Under the Rainbow (1981)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Steve Rash

Writers:

Fred Bauer (story) and
Pat Bradley (story) ...

Release Date:

31 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A Giant Comedy.

Plot:

In World War II era Los Angeles, the manager of the Culver Hotel leaves his nephew in charge for a weekend...

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Munchkin | Dog | Urination Scene | Ship

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Bruce Thorpe
Carrie Fisher	...	Annie Clark
Eve Arden	...	The Duchess
Joseph Maher	...	The Duke
Robert Donner	...	The Assassin
Billy Barty	...	Otto Kriegling
Mako	...	Nakomuri
Cork Hubbert	...	Rollo Sweet
Pat McCormick	...	Tiny
Adam Arkin	...	Henry Hudson
Richard Stahl	...	Lester Hudson
Freeman King	...	Otis
Peter Isacksen	...	Homer
Jack Kruschen	...	Louie
Bennett Ohta	...	Akido

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG | UK:PG

Company:

FCA

Trivia:

When Carrie Fisher was a guest on the Tonight Show, she admitted that this was one of the worst movies she ever starred in.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The movie suggests that The Wizard of Oz (1939) went into production after Gone with the Wind (1939), when in fact it was the other way around.

Quotes:

Henry Hudson: You are bad little people, you deserve to be short!
[after being catapulted onto a chandelier]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Camp Classic

It does amaze me at times to see what are considered camp classics and then see how so many people can miss an obvious one. This is one film that truly has it all...drunken midgets, nazi spies, princess leia, and a host of off-colour jokes sure to offend ALL. Seriously, if your a member of the PC thought police this film will give you reason to write your congressman (or is it congressperson?) but if you are intelligent enough to realize that when everyone is being poked fun at no one is stigmatized then you might just enjoy this comedic spoof which is as frantic and disjointed as the plot.

One last point regarding the "munchkins": although it might be easy to see this film as taking liberty with the rumors (and some were true) that the midgets who acted in the Wizard of Oz were wild drinking partiers, it should be noted that this notion goes just as far to show how normal this population is; just as interested in getting drunk, laid, and having a good time as the rest of society. A very human face which has not always been offered to actors who are seen primarily in fantasy films (Oz, Willy Wonka, Time Bandits, and even Tiny Town). I do know that the actors on this film were paid better than those on Oz and certainly had no problem with the script in giving their enjoyable performances.

A fun ride