonora Rossi Drago. Certainly, a fiery entry.

Hey, she was in the Bible! I love that movie until Patton shows up. Then, it gets kind of boring.

Silvana Mangano.

This youtube is from a movie called Mambo.

Best Dancers of All Time in Movies: Mambo DVD (1954) Starring Silvana Mangano, Michael Rennie, Vittorio Gassman, Shelley Winters, and Katherine Dunham.

Watcha' yo' heada' Lollobrigida

So nice, we do it twice.

This is the movie he's talking about:

Gina, thrice.