View source for The Three Caballeros

{{Short description|1944 animated film by Walt Disney}}
{{About|the original 1944 film|the 2018 series|Legend of the Three Caballeros|the album|Tres Caballeros}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox film 
| name           = The Three Caballeros
| image          = Three caballeros poster.png
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Norm Ferguson (animator)|Norman Ferguson]] (supervising)
* [[Clyde Geronimi]] (sequences)
* [[Jack Kinney]] (sequences)
* Bill Roberts (sequences)
* [[Harold Young (director)|Harold Young]] (sequences)
}}
| producer       = [[Walt Disney]]<br />Norman Ferguson
| story          = {{Plainlist|
* Homer Brightman
* Ernest Terrazas
* [[Ted Sears]]
* [[Bill Peet]]
* [[Ralph Wright]]
* Elmer Plummer
* [[Roy Williams (artist)|Roy Williams]]
* William Cottrell
* Del Connell
* James Bodrero
}}
| based_on       = {{based on|''[[Donald Duck universe|Donald Duck]]''|[[Walt Disney]]|[[Dick Lundy (animator)|Dick Lundy]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|<!--Top billed actors from the poster.-->
* [[Joaquin Garay]]
* [[Clarence Nash]]
* [[José do Patrocínio Oliveira|José Oliveira]]
* [[Aurora Miranda]]
* [[Carmen Molina (actress)|Carmen Molina]]
* [[Dora Luz]]
}}
| studio         = [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Walt Disney Productions]]
| distributor    = [[RKO Radio Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1944|12|21|Mexico City|1945|2|3|U.S.|ref2=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=722|title=The Three Caballeros: Detail View|publisher=American Film Institute|access-date=April 27, 2014}}</ref>}}
| runtime        = 71 minutes
| music          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Edward H. Plumb]]
* [[Paul Smith (composer)|Paul J. Smith]]
* [[Charles Wolcott]]
}}
| country        = United States
| language       = {{Plainlist|
* English
* Spanish
* Portuguese
}}
| budget         = 
| gross          = $3.355 million (worldwide rentals)<ref name="Jewell">{{cite news | title=Richard B. Jewell's RKO film grosses, 1929–51: The C. J. Trevlin Ledger: A comment. | publisher=Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Volume 14, Issue 1, 1994.}}</ref>
}}

'''''The Three Caballeros''''' is a 1944 American [[Live-action animated|live-action/animated]] [[musical film|musical]] [[anthology film]] produced by [[Walt Disney]] and released by [[RKO Radio Pictures]]. The film premiered in [[Mexico City]] on December 21, 1944, and was released in the United States on February 3, 1945. It was later released in the United Kingdom in March 1945. 

The film celebrates the tenth anniversary of [[Donald Duck]] and follows his journey through Latin America, combining live-action with traditional animation. It is the second of the six [[anthology film|package film]]s released by [[Walt Disney Productions]] during the 1940s, following ''[[Saludos Amigos]]'' (1942), and is one of the earliest films to blend live-action and animation.<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/gallery/5-best-and-5-worst-live-actionanimation-hybrid-movies/ |title=5 Best – and 5 Worst – Live-Action/Animation Hybrid Movies |first1=Owen |last1=Gleiberman |first2=Lisa |last2=Schwarzbaum |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=July 31, 2013 |access-date=January 19, 2022}}</ref>

The narrative is presented through a series of self-contained segments, linked by the framing device of Donald receiving birthday gifts from his Latin American friends. Featured performers include [[Aurora Miranda]] (sister of [[Carmen Miranda]]), [[Dora Luz]], and [[Carmen Molina (actress)|Carmen Molina]].

The film was developed as part of the studio's contribution to the U.S. [[Good Neighbor policy]] toward Latin America during [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite interview |first=Walt |last=Disney |interviewer=[[Fletcher Markle]] |title=An Interview with Walt Disney |work=Orson Welles Mercury Theater}}</ref> Donald is joined by returning character [[José Carioca]] from Brazil and a new companion, the pistol-toting rooster [[Panchito Pistoles]] from Mexico.

== Plot ==
The film, celebrating Donald Duck's 10th anniversary, consists of seven segments, each connected by a common theme. In the film, it is [[Donald Duck]]'s birthday (namely Friday the 13th), and he receives three presents from friends in [[Latin America]]. The first present is a [[Movie projector|film projector]], which shows him a documentary about birds called {{lang|es|"Aves Raras"}}. The first segment of the documentary tells the story of Pablo, a penguin seeking the warm weather of Equatorial South America. The next segment details some of the odd birds of Latin America. During this part of the documentary, he learns about the [[Aracuan Bird]], who received his name because of his eccentric song. The documentary then shifts to the perspective of a man narrating a story from his childhood, where he discovers and befriends a donkey with the wings of a condor in [[Uruguay]].

