March 11 1942
Director: S. Sylvan Simon Bud: Doc, Lou: Wishy
Rio Rita! I love this movie! The direction, script, story and the settings are wonderful. For some reason, this movie has a sort of holiday atmosphere to me. I can't explain why. I like to watch this movie on hot summer nights. The boys look great, exactly how I wish they could of stayed for the rest of their careers. Abbott looking young (with his front piece toupee on) and Lou (though his hair slightly shorter than other previous vehicles) looks as if he is enjoying himself again. The boys were at the pinnacle of their career and Anne was pregnant with Costello's son. Happy times! The script is good with bucket loads of jokes and gags and a good story, romance and popular (at the time) songs to boot.
The first of three films they made at MGM, it was also the best for the studio. MGM put more time, effort and money in the Abbott and Costello films that it is interesting to speculate what would of happened to them if they went there in the first place, rather than at Universal. In the year this was made, the boys were bigger than all it's major stars including Clark Gable and Judy Garland. MGM spent a lot of money on the songs. This film has more of an aire of a 'musical' than their other films, largely due to the artists and songs. Though I only like a few of the songs, the opera that Kathryn Grayson sings goes on for about 7 minutes and is horrendous. I am not an opera lover. The music in this film has been praised while Dorothy Shay's numbers from 'Comin' round the mountain' have been heavily criticised. I much prefer Shay's songs.
Back to this film, it opens with the boys stranded in a town working in a petshop. They do a great petshop routine. This scene even looks great. The lighting and photography adds to an atmosphere and encourages the fan watching to look forward to what is coming in the next 90 minutes. In most of their films, they always started off working at a job/profession before being whisked away for the adventure. It's great seeing how these comics handle being in different situations. Think of all the settings they have been and you may know what I mean.
Inevitably, they get sacked and run out the shop after Wishy confesses he lost a dog he took out for a walk then accidently smashes a bowl against the wall. Nearby, at a gas station, a famous crooner is heading for Texas to sing a number for a radio station. He was bought up there and the scene with him talking to the gas station attendant (a female fan) is a great introduction to the character. Mistakenly thinking his car is heading for New York, the boys hide in his boot (trunk) and the crooner, Ricardo Montera, drives off.
Cut to the next morning, the title character, Rita, awakes. She is a singer for the radio station out in Texas. It is a beautuful day. The radio station also serves as a holiday resort. Unfortunately, it is run by Nazis who broadcast messages in code (just like in 'Who done it?). They have just had a batch of fake apples arrive that are really radios. Rita is looking forward to Ricardo arriving, he is due to sing for them in their eleven o' clock broadcast. The two had a brief encounter ten years previously. She hopes they can pick up where they left off...
Ricardo arrives as she is riding off to the plains to practice her singing. He catches a glimpse of her and wonders who she is. He enters the building and is greeted by fans and is introduced to the station manager, Harry Gantley. He asks if anyone could have a look at his car as he hears very funny noises coming from the back. The mechanic takes it to a hydrolic lift and leaves the car suspended 15 feet off the ground before being called away. The routine the boys do here is hilarious. 2 of the Nazi workers come to see who they are, they are suspicious they may be from Washington come to spy on them.
Rita is singing an incredibly slow and boring song in the plains as Ricardo arrives, they sing together and he kisses her. Unfortunately he doesn't remember who she is, they have a discussion as he remembers. As he begins to come on to her again, the rangers arrive. Ricardo grew up with them. They then perform a great song: 'The Rangers' song'.
Bud and Lou, are wondering around the place starving. They break in the office from the window to steal the apples, unsuspecting they are radios, they throw them away when they realise they are inedible. Local animals eat the radios and a dog is seen chasing after it's own tail while an advert ditty is playing, quite a silly scene but relevent. The scene was dubbed as you can see quite clearly the dog is barking but you don't hear him.
Later, Rita sees Ricardo having lunch with another girl, Lucette. They do a sarcastic exchange with each other.
