Tad Pole . . . INSTANT LOVE illustrates how hard it was for rich White Americans to stay out of trouble in the 1960s. First, they quarreled with Cuba. Then they vied with Vietnam. A rumble with Russia always seemed in the offing. INSTANT LOVE is so offensive it's a wonder Brazil didn't declare war back on America. The redhead U.S. actress character "Pamela Jones" is so clueless that she does not even realize that Texas has been part of America since 1865, when she brazenly asserts that Brazil is a country "bigger than the United States and Texas combined." Her Harvard-educated extra-marital "friend" Gary works as an "efficiency expert" for the U.S. government. About the only thing at which Gary is efficient is causing trouble. His bumbling threatens the Brazilian coffee crop, and he almost ruins Mardi Gras by diverting the parade onto an ocean liner. Perhaps the best way to view INSTANT LOVE is as a "lost episode" of I LOVE LUCY, in which all the characters have been replaced by their understudies, and a half-hour of second-rate material has been stretched out for 90 minutes.

misctidsandbits I found this a very interesting movie - almost an unknown. To date, even IMDb does not carry the American title nor the full casting lineup with matching roles. TCM recently aired it for the first time as a "lost and found" feature (under the American title - "Instant Love"). Robert Osborne mentioned that the project ran out of production money during the general filming. Apparently, needed completions were done later, causing a delay in release. While watching, I couldn't help being reminded of the 1959 "Count Your Blessings," also starring Rossano Brazzi, having beautiful locations, excellent wardrobe and the quickie marriage element. However, "Instant Love" compares very favorably. Despite its faults, it survives if not thrives. Even with the gifted Deborah Kerr in CYB, that movie stumbled and, in the opinion of most, fell. It was so halting and artificial that it became increasingly difficult to just endure. That is not true of this film. Even Rossano Brazzi is more effective in this one. And, as Mr. Osborne pointed out, when Rhonda Fleming was given a role of true dimension, she did very well. It comes as a great surprise to find she possessed a range, since we have been given little opportunity to experience it ("Home Before Dark" another fuller range example). She seemed to be mostly cast for her beauty alone, essentially replaying the same type, which is unfortunate and a loss to moviegoers. There is a quality about this film that attracts and holds interest. The cinematography is very pleasing, with locations unique to my film experience anyway. As for casting, the leads do surprisingly well together. The friend and her husband are attractive. The American "boyfriend" was a disappointment, being unbelievable as any kind of attraction for Ms. Flemings' character. Being a regular throughout the film, that was for me a detractor. Regardless, I personally don't think this qualifies as a bad movie. It is good viewing in general, has a competent and fuller Rhonda Fleming performance, along with the unique and successful pairing with Brazzi. I am glad it has surfaced, and believe it will garner support with subsequent airing.

kim02128 Truly awful..not even up to a cult standard..you know, the bad films we love to watch. This is not one them, poor Rhonda Fleming, I hope she got a good vacation. The sound quality is bad and the film suffers from poor editing among so many other problems. Neil Sedaka, in his one scene, sounds like he is singing in an echo chamber. I liked the title song and the sights of 1960's Brazil are lovely. Some of Fleming's wardrobe is outstanding except for the dress she wears to the Festa, not flattering at all. She does wear a fabulous cocktail black dress in a "seduction" scene.Watch this film only if you have time to kill

HallmarkMovieBuff An American actress (Rhonda Fleming) visits a college chum in Brazil, meets a wealthy coffee-grower (Rossano Brazzi), and marries him before the visit is over. Envisioning him as a Latin lover, she finds herself married instead to a workaholic with an old-world point of view. But as a modern woman used to working for a living, whose every need is now supplied by a household full of servants, she struggles to adjust to the cultural differences and to fill her days with useful activity.Enter an oily American (William Redfield), a U.S. government efficiency expert in Brazil on assignment, who pursues our heroine at every opportunity. Eventually, she turns his relentless advances to her own advantage in a desperate attempt to resolve her situation.Burdened by a trite script and at times seemingly ponderous proceedings, Pão de Açúcar is saved by lush photography, gorgeous costumes, a brilliant orchestral score (mid-20th century European style), and the efforts of its stars.What is truly remarkable, however, is the near-seamless continuity in the final edit of this film that the stars and others associated with it thought was never finished due to financial insufficiencies.