The next present is a book given to Donald by José, a native of Brazil. This book tells of [[Bahia]] (spelled "Baía" in the film), which is one of Brazil's 26 states. José shrinks them both down so that they can enter the book. Donald and José meet up with several of the locals, who dance a lively [[samba]], and Donald ends up pining for one girl Yaya, the [[Quindim]] seller, but fails and gets jealous of another man. After the journey, Donald and José leave the book.

Upon returning, Donald realizes that he is too small to open his third present. José shows Donald how to use "black magic" to return himself to the proper size. After opening the present, he meets Panchito, a native of Mexico. The trio take the name "The Three Caballeros" and have a short celebration. Panchito then presents Donald's next present, a {{lang|es|[[piñata]]}}. Panchito tells Donald of the tradition behind the piñata. José and Panchito then blindfold Donald, and have him attempt to break open the piñata, eventually revealing many surprises. The celebration draws to a close when Donald is fired away by firecrackers in the shape of a ferocious toy bull (with which the [[firecracker]]s are lit by José with his cigar).

Throughout the film, the [[List of Donald Duck universe characters#Aracuan Bird|Aracuan Bird]] appears at random moments. He usually taunts everyone with his madcap antics, sometimes stealing José's cigar and trying to make José jealous. His most famous gag is when he re-routes a train that Donald and José are riding on by drawing new tracks, causing the train to disassemble.

The film consists of seven segments:

=== "The Cold-Blooded Penguin" ===
This segment is narrated by [[Sterling Holloway]], reproducing images of the penguins of in [[Antarctica]]. In the segment, a penguin named Pablo is so fed up with the freezing conditions of the [[South Pole]] that he decides to leave his home for warmer climates, navigating the long coast of Chile (including the [[Juan Fernández Islands]] and [[Viña del Mar]]), passing by [[Lima]] (the capital of [[Peru]]) and [[Quito]] (the capital of [[Ecuador]]) before landing on the [[Galápagos Islands]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.comhem.se/~u70901683/movies/three_cabelleros/3caballeros.htm|title=The Three Caballeros|publisher=Comhem|language=en|access-date=August 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916020327/http://web.comhem.se/~u70901683/movies/three_cabelleros/3caballeros.htm|archive-date=September 16, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== "The Flying Gauchito" ===
This segment, with adult narration provided by Fred Shields, involves the adventures of a little boy from Uruguay and a winged donkey, who goes by the name of Burrito (which is Spanish for "little donkey").

=== "Baía" ===
[[File:Aurora Miranda Tres Caballeros.jpg|thumb|Brazilian singer [[Aurora Miranda]] in ''The Three Caballeros''.]]
This segment involves a pop-up book trip through the Brazilian state of [[Bahia]] (spelled Baía in the film), as Donald and José meet up with some of the locals who dance a samba and Donald pining for one of the women, a [[Quindim]] seller named Yaya (portrayed by singer [[Aurora Miranda]]), who later gives Donald a kiss after he gives her a bouquet of flowers.

=== "Las Posadas" ===
This is the story of a group of Mexican children who celebrated [[Christmas]] by re-enacting the journey of [[Mary, the mother of Jesus]] and [[Saint Joseph]] searching for room at the inn. {{lang|es|"Posada"}} meant "inn", or "shelter", and their parents told them "no {{lang|es|posada}}" at each house until they came to one where they were offered shelter in a stable. This leads to festivities including the breaking of the {{lang|es|italic=no|piñata}}, which in turn leads to Donald Duck trying to break his ''own'' {{lang|es|italics=no|piñata}} as well.

=== "Mexico: Pátzcuaro, Veracruz and Acapulco" ===
Panchito gives Donald and José a tour of [[Mexico City]] and the country of Mexico on a flying [[sarape]], or magic carpet. Several Mexican dances and songs are learned here. Later Donald pines for more women, tries to pursue every one he sees and gain return affections, but once more he fails every time and ends up kissing José while blindfolded.