The boys still starving have a discussion about hallucinations. As Abbott lies down on a bench, A waitor brings a table of food. Lou exclaims he is seeing a mirage to the (always) disbelieving Abbott. They do another great routine and get the chance to over act. They are clearly enjoying themselves. Waitors appear and chase them around though we see only Wishy. The waitors are about to throw them out when they bump into Lucette and Ricardo and Rita promptly walks up to see what the commotion is about..
This is a weird part of the story. Rita tells them that she sent them the food. Lucette asks if they are old friends to which Rita responds that they are new friends. I can only assume that Rita let the boys off and make friends with them just to get Ricardo jealous. If anyone has a better explanation, please email me and I'll stick up your ideas. Maybe I have missed something?
Astonoshingly, she offers them jobs as house detectives. On one hand, I love this idea. They arrived as two starving vagrants and now they have 2 good jobs with a place of their own (nice it is too as you see later in the film). Maybe that's why they say America is the land of opportunity. In my younger days, I would of loved to be in the boys' shoes at this point in the film - just to get away and find good jobs like that. On the other hand. Isn't house detectives a little too responsible to trust strangers with the position? Shouldn't she of got them labour work or something?
After Rita introduces Ricardo to the boys, they have sussed what the situation is and they decide to lure Lucette away from Ricardo. Abbott tells Lou to go and charm her. They plan how to do this as they walk inside, Doc follows a beautiful girl inside her room. Next door, Lucette is there counting her laundry. Wishy enters and with her back turned she mistakes him for a laundry boy and instructs him what she wants cleaned. When she realises who it is, she chases him out the room. He sits next to the dog who swallowed the radio apple earlier and as he pets the dog the radio comes on and scares him. He rushes off as Doc walks out of the girl's room. He has managed to get himself a date with the girl which to me adds to the good holiday vibes of the film. Doc asks his pal to loan him some money, this is a bit strange too, he should know he is broke. He says, (more wishful thinking really as they have only had their job for 5 minutes), that as a house detective someone must of slipped him a few bucks. Wishy is sitting next to the dog and the radio is still playing. An advert for money loans is playing. As Wishy says he has no money to lend his friend, the advert contradicts him and naturally Doc thinks Wishy is doing all the talking. It's quite a funny scene. After Wishy explains they both run off.
After the siesta (another great holiday vibe, that is what I like to do before going out for the night to make sure I am refreshed), the boys are in the studio. It's very big with a dance floor and a restaraunt with people eating and drinking. Ricardo sings the title song and Rita now believes he loves her! The boys have now got settled in their jobs, they are wearing clothes more suitable to the location. They have decided to buy Lucette off. Wishy pulls out a bankroll. Doc wants to know where he got all the money from, he explains that some guy lost it. A man at a stand nearby offers anyone to double their money. He has a line up girls on the stage with numbers from 0-9 pinned on their chests. He reckons he can guess the girl which you kiss. Doc says they can double their money so they can buy off Lucette and pay the man back. The routine here is great.
After a dance by Eros Volusia, Lucette enters the manager's office looking for something. After another great bit, Wishy gives her the money and they start to drink a bottle of 'cactus juice' that they won from the earlier routine. Presumably, it's a very strong drink as it melts the glass that Doc pours it into! Wishy has a drop and gets high and what follows is another great routine, where Wishy hallucinates. The cap to the routine has one of Abbott's most funniest lines that he had in their films. Another great holiday vibe: Getting drunk!
It is now that Kathryn Grayson performs her long winded operatic number. It's a famous song, I have heard it before but non the less - I always fast forward through it, it's too high pitched near the end and hurts the ears if the volume is turned up on the TV. The Nazi storyline continues from here. The boys, still in the office, as house detectives, I guess they are authorised - but not by drinking on the job! Harry Gantly, (the floor manager if you remember) climbs through the window and searches around the owner's (Marice Craindall) desk - as Lucette did earlier. He opens a secret drawer and takes a book out. He tells them he is secret police and to deliver the book to the rangers. The lights go out and a gun goes off three times. Doc turns the lights on and sees that Harry has been shot. When Wishy realises he has been murdered, he does a great somersault through the window. Lou was a great athlete in spite of his frame.
