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 aka Pete
Eros Volusia	...	Eros Volusia
Eros Volusia Brazilian Dancers	...	Eros Volusia Brazilian Dancers

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. Somehow, however, they end up in Texas where they help to facilitate the romance of a popular Latin singer and the owner of a resort hotel while exposing a gang of Fifth-Columnists.

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Plot Keywords:

remake | slapstick comedy | hotel | fifth columnist | texas | 

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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:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish German

Release Date:

April 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Рио-Рита

Filming Locations:

Hemet, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

William Tannen is listed in studio records for the role of "Pet Shop Owner", but he did not appear in the movie. The part is played by Joe Kirk, Lou Costello's brother-in-law.

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Goofs

When Wishy (Lou Costello) is hanging from the back bumper of the car, his feet disappear as he is trying to climb back up to the car.

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Quotes

Ricardo Montera: It's a code.
'Wishy': I don't think so. It's pretty hot in here.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997)

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Soundtracks

Long Before You Came Along
(1942)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Sung by John Carroll (uncredited) from a recording, Kathryn Grayson (uncredited) and John Carroll (uncredited)
Played as background music

User Reviews

Awkward Mix

Lesser A&C romp. The boys are in Mexico, where they get mixed up with Nazi agents.

This was the boys first production at MGM and frankly it looks like the big-budget studio wasn't sure how to duplicate the team's surging success over at Universal. That whirling car- lift is a heck of an effect, but is more impressive than funny. Then too, operatic singer Kathryn Grayson seems an odd choice for musical interludes in a knock-about comedy. In fact, it's a more high-profile supporting cast than usual, with John Carroll (Ricardo) getting as much screen time as A&C.

There are, of course, some amusing bits as could be expected from the duo (mainly the puns), but the Nazi part is left sketchy without the menace it should have provided Costello's brand of comedy. This also looks like a try-out for the Volusia dancers. Their costumes are eye-catchers, but this is their only movie credit. Of the three MGM productions (Lost in a Harem, {1944}), and (A&C in Hollywood, {1945}), this one in my view is the least. All in all, they really did belong at low-budget Universal where there was less concern with prestige.