=== "You Belong to My Heart" and "Donald's Surreal Reverie" ===
The skies of Mexico City result in Donald falling in love with singer [[Dora Luz]]. The lyrics in the song itself play parts in the scenarios as well. Then several imagined kisses lead to Donald going into the "Love is a drug" scene. Donald constantly envisions sugar rush colors, flowers, and Panchito and José popping in at the worst moments, making chaos. The scene changes after Donald manages to dance with [[Carmen Molina (actress)|Carmen Molina]] from the [[Oaxaca|state of Oaxaca]], from the [[Isthmus of Tehuantepec]]. The two dance and sing the song {{lang|es|italic=no|"[[La Sandunga|La Zandunga]]"}}. Carmen begins by singing the song, with Donald "quacking" out the rest of the chorus with her. The "drunkenness" slows down for a second after Donald multiplies himself while spinning in a circle, but speeds up again when Carmen reappears dressed in a [[Charro]]'s outfit and uses a horsewhip as a conductor's baton to make [[cactus|cacti]] appear in many different forms while dancing to {{lang|es|italic=no|"[[Jesusita en Chihuahua]]"}}, a trademark song of the [[Mexican Revolution]]. This scene is notable for providing the masterful combination of live-action and cartoon animation, as well as animation among the cacti.

The scene is interrupted when Panchito and José suddenly spice things up for the finale of the film, and Donald ends up battling the same toy bull with wheels on its legs the day before from earlier. The catch is that it is now loaded with fireworks and other explosives, following with a fireworks finale with the words "The End" exploding from the fireworks, first in [[Mexican Spanish|Spanish]] ({{lang|es|Fin}}), in the colors of the [[flag of Mexico]], then the second in [[Brazilian Portuguese|Portuguese]] ({{lang|pt|Fim}}), in the colors of the [[flag of Brazil]], and finally in English, in the colors of the [[flag of the United States]] (''The End'').

== Cast ==
[[File:Dora Luz Tres Caballeros.jpg|thumb|Mexican singer [[Dora Luz]] in the film.]]
* [[Clarence Nash]] as [[Donald Duck]]
* [[José do Patrocínio Oliveira]] as [[José Carioca]]
* [[Joaquin Garay]] as [[Panchito Pistoles]]
* Almirante as the Aracuan Bird<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ghez |first=Didier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H2onDwAAQBAJ |title=They Drew as They Pleased |publisher=[[Chronicle Books]] |year=2017 |isbn=9781452164076 |volume=3 |location=San Francisco |pages=167 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Aurora Miranda]] as Yaya
* [[Dora Luz]] as herself
* [[Carmen Molina (actress)|Carmen Molina]] as herself
* [[Sterling Holloway]] as the Narrator (''Pablo the Cold-Blooded Penguin'')
* [[Frank Graham (voice actor)|Frank Graham]] as the Narrator
* Fred Shields as the Narrator (''The Flying Gauchito'') (Spanish with a Mexican accent)
* Francisco "Frank" Mayorga as the Mexican Guitarist
* Nestor Amaral as [[José Carioca]]'s singing voice (''Baía'') / Man with oranges (''Baía'')
* [[Trío Calaveras]]
* Trío Ascencio del Río
* Padua Hills Player
* [[Carlos Ramírez (singer)|Carlos Ramírez]] – ''Mexico''

==Background==
The [[Good Neighbor policy]] was a campaign by the [[United States]] to improve its relations with [[Latin America]]. A special concern in the late 1930s was the mounting program of [[Propaganda in Nazi Germany|Nazi propaganda]] designed to increase [[Nazism in the Americas]], which would weaken US control and divide the Americas. To counter the Nazis, President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] founded in 1940–1941 the [[Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs]] through which US propaganda efforts could be coordinated. Chief Coordinator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] asked [[Walt Disney]] to produce a few short films with themes friendly to Latin America, and Disney traveled to Brazil with a creative team to collect images and inspire ideas for such films.<ref name=Smithsonian2019>{{cite magazine |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/donald-duck-american-diplomat  |title=Donald Duck: An American Diplomat? |date=April 12, 2019 |last=Sweeney |first=Melodie |magazine=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]] |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>

The first Disney product of this propaganda program was the animated film ''[[Saludos Amigos]]'' in 1942. This film introduced the character [[José Carioca]]—a Brazilian businessman taking the form of a parrot—who led Donald Duck around South America.<ref name=Smithsonian2019/><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/three-caballeros/disney-nonplussed-the-global-politics-that-made-th |title=Disney Nonplussed: The Global Politics That Made The Three Caballeros |date=January 17, 2020 |last=Lowe |first=Kenneth |magazine=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Brazil, the United States, and the Good Neighbor Policy |last=Valim |first=Alexandre Busko |date=2019 |publisher=Lexington Books |page=105 |isbn=978-1793613288}}</ref> The next major film was ''The Three Caballeros'' which brought together Donald Duck, José Carioca, and a new character from Mexico: [[Panchito Pistoles]], a gun-toting revolutionary rooster.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40643911 |title=Mapping the Metaphor of the Good Neighbor: Geography, Globalism, and Pan-Americanism during the 1940s |last=Spellacy |first=Amy |date=Summer 2006 |journal=[[American Studies]] |pages=55–58 |volume=47 |number=2 |jstor=40643911 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref> These Disney films were much more successful than previous propaganda efforts.<ref name=Smithsonian2019/>

==Release==
===Theatrical===
[[File:The Three Caballeros 1945 Original Theatrical Trailer.ogg|thumb|thumbtime=00:15|Original theatrical trailer]]
The film's world premiere took place in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the United States on February 3, 1945, and in the United Kingdom in March of that year.

