The film was based on the 1945 book Mexican VillagebyJosefina Niggli. It was a collection of 11 short stories set in the north Mexican town of Hidalgo.[3]The New York Times called it "remarkable...one of the finest books about Mexico."[4]
In June 1951, MGM announced they had bought the screen rights as a『possible vehicle for Ricardo Montalbán』and assigned Jack Cummings to produce.[5] In July, Norman Foster was signed to direct and co-write the script with Niggli; the cast was Montalbán, Cyd Charisse and Fernando Lamas, plus one American – Joseph Cotten, Wendell Corey and John Hodiak were the favorites for this.[6] (Both Cummings and Foster had made movies in Mexico.) Eventually the role of an American character was removed.[7] Niggli and Foster collaborated on the script over six months.[7]
In April 1952, Cornel Wilde was being sought for a lead role. By this stage the title of the film had changed from Mexican VillagetoSombrero.[8] Vittorio Gassman, Pier Angeli and Ava Gardner joined the cast; it was Gassman's second American film after The Glass Wall.[9] Gardner dropped out in late April and was put on suspension by MGM (lifted when she agreed to make Mogambo).[10]
Then Lamas refused to make the film because it meant going on location in Mexico; MGM suspended him until he agreed to star in The Girl Who Had Everything.[11] By May, Yvonne De Carlo, Nina Foch and Kurt Kaznar joined the cast.[12]Rick Jason joined the cast (presumably replacing Lamas), making his film debut. Dore Schary said he expected Gassmann and Jason to become big stars.[13]
Filming started June 1952. The movie was shot on location in Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Tetecala and Tepoztln, Mexico.[7]
De Carlo did all her scenes with Gassman. "We got along wonderfully," she said. "He's a wonderful actor."[14]
In September 1952, before the film was released, MGM announced Foster would write a follow-up movie based on three or four other stories in the collection Mexican Village that were not used in Sombrero, but no film was made.
^ abcThe Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
^'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
^Mexicans of the North: The Bookshelf, W.K.R. The Christian Science Monitor 3 Nov 1945: 20.
^Books of the Times: Easy and Delightful Reading Exotic and Colorful Goings On By ORVILLE PRESCOTT. New York Times 16 Oct 1945: 27.
^METRO WILL FILM 'MEXICAN VILLAGE': Studio Buys Niggli's Novel About Life in Hidalgo as a Story for Montalbán By THOMAS F. BRADY New York Times 5 June 1951: 49.
^Drama: Gloria Swanson Again to Play Actress; 'Strike Match' Bids Laughton, Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 2 July 1951: B7.
^ abcFOCUS ON 'SOMBRERO' BELOW THE BORDER By JOHN ROTHWELL New York Times 28 Sep 1952: X4.
^'Julius Caesar' Slated for Summer; Evelyne Asther's Debut Likely, Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 28 Apr 1952: B9.
^A.F.L. FILM COUNCIL URGES BAN ON REDS: Hollywood Union Group Asks Action 'to Control or Outlaw the Communist Party' By THOMAS M. PRYOR New York Times 23 Apr 1952: 25.
^Film With Spain Locale Named for Cummings; Carey Plans Novel Story Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 29 Apr 1952: B9.
^LAMAS TO CO-STAR WITH MISS TAYLOR: Metro Lifts Suspension of Actor, Who Will Appear in 'Girl Who Had Everything' New York Times 30 June 1952: 14.
^COURT DENIES PLEA IN JARRICO ACTION New York Times 16 May 1952: 18.
^Looking at Hollywood: Olivia De Havilland Will Star in 'My Cousin Rachel' Film Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 2 June 1952: a5.
^YVONNE Marches on! Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 5 Oct 1952: g9.
