Rio Rita (1942)

Doc and Wishey run into some Nazi-agents, who want to smuggle bombs into the USA from a Mexican border hotel.

Director:

S. Sylvan Simon

Writers:

Richard Connell (screenplay), Gladys Lehman (screenplay),

Stars:

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Kathryn Grayson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bud Abbott	...	'Doc'
Lou Costello	...	'Wishy'
Kathryn Grayson	...	Rita Winslow
John Carroll	...	Ricardo Montera
Patricia Dane	...	Lucette Brunswick
Tom Conway	...	Maurice Craindall
Peter Whitney	...	Jake
Barry Nelson	...	Harry Gantley
Arthur Space	...	Trask
Dick Rich	...	Gus
Eva Puig	...	Marianna
Joan Valerie	...	Dotty
Mitchell Lewis	...	Julio
Eros Volusia	...	Herself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eros Volusia Brazilian Dancers	...	Themselves

Storyline

After being fired from their jobs as clerks in a pet store, Doc and Wishey, a couple of bumpkins, hide in the trunk of a car that they think will take them to New York, but instead they end up in Texas where they help to facilitate the romance of a popular Latin singer and the owner of a vacation hotel while exposing a gang of Fifth-Columnists.

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | singer | texas | fifth columnist | apple | 

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Taglines:

THERE'S Monkey Business GOING ON!

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Genres:

Comedy | Music | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish German

Release Date:

April 1942 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Hemet, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Loew's, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were under contract to Universal Pictures, and their films were so successful that MGM signed a three-film contract with them to take advantage of a clause in their Universal contract that allowed them to do one film a year for another company. This was the first one; Lost in a Harem and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood were the others. However, each of the films was less successful than the previous one, and MGM canceled its agreement with Universal after the third film.

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Goofs

In the scene where Lou is on top of the car garage roof, a seam in the sky cyclorama can clearly be seen, even in long shot, and shadows of trees are also reflected on the "sky."

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Quotes

Ricardo Montera: [Referring to Rita] who is she?
Golfer: You got me brother!
Ricardo Montera: I don't want you brother!

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997)

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Soundtracks

"A Couple Of Caballeros"
(1942) (uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Written for the movie but not used

User Reviews

Rio Rita (1944) **1/2

**1/2 out of ****

Abbott and Costello were huge stars over at Universal Studios during this time, and this was the first time they made a movie for another studio (MGM) during their peak years. The results are quite good as far as the comical shenanigans of A&C are concerned -- they engage in some pretty laughable situations and were really spot-on at their game here, having energetic fun; I wonder if they were trying harder to show that they could be just as good for a rival studio other than their own?

But unfortunately it isn't all roses. MGM was noted for their musicals, and there is a lot of singing trickled about here -- though unlike some of the more upbeat ditties from the Andrews Sisters in the Universal movies, these interludes are cringe-worthy. I mean there's some downright AWFUL singing to be endured in RIO RITA. The worst is a lengthy cadenza performed by one of the lead ladies. Just brutal. Too bad, as this could have been a good solid vehicle for Bud and Lou.