''The Three Caballeros'' was re-released in theaters on April 15, 1977. For this re-issue, the film was edited significantly and re-released in [[featurette]] form at 41 minutes, to accompany a re-issue of ''[[Never a Dull Moment (1968 film)|Never a Dull Moment]]''.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}

===Television===
For the film's television premiere, ''The Three Caballeros'' aired as the ninth episode of the first season of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Walt Disney anthology television series|Disneyland]]'' television series. Edited, shortened, and re-titled ''A Present for Donald'' for this December 22, 1954, broadcast and subsequent re-runs, Donald receives gifts from his friends for Christmas, instead of for his birthday as in the original.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}

===Home media===
* November 19, 1982 (VHS and [[Betamax]])<ref>{{Cite news|title=Good Animation Makes Fantasy Seem Real|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/1088971080/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=November 21, 1982|newspaper=[[The Patriot-News]]|location=[[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]]|page=114|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Animation grew from humble beginnings|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/324874704/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=November 19, 1982|newspaper=[[Nanaimo Daily News]]|location=[[Nanaimo|Nanaimo, British Columbia]]|page=51|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* October 4, 1988 (VHS, Betamax and [[Laserdisc]])<ref>{{Cite news|title=Cinderella and her princes charming|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/680819406/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=October 7, 1988|newspaper=[[The Kansas City Star]]|location=[[Kansas City, Missouri]]|page=49|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Donald Duck heads sorth in classic 'Caballeros'|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/217509565/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=October 28, 1988|newspaper=[[The News-Press]]|location=[[Fort Myers, Florida]]|page=56|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* October 28, 1994 (VHS and Laserdisc – Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection)<ref>{{Cite news|title='Masterpiece': Disney tactic devidoes world|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/1211797541/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=October 28, 1994|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|location=[[Houston|Houston, Texas]]|page=59|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Snow White makes her debut on video|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/573621868/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=October 28, 1994|newspaper=[[North County Times]]|location=[[Oceanside, California]]|page=97|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* 1995 (Laserdisc – Exclusive Archive Collection)<ref>{{Cite news|title=Three Caballeros don't serve the North State|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/841355266/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=December 5, 1995|newspaper=[[Paradise Post]]|location=[[Paradise, California]]|page=10|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* May 2, 2000 (VHS and DVD – Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection)<ref>{{Cite news|title='Fox and the Hound', others released on DVD by Disney|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/832493197/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=May 18, 2000|newspaper=[[Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)|Sun Journal]]|location=[[Lewiston, Maine]]|page=10|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* April 29, 2008 (DVD – Classic Caballeros Collection)<ref>{{Cite news|title='Golden Compass' finds its way to DVD|url=http://newspapers.com/image/170177340/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=April 27, 2008|newspaper=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|location=[[Akron, Ohio]]|page=E002|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Stein|first=Ruthe|title=Cover Story: WALT EL GRUPO|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1249214743/?match=1&terms=The%20Three%20Caballeros|date=April 20, 2008|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|location=[[San Francisco, California]]|page=188|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* January 30, 2018 (Blu-ray – 75th Anniversary Edition 2-Movie Collection)<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Saludos-Amigos-and-The-Three-Caballeros-Blu-ray/196749/ |title=Saludos Amigos / The Three Caballeros Blu-ray (Disney Movie Club Exclusive) |access-date=2025-05-28 |via=Blu-ray.com}}</ref>

