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Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Rio Rita has romance, cowboys, pretty chorus girls, outrageous Mexican stereotypes, glorious costumes, color footage, and a sophisticated use of sound that makes this film stand out from the rest by a mile. The Broadway musical, produced by Ziegfeld, ran for just over two years, and the polish of the script and music shows in the film.
In terms of story-telling and characters breaking out into song, the transposition of Broadway-tested material works well in Rio Rita. The camera work is occasionally stilted, and long scenes are filmed from one front-on angle, as if filming a stage, rather than creating dynamic camera angles that movies require, however the solid material makes up for the lack of clever cinematography. The opening shots of tapping chorus girls, complete with synchronized sound, demonstrate the experience of director and screen writer Luther Reed, and the use of sound effects, both on and off the screen, such as footsteps, gunshots, screams, and dialogue make Rio Rita immensely watchable, despite being nearly 83 years old.
Comedy duo Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, the only two cast members from the original Broadway production, just about steal the film with their schtick. They went onto to become Hollywood sensations as a comedy duo, and it is easy to see why. Fast paced dialogue, physical comedy, and a quirky dance routine by Wheeler, make them the unofficial stars of the film. Also attention grabbing are the leading lady's, Rio Rita played by Bebe Daniels, progressively outrageous outfits. From the "simple" Mexican siñorita at the beginning of the film, to a lavish bride at the film's conclusion, her earrings, hats, and dresses are sparkling wonders to behold.
The way in which dance is filmed is interesting to note throughout the film. Women are always filmed with their full bodies in shot, long legs or sumptuous costumes never to be left out of the camera's eye. Woolsey's dance routine meanwhile frames his upper body and the tops of his legs, but cuts off his feet, and the film is edited to include occasional close-ups of his fancy footwork. One scene features an aerial shot of the chorus girls in a geometric shape, a good few years before Mr Berkley was to arrive in Hollywood.
The music is delightful, and it is easy to see how composers lyricists like Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy were part of the myriad of creative teams laying the groundwork for the "golden age" of Broadway. The ensemble numbers are so much fun, with separate male and female chorus numbers that have all the jocularity of any Rogers and Hammerstein musical.
Rio Rita was utter fun to watch and, despite some of the material now appearing dated, has stood the test of time well. It is easy to understand why audiences in 1929 enjoyed it so much, and why Broadway musicals became the fodder for Hollywood films. The film is available on DVD through the wonderful, and ever-increasing, Warner Bros Archive collection.
In terms of story-telling and characters breaking out into song, the transposition of Broadway-tested material works well in Rio Rita. The camera work is occasionally stilted, and long scenes are filmed from one front-on angle, as if filming a stage, rather than creating dynamic camera angles that movies require, however the solid material makes up for the lack of clever cinematography. The opening shots of tapping chorus girls, complete with synchronized sound, demonstrate the experience of director and screen writer Luther Reed, and the use of sound effects, both on and off the screen, such as footsteps, gunshots, screams, and dialogue make Rio Rita immensely watchable, despite being nearly 83 years old.
Comedy duo Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, the only two cast members from the original Broadway production, just about steal the film with their schtick. They went onto to become Hollywood sensations as a comedy duo, and it is easy to see why. Fast paced dialogue, physical comedy, and a quirky dance routine by Wheeler, make them the unofficial stars of the film. Also attention grabbing are the leading lady's, Rio Rita played by Bebe Daniels, progressively outrageous outfits. From the "simple" Mexican siñorita at the beginning of the film, to a lavish bride at the film's conclusion, her earrings, hats, and dresses are sparkling wonders to behold.
The way in which dance is filmed is interesting to note throughout the film. Women are always filmed with their full bodies in shot, long legs or sumptuous costumes never to be left out of the camera's eye. Woolsey's dance routine meanwhile frames his upper body and the tops of his legs, but cuts off his feet, and the film is edited to include occasional close-ups of his fancy footwork. One scene features an aerial shot of the chorus girls in a geometric shape, a good few years before Mr Berkley was to arrive in Hollywood.
The music is delightful, and it is easy to see how composers lyricists like Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy were part of the myriad of creative teams laying the groundwork for the "golden age" of Broadway. The ensemble numbers are so much fun, with separate male and female chorus numbers that have all the jocularity of any Rogers and Hammerstein musical.
Rio Rita was utter fun to watch and, despite some of the material now appearing dated, has stood the test of time well. It is easy to understand why audiences in 1929 enjoyed it so much, and why Broadway musicals became the fodder for Hollywood films. The film is available on DVD through the wonderful, and ever-increasing, Warner Bros Archive collection.
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