Road to Rio

• Directed by Norman Z. McLeod
• December 25, 1947

Two vaudeville musicians stow away on a Brazilian-bound ocean liner where they accidentally foil a plot by a woman to marry off her niece to a greedy fortune hunter using hypnosis.

As with the other Road to… movies things in Road to Rio are pretty basic for the era. Bing Crosby and Bob Hope play musicians Scat Sweeney and Hot Lips Barton respectively while the mildly Hispanic Dorothy Lamour played Lucia Maria de Andrade whose aunt Catherine (Gale Sondergaard) is using hypnosis on the ridiculously susceptible Lucia to keep her on the path to marriage with Catherine’s brother (so I guess she is an aunt by marriage) in her efforts to control her and a set of mysterious papers.

Hypnosis often gets played for laughs but the silliness that could happen in this style movie never does. Sure it gets used in a duel scene to get Scat and Hot Lips to fight but mostly its purpose is to keep Lucia heading to the altar while also confusing Bing and Bob.

Both Bing and Bob are trying to avoid women because they always get into trouble with them. As usual the very attractive Lamour gets them to give up that mildly monastic idea while intertwining them in her particular issues/situation. This time her confusing actions keep Bing and Bob coming back for more because a crazy hot chick will do that to a guy.

Seriously though Lucia’s wild opinion swings with Scat going back time after time stretch credibility even in a series like this. I know this is a light comedy and it’s meant to showcase gags and some great music, but I have trouble buying that in any movie no matter how silly or serious. There’s only so much somebody will believably take even in a comedy.

Talent of the time gets showcased with the (today) lesser known Wiere Brothers appearing as three musicians who do not speak English recruited by Scat and Hot Lips. The Andrews Sisters (who collaborated back in the day with Bing) show up in a musical number as themselves while Jerry Colonna returns to the series as himself in a great gag at the end. Even Hope playing a musician references his signature song Thanks for the Memories with a few notes from his trumpet.

There are jokes alluding to Bob’s nose, Bing’s ears, and one that hangs a lantern on this all being a movie with Scat noting that Lucia looks just like Dorothy Lamour. Gags in general get a little more cartoonish with comedic expressions by the actors coming off as more honed. This movie even makes jokes about the movie series with the captain of the boat the duo sneaks on calling them ‘patty cakers.’

Teased for a good chunk of the movie is a set of papers that when found and shown to the right person will stop the wedding. When finally obtained Hot Lips asks the obvious question on the mind of the viewer with Scat who has read them ripping them up and stating that the world must never know. Not only was it funny but it saved the writers the issue of coming up with a good comedic reason.

For many modern viewers the pop culture references will be missed. The Inner Sanctum Mystery radio series gets a call out along with yet another reference to Here Comes Mr. Jordan and other things that would be instantly recognizable to audiences of 1947. Even if you do not pick up on them the moments have enough goofiness that you will smile.

With more good music and humorous gags and a willingness of the cast to make fun of themselves, the Road to Rio is another enjoyable addition to the Road to… series. Light and entertaining.