==Box office==
The film returned rentals to RKO by 1951 of $3,355,000 with $1,595,000 being generated in the U.S. and Canada.<ref name="Jewell" /> The film generated in excess of $700,000 in Mexico.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Three Caballeros | publisher=[[Turner Classic Movies]] |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/93058/the-three-caballeros#notes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205125558/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/93058/The-Three-Caballeros/#notes |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2011 | access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
''The Three Caballeros'' received mixed reviews upon its original release. Most critics were relatively perplexed by the "technological razzle-dazzle" of the film, thinking that, in contrast to the previous feature films up to this time, "it displayed more flash than substance, more technique than artistry."<ref name="StevenWatts">{{cite book|last=Watts|first=Steven|year=1997|title=The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life|url=https://archive.org/details/magickingdomwalt0000watt|url-access=registration|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]|location=New York.|page=[https://archive.org/details/magickingdomwalt0000watt/page/248 248]|isbn=0-395-83587-9}}</ref> [[Bosley Crowther]] for one wrote in ''The New York Times'', "Dizzy Disney and his playmates have let their technical talents run wild."<ref name="StevenWatts"/> Other reviewers were taken aback by the sexual dynamics of the film, particularly the idea of Donald Duck lusting towards flesh-and-blood women. As [[Wolcott Gibbs]] put it<ref>"What Hath Walt Wrought," ''New Yorker'', 10 February 1945, in Wolcott Gibbs, ''Backward Ran Sentences'' (Bloomsbury, 2011), p. 598.</ref> in a negative review of the film for ''[[The New Yorker]]'', such a concept "is one of those things that might disconcert less squeamish authorities than the Hays office. It might even be said that a sequence involving the duck, the young lady, and a long alley of animated cactus plants would probably be considered suggestive in a less innocent medium."<ref name="LeonardMaltin">{{cite book|last=Maltin|first=Leonard|year=1973|title=The Disney Films|publisher=Bonanza Books|location=New York.|page=67|isbn=0-517-177412}}</ref>

The film holds an 84% approval rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] based on 19 reviews, with an average score of 6.50/10. The site's consensus reads, "One of Disney's more abstract creations, ''The Three Caballeros'' is a dazzling, colorful picture that shows the company at an artistic acme."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_three_caballeros|title=The Three Caballeros (1945)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[18th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Scoring of a Musical Picture]]
| [[Edward H. Plumb]], [[Paul Smith (composer)|Paul Smith]] and [[Charles Wolcott]]
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref name="Oscars1946">{{cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1946 |title=The 18th Academy Awards - 1946 |access-date=July 26, 2020 |work=oscars.org |publisher=Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound Recording]]
| [[Sam Slyfield|C. O. Slyfield]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[10th Venice International Film Festival|Venice International Film Festival]]
| [[Golden Lion]]
| [[Walt Disney]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|title=Venice Film Festival (1949)|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000681/1949/1/|access-date=2020-10-21|website=IMDb}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=The Three Caballeros|url=https://mubi.com/films/the-three-caballeros|language=en-US|access-date=2020-10-21}}</ref>
|}

== Music ==
{{Infobox album
| name       = The Three Caballeros
| type       = Studio album
| artist     = [[Edward H. Plumb]], [[Paul Smith (composer)|Paul J. Smith]], and [[Charles Wolcott]]
| cover      =
| alt        =
| released   = 1945
| recorded   = 
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = 
| length     =
| label      = [[Walt Disney Records|Disneyland Records]]
| chronology   = [[Walt Disney Records discography|Walt Disney Animation Studios]] soundtrack
| prev_title   = [[Saludos Amigos#Music|Saludos Amigos]]
| prev_year    = 1943
| next_title   = [[Make Mine Music#Music|Make Mine Music]]
| next_year    = 1946
}}

The film's original score was composed by [[Edward H. Plumb]], [[Paul Smith (composer)|Paul J. Smith]], and [[Charles Wolcott]].

