Flying Down to Rio (1933)

An aviator and band leader who is always getting his group fired for his flirtatious behavior with the female guests soon finds himself falling for an engaged woman.

Director:

Thornton Freeland

Writers:

Cyril Hume (screen play), H.W. Hanemann (screen play)

Stars:

Dolores del Rio, Gene Raymond, Raul Roulien

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dolores del Rio	...	Belinha De Rezende (as Dolores Del Rio)
Gene Raymond	...	Roger Bond
Raul Roulien	...	Julio Rubeiro
Ginger Rogers	...	Honey Hale
Fred Astaire	...	Fred Ayres
Blanche Friderici	...	Dona Elena De Rezende
Walter Walker	...	Senor De Rezende
Etta Moten	...	The Colored Singer
Roy D'Arcy	...	One of the Three Greeks
Maurice Black	...	One of the Three Greeks
Armand Kaliz	...	One of the Three Greeks
Paul Porcasi	...	The Mayor
Reginald Barlow	...	The Banker
Eric Blore	...	The Head Waiter

Storyline

Aviator and band leader Roger Bond is forever getting his group fired for flirting with the lady guests. When he falls for Brazilian beauty Belinha de Rezende it appears to be for real, even though she is already engaged. His Yankee Clippers band is hired to open the new Hotel Atlântico in Rio and Roger offers to fly Belinha part way home. After a mechanical breakdown and forced landing, Roger is confident and makes his move, but Belinha plays hard to get. She can't seem to decide between Roger and her fiance Júlio. When performing the airborne production number to mark the Hotel's opening, Júlio gets some intriguing ideas...

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Plot Keywords:

airplane | nightclub | love triangle | tango | american abroad | 

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Taglines:

Too big for the world... So they staged it in the clouds... Too beautiful for words... So they set it to music!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Portuguese

Release Date:

29 December 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carioca

Filming Locations:

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Box Office

Budget:

$462,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White (tinted) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Standing outside a bakery shop in Rio, Ginger Rogers asks, "Oh, Freddie, how do you ask for little tarts in Portuguese?" Fred Astaire replies, "Don't heckle me, try the Culbertson System." This pre-Code, double entendre joke would have been funny to Depression-era audiences, for whom bridge was a common pastime. Ely Culbertson was a champion bridge player and worldwide celebrity who had won several international tournaments by developing a rather aggressive bidding system for contract bridge. He was also notorious for his sexual exploits. His 1940 autobiography would be banned in many countries In the 1930's, the word "tart" was equivalent to "slut" or "whore." Also, in the opening inspection of hotel staff, the boss sees a maid whose shoe heels are oddly beveled and says he will not tolerate that sort of thing. A "round-heeled woman" was 1930s slang for a prostitute, a woman who could tilt from standing to on her back with ease.

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Goofs

Although it's supposed to be in flight, one of the planes in the big wing-walker sequence has a bad matte effect at the bottom of its wheels and visible tie down wires attached to its tail. The same mistake can be seen on the plane in at least three shots.

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Quotes

Honey Hale: Oh, this is swell! Look at all the planes.

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Connections

Referenced in Superstore: District Manager (2018)

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Soundtracks

Music Makes Me
(1933) (uncredited)
Music by Vincent Youmans
Lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Performed by Ginger Rogers

User Reviews

Rio, Rio by the Sea-o

The first pairing of Astaire and Rogers, playing second leads to Dolores DelRio and a slightly strabismic Gene Raymond. What music and what dancing!!! And the scenery of 1933 Rio is worth seeing. The story is slight, the acting is slighter but who cares when Astaire and Rogers take the floor for the Carioca. How silly is the concept of a bunch of girls strapped to the wings of airplanes performing over the hotel? But again, who cares?...it's history on film as the seminal appearance of the most famous dance team in the movies. The supporting players are good but what became of Raul Roulien?.....the rest are familiar to fans of old movies. Love the music,(even Orchids in the Moonlight)and especially the title tune which is rather forgotten now. Step back in time and enjoy this dated, but absolutely wonderful film. You won't be sorry and maybe you will dance the Carioca!!