Rio Rita (1942)
In between filming their Universal movies, Abbott and Costello also found time to make three films for MGM in the early 1940s. Although Costello had previously worked at MGM as a bit player and occasional stunt man during the silent era, this was the team’s first experience as stars at the studio that often claimed to have “more stars than there are in heaven.” MGM did not have the best track record when it came to comedians under contract to them; Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy’s MGM films are generally considered some of the worst films that they ever made. However, MGM did have a much better track record when it came to musicals, a genre that Abbott and Costello were almost too familiar with by this point, so, for all we know, these films could possibly be better than the majority of the Universal musicals. Today, let’s look at the first of their MGM films, Rio Rita.
Although it’s generally considered a remake of the 1929 film that launched Wheeler and Woolsey’s film careers, this version actually has very little in common with that one. Abbott and Costello are Doc and Wishy, who stowaway in a car that they think is heading to New York but in reality is heading to Mexico. They come across Rita (Kathryn Grayson), who owns the Hotel Vista del Rio and is in love with singer Ricardo Montera (John Carroll) while also finding themselves in the middle of a Nazi spy plot.
Unfortunately, the main romantic story is sort of similar to Buck Privates, being about a rich playboy who needs to stop being a rich playboy. Rita actually isn’t in a whole lot of it, which is a shame because I do like Kathryn Grayson as Rita; she’s definitely got that sweetness to her that you can’t really hate and I especially love her reactions to Costello acting like a child.
The songs are just as bad as the songs in some of the Universal films, though I will give it that they’re staged a lot better here, like when Rita and Ricardo are riding horses and singing with the rangers. The one song of note is “Ombres Légères,” which is mainly due to how bizarre Rita’s singing is towards the end, being very operatic which makes sense considering that she was trained as an opera singer, though it feels out of place in an MGM musical.
So, yeah, the film is not leaving the best impression so far. However, there is one thing we have yet to discuss: the humor. This is the most important aspect in an Abbott and Costello film, and this one really delivers. Of all the Abbott and Costello films up to this point, this one is the funniest. There are so many great bits in here on Abbott and Costello’s part: Costello hanging over a cliff, Abbott and Costello thinking a dog can talk, Costello getting drunk, Costello trapped in the laundry machine. Every time they’re on screen, they really sell their material. It really does feel like Abbott and Costello material, which is strange for a company that was often known to restrict their comedians and make them something they weren’t. I’m guessing that Abbott and Costello’s large box office appeal must have allowed them to get better contract negotiations than most comedians, and John Grant, who usually wrote their material for them at Universal, also was brought aboard.
It’s hard to pick a favorite scene, but if I had to it would probably be the mirage sequence. Abbott and Costello get into a heated argument about what a mirage is. For one thing, I like how sudden Abbott’s brief change in character is; he acts as though they’re in a life or death situation and then suddenly returns back to normal after asking how Costello about what would happen if he was dying of starvation. Then, after taking a brief rest, Costello discovers a table of food that Rita set up for them after overhearing their dilemma, which helps make her character more likable. Abbott and Costello then continue to do even more fast-talking as they are eating the food and afterwards we get a really funny chase between Costello and several Nazi spies. It’s a really funny scene that shows off both Abbott and Costello’s verbal and physical skills and it ends up connecting them to the main story as well, which prior to it was feeling just like Buck Privates all over again.
Is it a good film on its own? No, but it sure is a really good Abbott and Costello film. Taking into consideration that the song sequences don’t really last too long as well as the fact that Abbott and Costello are prominently featured throughout, I find that the film actually is worth checking out. The story could be a little bit better, but Abbott and Costello will keep you happy all throughout. I’ve been debating between giving this an 8 or a 9, so I’ve decided to meet in the middle.
8.5 out of 10
Although it’s generally considered a remake of the 1929 film that launched Wheeler and Woolsey’s film careers, this version actually has very little in common with that one. Abbott and Costello are Doc and Wishy, who stowaway in a car that they think is heading to New York but in reality is heading to Mexico. They come across Rita (Kathryn Grayson), who owns the Hotel Vista del Rio and is in love with singer Ricardo Montera (John Carroll) while also finding themselves in the middle of a Nazi spy plot.
Unfortunately, the main romantic story is sort of similar to Buck Privates, being about a rich playboy who needs to stop being a rich playboy. Rita actually isn’t in a whole lot of it, which is a shame because I do like Kathryn Grayson as Rita; she’s definitely got that sweetness to her that you can’t really hate and I especially love her reactions to Costello acting like a child.
The songs are just as bad as the songs in some of the Universal films, though I will give it that they’re staged a lot better here, like when Rita and Ricardo are riding horses and singing with the rangers. The one song of note is “Ombres Légères,” which is mainly due to how bizarre Rita’s singing is towards the end, being very operatic which makes sense considering that she was trained as an opera singer, though it feels out of place in an MGM musical.
So, yeah, the film is not leaving the best impression so far. However, there is one thing we have yet to discuss: the humor. This is the most important aspect in an Abbott and Costello film, and this one really delivers. Of all the Abbott and Costello films up to this point, this one is the funniest. There are so many great bits in here on Abbott and Costello’s part: Costello hanging over a cliff, Abbott and Costello thinking a dog can talk, Costello getting drunk, Costello trapped in the laundry machine. Every time they’re on screen, they really sell their material. It really does feel like Abbott and Costello material, which is strange for a company that was often known to restrict their comedians and make them something they weren’t. I’m guessing that Abbott and Costello’s large box office appeal must have allowed them to get better contract negotiations than most comedians, and John Grant, who usually wrote their material for them at Universal, also was brought aboard.
It’s hard to pick a favorite scene, but if I had to it would probably be the mirage sequence. Abbott and Costello get into a heated argument about what a mirage is. For one thing, I like how sudden Abbott’s brief change in character is; he acts as though they’re in a life or death situation and then suddenly returns back to normal after asking how Costello about what would happen if he was dying of starvation. Then, after taking a brief rest, Costello discovers a table of food that Rita set up for them after overhearing their dilemma, which helps make her character more likable. Abbott and Costello then continue to do even more fast-talking as they are eating the food and afterwards we get a really funny chase between Costello and several Nazi spies. It’s a really funny scene that shows off both Abbott and Costello’s verbal and physical skills and it ends up connecting them to the main story as well, which prior to it was feeling just like Buck Privates all over again.
Is it a good film on its own? No, but it sure is a really good Abbott and Costello film. Taking into consideration that the song sequences don’t really last too long as well as the fact that Abbott and Costello are prominently featured throughout, I find that the film actually is worth checking out. The story could be a little bit better, but Abbott and Costello will keep you happy all throughout. I’ve been debating between giving this an 8 or a 9, so I’ve decided to meet in the middle.
8.5 out of 10
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