* The title song, "The Three Caballeros", based its melody on {{lang|es|italic=no|"[[Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes!]]"}}, a Mexican song composed by [[Manuel Esperón]] with lyrics by Ernesto Cortázar. {{lang|es|italic=no|"Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes!"}} was originally released in a 1941 film of the same name, starring [[Jorge Negrete]]. After seeing Manuel Esperón's success in the Mexican film industry, Walt Disney called him personally to ask him to participate in the film. New English lyrics were written to the song by [[Ray Gilbert]].
*"Baía" based its melody on the Brazilian song {{lang|pt|italic=no|"[[Na Baixa do Sapateiro]]"}} which was written by [[Ary Barroso]] and first released in 1938. New English lyrics were written by Ray Gilbert. Another Ary Barroso song, {{lang|pt|italic=no|"[[Aquarela do Brasil]]"}}, was featured in the earlier film ''[[Saludos Amigos]]'' with its original Portuguese lyrics.
* "[[Have You Been to Bahia?]]" was written by [[Dorival Caymmi]] and was originally released in 1941. The song was translated into English with no major changes, other than replacing the word {{lang|pt|italic=no|"nega"}} (a woman of African descent) with "Donald", to whom the song is addressed in the film. Parts of the song are still sung in its original Portuguese.
*"Pandeiro & Flute" was written by [[Benedito Lacerda]], and is played during the Baia train sequence. It is the opinion of Disney's Chief Archivist Emeritus, [[Dave Smith (archivist)|Dave Smith]], that the piece was not written originally for the film, but was instead licensed to Disney; however, he is unaware of any evidence that proves this opinion. The piece was developed by Charles Wolcott, and Lacerda went uncredited in the film.<ref name="Ask Dave June 14, 2012">{{cite web
 |url=http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2012/06/d23-presents-ask-dave-june-12-2012/ 
 |title=D23 Presents Ask Dave: June 12, 2012 
 |first=Dave |last=Smith 
 |publisher=[[Disney D23]] 
 |access-date=June 14, 2012 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615214959/http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2012/06/d23-presents-ask-dave-june-12-2012/
 |archive-date=June 15, 2012
 |quote=While written by Lacerda (1903–1958) and licensed by Disney, it was developed by Charles Wolcott and Lacerda was uncredited. The piece appears at the end of the Baia train sequence and just before the 'Os Quindins de Ya-Ya' sequence. A pandeiro is a Brazilian version of a tambourine. 
 |url-status=dead
}}</ref><ref name="Ask Dave July 19, 2012">{{cite web
 |url=http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2012/07/d23-presents-ask-dave-july-19-2012/ 
 |title=D23 Presents Ask Dave: July 19, 2012 
 |first=Dave |last=Smith 
 |publisher=[[Disney D23]] 
 |access-date=July 22, 2012 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722201434/http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2012/07/d23-presents-ask-dave-july-19-2012/
 |archive-date=July 22, 2012
 |quote=It is the flute piece played during the train sequence, according to the film's music cue sheet, running for one minute, three-and-two-thirds seconds. It is followed by silence, then 'Os Quindins de Ya-Ya'. I have assumed it was not written for the film, but was simply licensed, though I have not seen evidence to back up that assumption. 
 |url-status=dead
}}</ref>
* {{lang|pt|italic=no|"[[Os Quindins de Yayá]]"}} was written by Ary Barroso and first released in 1941. Unlike Barroso's other song to be featured in this film, {{lang|pt|italic=no|"Os Quindins de Yayá"}} was left in its original Portuguese. The song is sung by [[Aurora Miranda]] in the film.
* {{lang|pt|italic=no|"Os Quindins de Yayá"}} is briefly interrupted by [[Nestor Amaral]] singing a small portion of {{lang|pt|italic=no|"Pregões Cariocas"}} which was written by [[Braguinha (composer)|Braguinha]] in 1931. This song was first recorded under the name {{lang|pt|italic=no|"Cena Carioca"}} and came to be known as {{lang|pt|italic=no|"Pregões Cariocas"}} in 1936.
* "Mexico" was composed by Charles Wolcott with lyrics by Ray Gilbert and was sung by [[Carlos Ramírez (singer)|Carlos Ramírez]]. It is the only song in the film to be completely original.
* The {{lang|es|italic=no|"Jarabe Pateño"}} was written by Jonás Yeverino Cárdenas in 1900. It is considered one of the most famous compositions from the Mexican state of [[Coahuila]].<ref name="Pateno">{{cite web
| url =http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/137491
| author =Ernesto Acosta
| title =Distingue a Coahuila el 'Jarabe Pateño'; es reconocido a nivel mundial
| work =zocalo.com
| date =August 19, 2009
| access-date =March 22, 2012
| archive-date =October 22, 2018
| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120739/http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/137491
| url-status =dead
}}</ref>
* "[[Lilongo]]" was written by [[Felipe Gil|Felipe "El Charro" Gil]] and copyrighted in the U.S. in 1946,<ref name="Ask Dave Lilongo">{{cite web
 |url=http://d23.disney.go.com/archives/ 
 |title=Ask Dave Lilongo 
 |author=Dave Smith 
 |publisher=D23 
 |access-date=January 13, 2012 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105143454/http://d23.disney.go.com/archives/
 |archive-date=January 5, 2012
 |quote=&thinsp;'Lilongo' was written by Felipe 'El Charro' Gil, and copyrighted in the U.S. by the music publisher Peer International Corp. in 1946. It is in the Son Jarocho style, a traditional musical style of the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Gil was born in Misantla, Veracruz, in 1913, into a family of musicians, and he made a study of the music of the area. 
 |url-status=dead
}}</ref> though it was first recorded in the U.S. in 1938. It is performed by [[Trío Calaveras]] in the film.
* "[[You Belong to My Heart]]" based its melody on the Mexican song {{lang|es|italic=no|"Solamente una vez"}}, which was written by [[Agustín Lara]]. Like {{lang|es|italic=no|"Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes!"}} and {{lang|pt|italic=no|"Na Baixa do Sapateiro"}}, new English lyrics were written to the song by Ray Gilbert.
* {{lang|es|italic=no|"[[La Zandunga]]"}} (also spelled {{lang|es|italic=no|"La Sandunga"}}) is a traditional Mexican song and the unofficial anthem of the [[Isthmus of Tehuantepec]], in the Mexican state of [[Oaxaca]]. The melody is believed to have originated from [[Andalusia]] and was rearranged by Andres Gutierrez. Lyrics were written to it by Máximo Ramó Ortiz in 1853. It was arranged for this film by Charles Wolcott.
* The instrumental composition which plays while the cacti are dancing is {{lang|es|italic=no|"[[Jesusita en Chihuahua]]"}}, a trademark of the [[Mexican Revolution]] which was written by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés in 1916. Over time this piece has also come to be known under the names "J.C. Polka", "Jesse Polka", and "Cactus Polka".
* The instrumental composition {{lang|es|italic=no|"[[Sobre las olas]]"}} ("Over the Waves") written by Mexican songwriter [[Juventino Rosas]] and first published in 1888 can be heard in the film's score during "The Cold-Blooded Penguin" segment while Pablo the penguin is sailing to the Galápagos Islands. A small portion of "[[Jingle Bells]]" is briefly sung by Donald Duck.
*"Babalu" by Desi Arnaz is used briefly.
* The title song from {{lang|es|Saludos Amigos}} is heard instrumentally when Donald first opens his presents.