Craindall comes in with some people after hearing the noise and asks his guests not to say anything in fear of hurting the broadcast. Wishy and Doc go to Ricardo and tell him what they know. Next shot, outside is a little too dark. Lucette confesses to Ricardo that she is secret police and her partner, Harry has been shot. Craindall walks past with his men and she tells him to kiss her so they won't suspect anything. He obliges a little to fast considering he is after Rita. She waves to them as they walk past. Rita also spots them kissing. Later, Rita tells Ricado was a git he is. He tells her he loves her. He tells her about the code book but she doesn't believe him.
In their apartment Wishy in his pyjamas is listening to the radio. The rangers song is being played. Apparantly, he keeps phoning the station and asking them to play it. Doc's date, Dotty, arrives. He leaves with her after another great exchange. Lucette is in the office, working undercover. The nazis tell her to go and get the book from Wishy. Wishy is asleep when she enters the room. There is another great sequence here, Lou has a great line and executes it brilliantly "A real live girl, in MY room!". She leaves empty handed, she really did try to get the book but why? She is undercover afterall. Would she of given it to the Nazis??
Ricardo comes in and tells Wishy to go and get the rangers. Wishy gets dressed and is off. He goes the cab rank only to see that romantic couples are in the back seat - Doc and his date are one of them! It's a great suprise when Abbott turns his head and reveals himself. He tells Wishy to go and tell the manager - even after Wishy explains they are all Nazis! In the office, the ownner reprimands Lucette and says that Wishy will be on his guard now - as he enters the room. They listen to his story and take 'Gus' and 'Jake' with him 'to make sure he goes for a ride'. As the three walk past Doc, Wishy shouts to him that he is going for a ride, Doc's body language makes Wishy realise what danger he is in and he manages to get free and run off. Doc goes with him.
What follows is the most memorable and hilarious piece of the film. Wishy is put in a giant washing machine! The whole sequence is brilliant as is the ironing sequence straight after it. Gus and Jake finally catch the boys. As Ricardo is explaining to Rita what is happening (again) she still does not believe him. The owner comes in and holds them at gun point. Rita is glad because he didn't lie to her!
The boys are tied up and it's another hilarious scene. Especially when a donkey with a radio playing through it. It's the voice of Hitler! Wishy says "I've already heard your voice, but this is the first time I have ever seen your face!". It's a great line. Gus tells the boys about the time bomb he places next to them due to go off at half past eleven. As Jake is slapping Wishy, Wishy puts the bomb in his pocket. The dog comes in and scares the Nazi's away and Wishy tells him to go and get help.
At the broadcast, as Craindall is making an announcement, Ricardo suddenly turns round and punches him. There is a fight and when Ricardo gets punched, you can't help feeling a little glad for the hurt he has caused Rita. The boys meanwhile have assembled all the animals that ate the radios and with the ranger's song blaring, they enter and the nazis run through the back way. Ricardo runs after Jake and after a chase, Wishy runs after him in order to stop him. The bomb is due to go off any second. As Jake and Ricardo wrestle on the floor, outside, Wishy tries to separate them, he calls out for Doc who immediately appears (I love it when Abbott does that) and the two are free. The Nazis escape in a car. As they drive off, Ricardo asks Wishy why he let Jake go. Wishy winks at the camera and we hear the bomb go off. Wishy bids the audience (us) goodnight.
Brilliant! I love the effort MGM put in the Abbott and Costello pictures. In some of their Universal pictures, the routines took over the flow of the story too much such as The Naughty Nineties and 'The Noose hangs high' but in this film the story, music and Bud and Lou's scenes are woven together flawlessly. Abbott is given many funny lines too and his performance is great. I wish this film was as well known as some of their others.