Customer Reviews

Rio Rita [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Great Classic A&C film. The best Abbott & Costello film i've seen since "Time Of Their Lives." This is funny from beginning to end. Some really hysterical routines in this one. Highly recommend to any old time comedy fans and Abbott & Costello films. Great, Great film!!!

For what it's worth, "Rio Rita" (1942) is actually the first of Abbott and Costello's three films for MGM, while "Abbott And Costello In Hollywood" (1945) is the last. (The second was 1944's "Lost In A Harem.") All three are quite good - in some ways better than the more famous films the duo made for Universal - and well worth a look by anyone whose idea of GOOD comedy is something more substantial than Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell, whose popularity will forever be a source of mystery to me.

RIO RITA
Release Date: April 1942

Directed by:
S. Sylvan Simon

Writing credits:
Richard Connell (screenplay) and
Gladys Lehman (screenplay)
John Grant (special material for A & C)

Cast (in credits order):
Bud Abbott........Doc
Lou Costello......Wishy Dunn
Kathryn Grayson...Rita Winslow
John Carroll......Ricardo Montera
Patricia Dane.....Lucette Brunswick
Tom Conway........Maurice Craindall
Peter Whitney.....Jake
Barry Nelson......Harry Gantley (hotel announcer)
Arthur Space......Trask
Dick Rich.........Gus
Eva Puig..........Marianna (Rita's maid)
Joan Valerie......Dotty
Mitchell Lewis....Julio (Credits)/Pete, the Mechanic
Eros Volusia......Herself (dancer)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eros Volusia Brazilian Dancers....Themselves
King Baggott....Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Janet Barrett...Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Vangie Beilby...Club woman (uncredited)
Robert Bradford...Whistling solo (uncredited)
Diane Brook.....Woman (uncredited)(unconfirmed)
Ruth Cherrington..Club woman (uncredited)
Mina Farragut...Woman (uncredited)(unconfirmed)
Nano Galindo.....Soloist in "The Ranger's Song" (uncredited)
Alfred Garmo.....Soloist in "The Ranger's Song" (uncredited)
Dorthory Gilmore...Woman (uncredited)
Delos Jewkes.....Soloist in "The Ranger's Song" (uncredited)
Eleanore Kallejian.....Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Jennie Mac.........Club woman (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack...........Fiesta guest (uncredited)
Anita Maisnik.........Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Mary Manners..........Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Johnny Mitchell.......Control man (uncredited)
Dorthory Morris.......Gas station attendant (uncredited)
Lee Murray............Little Mexican (uncredited)
David Oliver..........Golfer (uncredited)
Frank Penny...........Chef (uncredited)
Charles Ray...........Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Marjorie Raymond........Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Grace Ritchie.........Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Julian Rivero.........Mexican agent (uncredited)
Mercedes Ruffino........Woman (uncredited)
Morton Scott..........Man (uncredited)
Flores Brothers Trio....Group Performers (uncredited)
The Guadalajara Trio.....Group Performers (uncredited)
Dorthory Ward.........Woman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Tudor Williams.........Man (uncredited)

Produced by:
Pandro S. Berman....producer

Original Music by:
Harold Arlen....songs - "LONG BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG",
"A COUPLE OF CABALLEROS", "POOR WHIPPOORWILL", and
"SUCH UNSUAL WEATHER" (uncredited)
Herbert Stohart....(uncredited)
Non-Original Music by:
Harry Tierney....(songs-"RIO RITA"/"THE RANGER'S SONG"
Nilo Barnet......(song-"BRAZLIAN DANCE")(uncredited)
Werner R. Heymann....(stock music)(uncredited)
Bronislau Kaper..(stock music)(uncredited)
Lacerdo..........(song "ORA O CONGA")(uncredited)
Giacomo Meyerbeer....(songs "OMBRES LEGERES"{SHADOW SONG}from opera "DINORAH, OU LE PARDON DE PLOEMEL)(uncredited)
Franz Waxman.....(stock music)(uncredited)

Cinematography by:
George J. Folsey....(director of photograpy)(uncredited)

Film Editing by:
Ben Lewis

Art Direction by:
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by:
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by:
Robert Kalloch...(gowns)(as Kalloch)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director:
William Ryan...assitant director (uncredited)

Art Department:
Eddie Imazu....associate art director
Buford Robert..associate set director (uncredited)

Sound Department:
Douglas Shearer....recording director

Special Effects by:
Warren Newcombe....special effects

Stunts:
Pat Costello....stunts/stunt double: Lou Costello
(uncredited)

Other crew:
Leo Arnaud....music arranger:vocals/orchestrator
Murray Cutter...music arranger:vocals/orchestrator
E.Y. Harburg....lyricist: "LONG BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG"
Paul Marquardt..music arranger: vocals/orchestrator
Joseph McCarthy....lyricist: "RIO RITA" and "THE RANGER'S SONG"
Gile Steele....men wardrober
Herbert Stothart...musical director
Jules Barbier.....librettist: "OMBRES LEGERES{"SHADOW SONG"}from opera "DINORAH, OU LE PARDON DE PLOEMEL" (uncredited)
Lorraine Bridges...vocal stand-in Kathryn Grayson
(uncredited)
Michael Carre............libberttist: "OMBRES LEGERES {"SHADOW SONG"} from opera "DINORAH, OU LE PARDON DE PLOEMEL" (uncredited)
Clyde De Vinna...........location director of photography
(uncredited)
E.Y. Harburg..............lyricist: "A COUPLE OF CABABELLROS", "POOR WHIPPOORWILL", and "SUCH UNSUAL WEATHER" (uncredited)
Harold Lipstein....location director of photography
(uncredited)
David Ropel........dance director (uncredited)