==Other media==
* The Aracuan Bird later made an appearance in the 1947 short film ''[[Clown of the Jungle]]'', where it constantly interrupts Donald's attempts to photograph birds in a South American jungle.<ref>{{cite web |title=Clown of the Jungle (film) |url=https://d23.com/a-to-z/clown-of-the-jungle-film/ |website=[[D23 (Disney)|D23]] |publisher=[[The Walt Disney Company]] |access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref>
* [[Agustín Lara]]'s song "[[You Belong to My Heart]]" was featured in a Disney short called ''[[Pluto's Blue Note]]'' (1947). It was later recorded by [[Bing Crosby]]. [[Ary Barroso]]'s song "Bahia" and the title song became popular hit tunes in the 1940s. The complete "Bahia" sequence was cut from the 1977 theatrical reissue of the film.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hischack |first=Thomas|author2=Mark Robinson |title=The Disney Song Encyclopedia
|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |year=2009
}}</ref>
* One of the scenes of the former [[Mickey Mouse Revue]] features Donald, Jose and Panchito in the show, performing the film's theme song. In the queue for [[Mickey's PhilharMagic]], there is a poster for {{lang|es|italic=no|"Festival de los Mariachis"}}, which also features the three protagonists. They also appear in some of Disney's themed resorts, such as [[Disney's Coronado Springs Resort]] where one can find topiaries of the trio, and [[Disney's All-Star Music Resort]] where a fountain depicting the trio is the centrepiece of the Guitar-shaped Calypso Pool.
* Some clips from this film were used in the "Welcome to Rio" portion of the ''[[Mickey Mouse Disco]]'' music video.
* Fictional music group [[Alvin and the Chipmunks]] covered the title song, "The Three Caballeros", for their 1995 Disney-themed album ''[[When You Wish Upon a Chipmunk]]''; however, [[The Walt Disney Company]] neither sponsored nor endorsed the album the song was featured on.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
* [[Don Rosa]] wrote and drew two comic book sequels: ''[[The Three Caballeros Ride Again]]'' (2000) and ''[[The Magnificent Seven (Minus 4) Caballeros]]'' (2005).
* In February 2001, José and Panchito performed with Donald in the ''[[House of Mouse]]'' episode "The Three Caballeros", voiced by [[Carlos Alazraqui]] (Pistoles) and [[Rob Paulsen]] (Carioca), appearing as recurring characters after that. In 2015, also makes an appearance in ''[[Mickey Mouse (TV series)|Mickey Mouse]]'' episode {{lang|es|italic=no|"¡Feliz Cumpleaños!"}} as performers at Mickey's birthday. The pair later appeared in the ''[[Mickey and the Roadster Racers]]'' episode "Mickey's Perfecto Day", in which they are former bandmates of Donald's who perform a concert with [[Daisy Duck]] after Donald is unable to take part.
* In September 2006, Panchito and José returned to Walt Disney World where they appeared for meet and greets. They were only found outside the Mexico pavilion in [[World Showcase]] at Epcot. Donald also appeared with them.
* In April 2007, the film became the basis for a ride at the Mexican pavilion at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Epcot]] named [[Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wdwhistory.com/wiki/Gran_Fiesta_Tour|title=Gran Fiesta Tour at Walt Disney World|publisher=WDWHistory.com}}</ref>
* The 2011 [[Mickey's Soundsational Parade]] at [[Disneyland]] features all three Caballeros and the [[Aracuan Bird]] in one parade unit.
* Along with many other Disney characters, Panchito, José, and Donald appear in the updated [[It's a Small World]] ride at [[Disneyland]] during the section portraying [[Mexico]].
* On June 9, 2018, a new show called ''[[Legend of the Three Caballeros]]'' was produced by [[Disney Interactive]] focusing on crazy adventures and was first released on the DisneyLife app in the Philippines. It produced 13 episodes.<ref>[https://www.cartoonbrew.com/internet-television/disney-made-a-three-caballeros-tv-series-but-most-people-cant-see-it-161096.html "Disney Made A 'Three Caballeros' TV Series, But Most People Can't See It"]</ref>{{full citation needed|date=October 2022}}
* José and Panchito make appearances in the [[DuckTales (2017 TV series)|2017 ''DuckTales'' reboot]], with Bernardo De Paula as José and [[Arturo Del Puerto]] as Panchito.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/11/02/ducktales-three-caballeros-first-look/|title=The Three Caballeros reunite on DuckTales – first look|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|last=Snetiker|first=Marc|date=November 2, 2018|access-date=July 23, 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[Walt & El Grupo]]'', a 2008 documentary film about the making of ''The Three Caballeros''
* [[1944 in film]]
* [[List of American films of 1944]]
* [[List of Walt Disney Pictures films]]
* [[List of Disney theatrical animated features]]
* [[List of animated feature films of the 1940s]]
* [[List of highest-grossing animated films]]
* [[List of films with live action and animation]]
* [[List of package films]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|https://movies.disney.com/the-three-caballeros}}
* {{AFI film|722}}
* {{IMDb title|0038166}}
* {{TCMDb title|93058|The Three Caballeros}}
* {{DisneyAtoZ|three-caballeros-the-film}}

