When Luisa(/actor/vera-ellen), the daughter of the Molinas, returns from school in the United States to Costa Rica, she discovers her parents have arranged for her to marry Pepe Castro(/actor/cesar-romero), a family acquaintance she has never met. The news lands with a mix of confusion and ceremony, as the household prepares for a formal introduction of the couple. Pepe has just returned from the States, bringing with him his girlfriend, Celeste(/actor/celeste-holm), who plans to work in Costa Rica and make herself known to Pepe’s parents. The situation grows delicate: Pepe reveals to Celeste that he hasn’t yet told his father about Luisa, sparking Celeste’s suspicions and prompting him to explain the predicament without naming Luisa outright.
The Castros arrive for the visit, and the tension rises as Pepe tries to project a sense of sickness and exhaustion. He arrives wearing dark glasses and fakes a bad cold to buy time and keep the arrangement quiet from both families. Meanwhile, in the plaza by the Gran Hotel Estrada, Jeff Stephens(/actor/dick-haymes), an American coffee buyer, is wandering around after his evening flight is canceled. A breezy, almost fate-like flirtation unfolds as Jeff and Luisa cross paths in a lively Spanish-language world, and he quickly sweeps her off to the El Sestéo nightclub. There, Luisa spots Pepe dancing with Celeste in a scene that crackles with unintended irony. Overwhelmed and curious, Luisa bolts from the club, and Jeff follows as the fiesta atmosphere spills into a kind of spontaneous romance.
Back at the hotel, Jeff reconnects with Pepe, who speaks in hushed tones about his own dilemma but still avoids naming Luisa. The next morning, Jeff serenades a delighted Luisa at breakfast, sending flowers and asking her to meet him at his hotel by noon. As the couple walk toward a light luncheon, Luisa sees Pepe and his parents approaching from opposite directions and makes a quick exit by leaping onto a carnival float where Celeste is performing as “The Spirit of the Melon.” The moment underscores the clash between affection and tradition that threads through the story.
Later, still feigning illness, Pepe takes Luisa dancing again, and they encounter Jeff escorting Celeste. Celeste, discovering that Luisa is Pepe’s intended, tells her she could have Pepe if she wants him. The adults around them—parents on both sides—are introduced to Celeste and Jeff, and Jeff confesses to Luisa’s American-born mother that he is from Kansas. The situation grows more tangled as Father Rafael, a visiting priest, becomes a blunt narrator of cultural norms, cautioning Jeff about the conservative courtship traditions of Costa Rica and the way passion must be tempered by social expectations.
As doubts creep in, Jeff questions whether love between people from such different backgrounds can endure. The New Year’s Eve party becomes a focal point where fate and choice collide: Pepe insists that Jeff is leaving, and Luisa seems ready to be swept away by the moment. After a tense moment where Luisa disappears, the two families scramble to the hotel. There they discover Pepe has checked in with his new bride, but the truth—as the adults piece it together—unfolds in a surprising way: Pepe reveals that Jeff and Luisa are the ones truly in love, and rumors of elopement have circulated. The two fathers confront the confusion, only to be confronted by Mrs. Molina, who remains calm and practical in the face of swirling passions. In a quiet, decisive moment, she and her husband affirm their own consent: the boy from Kansas may marry the girl from Costa Rica.
In the end, the film’s thread of humor-softened romance remains intact as the families adjust to the evolving feelings of their children. The resolution hinges not on stubborn tradition alone but on a pragmatic, hopeful acknowledgment that love can bridge cultural divides. Throughout, the cast—led by the performances of Luisa(/actor/vera-ellen), Pepe Castro(/actor/cesar-romero), Celeste(/actor/celeste-holm), Jeff Stephens(/actor/dick-haymes), and Padre Rafael(/actor/nestor-paiva)—grounds the story in a warm, human tone. The result is a charming, emotionally resonant tale about youthful pursuit, parental concern, and the quiet power of consent and communication in the face of social expectations.
