That Night in Rio (1941) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Larry performs the Baron impersonation as part of his act at the Casino Samba nightclub in Rio. His skit lampooning the womanizing Baron is so convincing that the real Baron and his wife attend the show. Later, Larry is actually hired by the Baron to continue impersonating him to throw off his rival Machado and help secure airline stock at the stock market.

• larry martin
• baron manuel duarte
• impersonation
• casino samba
• rio de janeiro

The Baron receives a telegram informing him that his airline contract is at risk and that he has borrowed against the stock. With 51% of the airline stock already in his possession, he needs to secure funds quickly to repay the bank, so he flies to Buenos Aires to handle the financial crisis.

• baron manuel duarte
• buenos aires
• airline stock
• telegram
• financial crisis

Cecilia is drawn to Larry's charm after seeing his performance at the casino. When Larry impersonates the Baron again to charm her, she becomes attracted to him and chooses to go along with the deception, even though she eventually learns the truth. Her flirtation becomes part of the comedic misunderstanding.

• cecilia duarte
• larry martin
• flirtation
• attraction
• deception

Machado is the Baron's rival who is trying to gain control of the airline. The Baron hires Larry to impersonate him specifically to throw off Machado and prevent his rival from discovering the Baron's financial vulnerability. Machado later corners Larry at the party and attempts to expose the impostor by speaking French, which Larry cannot understand.

• machado
• rival
• airline
• impersonation
• french

The Baron hires Larry to impersonate him at the Rio stock market to confound his rival Machado. While posing as the Baron, Larry actually purchases the remaining airline shares, consolidating the Baron's control over the airline and completing the financial deal that was the reason for the Baron's urgent trip.

• stock market
• airline shares
• rio de janeiro
• machado
• baron

The $32 million payment represents the funds Machado pays to the Baron for the airline. After the Baron secures all the airline stock (with Larry's help at the stock market), Machado completes the purchase, paying $32 million in what was a high-stakes financial power play throughout the film.

• 32 million
• airline
• payment
• machado
• stock purchase

Carmen, Larry's girlfriend, arrives at the Baron's party and discovers that Larry is impersonating the Baron. She becomes furious upon learning about the deception, as she had previously declined the Baron's party invitation sensing trouble. Her discovery creates tension and jeopardy in the already complicated situation.

• carmen miranda
• larry martin
• girlfriend
• party
• discovery
• anger

Machado corners Larry at the party and deliberately speaks to him in French, attempting to expose the impostor. However, Larry cannot understand French, so the scheme nearly unravels as Machado tries to catch him in a lie. This moment highlights the risk of the deception and adds another layer of confusion to the farcical evening.

• machado
• french
• language
• exposure
• confrontation

After learning that Cecilia flirted with Larry while believing him to be her husband, the Baron tries to turn the joke on her. In response, Cecilia makes one final provocative ploy to "even the score" by pretending to make violent love to Larry. This comedic moment is part of the film's farcical resolution of the misunderstandings.

• cecilia duarte
• seduction
• prank
• even the score
• baron

The film resolves when the Baron returns home and Cecilia makes one last attempt to seduce Larry. However, it turns out the Baron had disguised himself as Larry, so the supposed seduction is actually between the real Baron and his wife. This final trick reveals the truth, all misunderstandings collapse, and the film ends happily with everyone reconciled.

• resolution
• happy ending
• mistaken identity
• baron disguise
• reconciled