{{Disney theatrical animated features}}
{{Clyde Geronimi}}
{{Harold Young}}
{{Walt Disney Animation Studios}}
{{TV series and movies set in the Mickey Mouse universe}}
{{Donald Duck in animation}}
{{José Carioca in animation}}
{{authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Disney|Cartoon}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Three Caballeros, The}}
[[Category:The Three Caballeros| ]]
[[Category:1944 American animated films]]
[[Category:1944 films]]
[[Category:1944 children's films]]
[[Category:1940s musical fantasy films]]
[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
[[Category:1940s Spanish-language films]]
[[Category:1940s Portuguese-language films]]
[[Category:1940s Christmas comedy films]]
[[Category:American animated comedy films]]
[[Category:American animated fantasy films]]
[[Category:American anthology films]]
[[Category:American Christmas films]]
[[Category:American films with live action and animation]]
[[Category:Animated anthology films]]
[[Category:Animated musical films]]
[[Category:American musical fantasy films]]
[[Category:Animated films about friendship]]
[[Category:Animated films about penguins]]
[[Category:Animated films about talking animals]]
[[Category:Spanish-language American films]]
[[Category:Portuguese-language comedy films]]
[[Category:Bullfighting films]]
[[Category:Cockfighting in film]]
[[Category:Donald Duck films]]
[[Category:Fictional trios]]
[[Category:Animated films about birthdays]]
[[Category:Animated films about chickens]]
[[Category:Films adapted into television shows]]
[[Category:Films directed by Bill Roberts]]
[[Category:Films directed by Clyde Geronimi]]
[[Category:Films directed by Harold Young (director)]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jack Kinney]]
[[Category:Films directed by Norman Ferguson]]
[[Category:Films produced by Walt Disney]]
[[Category:Films scored by Paul Smith (composer)]]
[[Category:Films scored by Edward H. Plumb]]
[[Category:Films scored by Charles Wolcott]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Antarctica]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Brazil]]
[[Category:Films set on the Galápagos Islands]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Uruguay]]
[[Category:RKO Pictures films]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Pictures films]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Pictures animated films]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Bill Peet]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ralph Wright]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Mexico]]
[[Category:Animated films set in South America]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Ecuador]]
[[Category:English-language musical fantasy films]]
[[Category:English-language Christmas comedy films]]
[[Category:Portuguese-language American films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Homer Brightman]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ted Sears]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Roy Williams]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by William Cottrell]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Del Connell]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by James Bodrero]]
[[Category:Good Neighbor policy]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]