History Film / TheMamboKings

Cesar (Creator/ArmandAssante) and Nestor Castillo (Creator/AntonioBanderas) are two Cuban musicians (Cesar's a singer and the manager, while Nestor plays trumpet and is the songwriter) who are forced to flee Cuba in the 1950's to escape the wrath of a gangster. They go to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] to live with relatives, and try to break into the music business. Except the clubs are controlled by Fernando Perez (Roscoe Lee Browne), and since Cesar refuses to be under the thumb of a gangster again, the brothers and their band have to struggle. Meanwhile, though Nestor falls in love with Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), a student, he misses his old girlfriend Maria (Creator/TalisaSoto) from Cuba.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Creator/DesiArnaz (played by Desi Arnaz Jr.) gives the Castillo brothers their big break by having them appear on ''Series/ILoveLucy''.

''The Mambo Kings'' is a 1992 musical drama directed by Arne Glimcher and based on the award-winning novel ''Literature/TheMamboKingsPlaySongsOfLove'' by Oscar Hijuelos]].

''The Mambo Kings'' is a 1992 musical drama directed by Arne Glimcher and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the award-winning novel ''The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love'' by Oscar Hijuelos]].

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Desi Arnaz (played by Desi Arnaz Jr.) gives the Castillo brothers their big break by having them appear on ''Series/ILoveLucy''.

* FakeNationality: Maruschka Detmers, a Dutch actress, plays the Latin-American Delores.
** Also, the Irish-Italian-American Armand Assante as Cesar.

* RealEventFictionalCause: The famous ''Series/ILoveLucy'' episode "Cuban Pals" is here shown to be an excuse for Desi Arnaz (played by his RealLife son, Desi Arnaz, Jr.) to invite the Mambo Kings to appear on an episode of the show. The "translation" scene is re-created with Cesar and Nestor appear in the place of the original actors (and Desi Jr. in place of his father) while archive footage of Creator/LucilleBall is used from the original episode. Then a wholly fictitious scene is shown of Desi-as-Ricky introducing the Mambo Kings to perform "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" at the Tropicana nightclub. The real ''I Love Lucy'' often had musical numbers, but Desi/Ricky was very much the star of all of them - he would happily perform ''with'' a musical guest but he wouldn't cede the stage to them as he does in the movie. (For bonus points, the Castillo family is shown watching ''I Love Lucy'' as if it were airing live - but though the show was filmed before a live studio audience, it was just that - ''filmed'', and aired later.)

* RealEventFictionalCause: The famous ''Series/ILoveLucy'' episode "Cuban Pals" is here shown to be an excuse for Desi Arnaz (played by his RealLife son, Desi Arnaz, Jr.) to invite the Mambo Kings to appear on an episode of the show. The "translation" scene is re-created with Cesar and Nestor appear in the place of the original actors (and Desi Jr. in place of his father) while archive footage of Creator/LucilleBall is used from the original episode. Then a wholly fictitious scene is shown of Desi-as-Ricky introducing the Mambo Kings to perform "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" at the Tropicana nightclub. The real ''I Love Lucy'' often had musical numbers, but Desi/Ricky was very much the star of all of them - he would happily perform ''with'' a musical guest but he wouldn't cede the stage to them as he does in the movie.

* RealEventFictionalCause: The famous ''Series/ILoveLucy'' episode "Cuban Pals" is here shown to be an excuse for Desi Arnaz (played by his RealLife son, Desi Arnaz, Jr.) to invite the Mambo Kings to appear on an episode of the show. The "translation" scene is re-created with Cesar and Nestor appear in the place of the original actors (and Desi Jr. in place of his father) while archive footage of Creator/LucilleBall is used from the original episode. Then a wholly fictitious scene is shown of Desi-as-Ricky introducing the Mambo Kings to perform "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" at the Tropicana nightclub. The real ''I Love Lucy'' often had musical numbers, but Desi/Ricky was very much the star of all of them - he would happily perform ''with'' a musical guest performer but he wouldn't cede the stage to them as he does in the movie.

