Road to Rio

source: Road to Rio

Moviecut—Road to Rio

With this-the fifth in the Road series-there are a couple notable firsts: the first time Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour are billed above the title instead of after and the first time that Hope and Crosby are profit participants in a series entry as the copyright is assigned to them while the beginning logo says "A Paramount Release" instead of "Picture". Anyway, after a not very funny beginning involving a circus and a bike on a tightrope, the fun comes fast and furious after the boys stowaway on a ship to the title city with Ms. Lamour on board. Also on board is Gale Sondergaard as the villainess with one of her henchman played by Frank Faylen-a player from my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, of which I always like to cite when someone involved in that one is involved in something else. Of previous Road players, Nestor Paiva-who was one of the bad guys in Road to Utopia-and Jerry Colonna-Hope's sidekick on radio who was also in Road to Singapore-return here. Also good to see The Andrews Sisters do a number with Bing and The Wiere Brothers do both comedy and music well. It's also the second consecutive time that Bob ends up with Dottie though here, it's not as nicely settled in as last time... In summary, Road to Rio is another highly enjoyable Road movie. Next up, Road to Bali.

This is the fifth in a series of seven "Road" done by Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour. I really like the first six movies in the series. Sure it is underdone by today's standards and the comedy and acting is old school. I find that to be refreshing compared to the comedy movies of the current time line. The three Weire brothers come very close to stealing the movie. They are good musicians and obviously worked very hard on their routines and they are funny as well. The Andrews Sisters show up almost like an after thought. They are a treat to watch when they sing and once in a great while one or more of them actually gets to act a little. I love the guy with the huge stache who leads the cavalry charge and has the big voice!!! The whole plot of the movie is B & B saving the heiress from the bad guys and of course they get it done.

After accidentally setting a circus on fire in Louisiana, two Vaudville performers named "Scat Sweeney" (Bing Crosby) and "Hot Lips Barton" (Bob Hope) secretly board a passenger liner headed for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. That night Scat meets a young woman in distress by the name of "Lucia Maria de Andrade" (Dorothy Lamour) and while attempting to console her divulges that he and Hot Lips Barton are stowaways. To his chagrin Lucia informs the captain of the ship which further compounds their misfortune. Fortunately, they manage to sneak off the ship and just happen to meet Lucia again who continues to display a split personality. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I thought this was a delightful comedy which, in my opinion, was clearly one of the better "Road Movies" produced. I especially liked the chemistry between the three aforementioned actors and the addition of both the Andrews Sisters and the Wiere Brothers along with Jerry Colonna who appeared at the very end. In short, those who have enjoyed the previous "Road Movies" should appreciate this one as well. Above average

A chunk of history in this chapter of the Road films; Bob Hope and Bing Crosby traveled around the world (... the back lot of Paramount.) So many greats in here - Jerry Colonna, comedian, musician, and actor, was in many of Bob Hope's projects, as well as so many others. Gale Sondergaard, so evil and serious, also in many Hope films, but my favorite role for her is in the 1940 version of The Letter (bette davis). The multi-talented Andrews Sisters, in their final appearance as sisters in a film, according to wikipedia. they had recorded 47 songs with Bing, which is probably why they are in Road to Rio. The Wiere Brothers were an act that had come over from Deutchland, and stayed, performing when and where they could. This film was kind of in the middle of all the "road" films. the plot is pretty inane, but as usual, they boys run off from their last fiasco of a performance, and meet up with Dorothy Lamour on the way to Brazil. Her aunt has other intentions, so Bing and Bob must run interference and try to save the day! A fun caper with Hope and Crosby. They don't show this one very often, but it IS (was ?) available on DVD. Directed by Norm McLeod, who had worked with ALL the great comedians, including the Marx Brothers. It's a fun one. Hope even plays part of his signature theme "thanks for the memories" on a trumpet. This chapter of the Road films was oscar-nominated for the music.

Another journey with Bob, Bing, and Dotty, this time the boys are escaping the law and a couple of shotgun wielding fathers in Bing's case. They stowaway on a boat bound for Rio De Janeiro and they meet damsel in distress Dotty with her "aunt" Gale Sondergaard and her two henchmen Frank Faylen and Joseph Vitale. Dragon lady Gale has been hypnotizing Dottie to force her into a marriage so that her inheritance can be swindled. The Road pictures always had a usual pattern of songs. A ballad for Crosby, a ballad for Lamour, and some patter songs for Crosby and Hope. Crosby sings one of his nicest ballads with But Beautiful. Hope and Crosby do Appalachicola, Fla and Dottie does an unforgettable version of Experience accompanied by Hope playing a bubble blowing trumpet. Bing Crosby's most frequent singing partners were the Andrews Sisters on record. They did enough material to fill more than three of those old fashioned vinyl LPs. But their only appearance in a movie with Bing is here and they sing You Don't Have To Know The Language with him as an extra treat. See it and figure out for yourself what was in those "papers" that the world was better off in blissful ignorance of.

Although Hope, Crosby and Lamour were teaming together for the fifth time in a Road movie, the format and style remain fresh, with a greater emphasis on song and a more rigid plot-line than in its four predecessors. The interplay between the three stars continues to be a delight, and Gale Sondergaard makes for a wonderful villain, whilst the Wiere Brothers almost steal the show as a trio of Rio street entertainers whom Bing and Bob persuade to impersonate the last three members of the five-piece all-American band that they have promised to deliver into Nestor Paiva's nightclub. There are a number of hilarious set-pieces, particularly with Hope cycling on a tightrope, and a rousing and manic climax. As a result of all these fine features, "Road to Rio" is only a notch down from my favourite Road picture, "Road to Utopia".

...And now they've got a spider woman as their foe, none other than Gale Sobdergaard, delightfully playing an amalgamation of all her dark ladies. She's the surrogate aunt of wealthy Dorothy Lamour, utilizing a rare Indian gem to manipulate Lamour to get her hands on Lamour's fortune. While this plot could happen anywhere, Rio does add atmosphere to the plot, complete with inside jokes and a few guest stars, including the Andrew Sisters duetting with Bing. However, the musical highlight is the sing "Experience" which has a hysterical sight gag. There were two more "Road" movies ahead, but thus was the last classic in the series.

Since the very first Road To.. Picture back in 1940, each subsequent entry in the series seemed to build on its wacky and manic content, with each becoming slightly more off the wall and crazy as the last. However when the fifth entry was released in 1947, for some reason things were toned down a tad, making the Road to Rio, although still funny and enjoyable appear to lack the quirkiness and zany antics of what had gone before. The banter and wise cracks between our two heroes is as good as ever, and the musical numbers up to par as well, but in spite of this, I always have a problem associating this film with any other in the series. It seems out on it's own; out on a limb. Maybe it's because unlike its predecessors, the gang are not lost in the untamed wild of somewhere or other, perhaps its the lack of talking animals, or perhaps it has more to do with the fact that this story actually has a plot; a real story you can follow instead of the more customary and formulaic half-hearted story onto which a few gags and songs had been pinned. Still the film is enjoyable and very funny, with The Andrew Sisters, Bing's other frequent stalwarts from radio and record, joining in on the fun for 'You Don't Have to Know the Language' and a delightful comic turn from The Weire Brothers as three local boys trying to pass themselves off as red blooded Americans, despite only knowing three slang terms in English which had been taught to them by Hope and Crosby just minutes before. As I said you will enjoy this entry very much but you will probably find this movie more akin to a Bob Hope 'My Favorite Blonde/Brunette' kind of comedy than anything so far seen in the 'Road To...' franchise