PLOT OUTLINE:
Doc and Wishy take a wrong turn somewhere and end up near the Mexican border. There they run into some Nazi-agents, who want to smuggle bombs into the USA through a hotel business. With the help of Rita, the daughter of the hotel owner, and her love interest Hecktor, they expose the Nazi-spies.

ROUTINES & HILARIOUS MOMENTS:
Pike's Peke
You've got 20, I've got 20 too
Drunk Visions
Washing machine sequence
Kiss a girl

(1)In order to make more money from Abbott and Costello, Universal agreed to loan out the team to MGM for picture per year. This was the first MGM production made under that deal.(2)The musical "RIO RITA" opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 2 February 1927 and closed on 7 April 1938 after 494 performances. The cast included Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey who reprised their roles in the 1929 movie of the same name. Only 2 songs were used in this 1942 movie, and the screenplay bears no resemblance to the plot of the 1929 version. In fact the SAB designated the 1942 version as an original story.(3)Some modern credits erroneously list the sone "LONG BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG" as appearing in the 1929 version. It was written for the 1942 version.(4)William Tannen is listed in the studio records for the role of "Pet Shop Owner", but he did not appear in the movie.

I'm going to go ahead and give this video five stars because I have a lot of fond memories of watching it, even though I'm not that wild about the musical numbers.
What I do love about this film is the sheer energy and fun of Abbott & Costello's early efforts. Most of the movies I see rerun on the classic film channels are the duo's later films and are pretty flat. In this one, they blow in like the life of the party and race through routines that makes you feel like they're trying to fit in as much as they can.
The slapstick is cartoonishly funny and the verbal bits are fun ("You're not here! You're not in Philadelphia, you're not in Baltimore, so you must be someplace and, if you're someplace else, then you're not here!").
I love this stuff and I'm glad I ordered the tape.
Great for Abbott & Costello fans.

To help put some skeptics at ease, these releases by Warner Archives are official releases regardless of their DVD-R format. For the most part they are no frills(maybe a trailer)with pretty decent picture and sound(certainly better than most have ever seen in any format), but not state of the art quality. This particular release is not as bright as I would have hoped but it will do.

This is sort of a holly grail for A&C complete-ist along with A&C meet Captain Kidd(also released by Warner Archives). I have had problems with certain titles in the past that were DVD-R, but Warner will send replacement for defective discs. Their policy changes frequently and sometimes they will send you a replacement without returning the item and others times they have you send the disc back and they will reimburse you for shipping charges. It's a bit of a pain in the A $$, but if you want these films in your library, then its a risk you'll have to take.

The films are expensive, but Warner has us over a barrel. They do run sales now and then, so you can buy them cheaper then 19.99 if you can hold out.

The movie is a fun A&C adventure, with Bud and Lou in great form, but once again I could have done without a couple of song and dance numbers. The film is an hour and thirty minutes long with Bud and Lou doing their usual routines, so the songs can get a bit tedious.

I had problems with my copy of Rio Rita and had to send for a replacement two times before receiving a copy that would work. I'm glad I was able to obtain a copy of this film because it was the only one I didn't have on DVD. Now the complete-ist in me can rest easy...........

The comdey duo is REUINTED with dircetor S. Sylvan Simon, who directed their earlier feature "ABBOTT & COSTELLO IN HOLLYWOOD". This film is a REMAKE of the 1929 film which starred the then popular comedy team Wheeler & Woosley. In this A & C feature the Nazis invade the Western ranch where the team works. Some good songs ACTUALLY help this film's ZANY plot.

Remember when WB released 2 MGM A&C's Lost In a Harem & In Hollywood 5 or 6 years ago?
At the RRP of $14.95? For TWO movies???
Now we're being asked to cough up @ $25 for 1 film - on a DVD-R - with no extras (not even a menu page!!!!!)
C'mon guys, we're a little too greedy, ain't we?

I loved this film as a kid. Abbott and Costello have some classic comedies...and this is one of my favorites.

Long awaited on DVD not a classic a few good routines, but too many songs and love interest drags out the movie.

This Vendor offered excellent prices and fast delivery, but no shipping discount for multiple purchases. So I just considered the shipping charges to be part of the price and the shipping to be free. Even with that, the prices were great.

I was very pleased to be able to add this wonderful A&C classic to my collection. This is one that I had actually never seen before, so I was especially pleased to find it at such a excellent price. It was their 1st of only 3 pictures that they made for MGM and it has that MGM musical flare. Now all I need is "Dance With Me Henry" (their final film together) to complete my A&C Movie collection.