* TimePassesMontage: While Fernando and Evalina are seen dancing, we see the cheap gigs the Mambo Kings and their band are forced to play, such as a bar mitzvah and a birthday party.

Cesar (Creator/ArmandAssante) and Nestor Castillo (Creator/AntonioBanderas) are two Cuban musicians (Cesar's a singer and the manager, while Nestor plays trumpet and is the songwriter) who are forced to flee Cuba in the 1950's to escape the wrath of a gangster. They go to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] to live with relatives, and try to break into the music business. Except the clubs are controlled by Fernando Perez (Roscoe Lee Browne), and since Cesar refuses to be under the thumb of a gangster again, the brothers and their band have to struggle. Meanwhile, though Nestor falls in love with Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), a student, he misses his old girlfriend Maria (Talisa Soto) from Cuba.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Desi Arnaz (played by Desi Arnaz Jr.) gives the Castillo brothers their big break by having them appear on ''ILoveLucy''.

->''In the name of the Mambo, the Rumba, and the Cha-cha-cha.''

''The Mambo Kings'' is a 1992 musical drama [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the award-winning novel ''The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love'' by Oscar Hijuelos]].

Best known for it's [[AwardBaitSong Oscar-nominated song]] "Beautiful Maria of My Soul".

This movie contains examples of:

Cesar (Creator/ArmandAssante) and Nestor Castillo (AntonioBanderas) are two Cuban musicians (Cesar's a singer and the manager, while Nestor plays trumpet and is the songwriter) who are forced to flee Cuba in the 1950's to escape the wrath of a gangster. They go to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] to live with relatives, and try to break into the music business. Except the clubs are controlled by Fernando Perez (Roscoe Lee Browne), and since Cesar refuses to be under the thumb of a gangster again, the brothers and their band have to struggle. Meanwhile, though Nestor falls in love with Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), a student, he misses his old girlfriend Maria (Talisa Soto) from Cuba.

* AsHimself: Mambo legend Tito Puente.

Cesar (Armand Assante) and Nestor Castillo (AntonioBanderas) are two Cuban musicians (Cesar's a singer and the manager, while Nestor plays trumpet and is the songwriter) who are forced to flee Cuba in the 1950's to escape the wrath of a gangster. They go to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] to live with relatives, and try to break into the music business. Except the clubs are controlled by Fernando Perez (Roscoe Lee Browne), and since Cesar refuses to be under the thumb of a gangster again, the brothers and their band have to struggle. Meanwhile, though Nestor falls in love with Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), a student, he misses his old girlfriend Maria (Talisa Soto) from Cuba.

* {{Pride}}: Again, Cesar, so, so much.
-->'''Anna Maria:''' He thinks he's the last Coca-Cola in the desert.
-->'''Lana:''' He is, honey.

* FakeNationality: Maruschka Detmers, a Dutch actress, plays a Latin-American woman.

Cesar (Armand Assante) and Nestor Castillo (AntonioBanderas) are two Cuban musicians (Cesar's a singer and the manager, while Nestor plays trumpet and is the songwriter) who are forced to flee Cuba in the 1950's to escape the wrath of a gangster. They go to New York City to live with relatives, and try to break into the music business. Except the clubs are controlled by Fernando Perez (Roscoe Lee Browne), and since Cesar refuses to be under the thumb of a gangster again, the brothers and their band have to struggle. Meanwhile, though Nestor falls in love with Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), a student, he misses his old girlfriend Maria (Talisa Soto) from Cuba.

* AsHimself: Mambo legend TitoPuente.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Desi Arnaz (played by Desi Arnaz Jr.).

Best known for it's [[AwardSong Oscar-nominated song]] "Beautiful Maria of My Soul".

* MusicalMontage: While Fernando and Evalina are seen dancing, we see the cheap gigs the Mambo Kings and their band are forced to play, such as a bar mitzvah and a birthday party.