Down Argentine Way was the first of many things: Betty Grable's first leading role, which launched her as the Queen of the Technicolor Musicals for the next decade and a half; Carmen Miranda's first American movie role, which launched her on a career that made her the highest paid woman in America for a time; and finally it was the first of the "south of the border" musicals that were such a craze throughout the 1940s.

The film's playful charm and musical highlights are enough fun to smooth out the rough edges on a clumsy plot and a confusing romance. The highlight is an absolutely breathtaking tap dance number by the Nicholas Brothers.