Rio Rita (1942)

Rio Rita: Directed by S. Sylvan Simon. With Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Kathryn Grayson, John Carroll. Doc and Wishey run into some Nazi-agents, who want to smuggle bombs into the USA from a Mexican border hotel.

“Lesser Au0026amp;C romp. The boys are in Mexico, where they get mixed up with Nazi agents.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis was the boys first production at MGM and frankly it looks like the big-budget studio wasnu0026#39;t sure how to duplicate the teamu0026#39;s surging success over at Universal. That whirling car- lift is a heck of an effect, but is more impressive than funny. Then too, operatic singer Kathryn Grayson seems an odd choice for musical interludes in a knock-about comedy. In fact, itu0026#39;s a more high-profile supporting cast than usual, with John Carroll (Ricardo) getting as much screen time as Au0026amp;C.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are, of course, some amusing bits as could be expected from the duo (mainly the puns), but the Nazi part is left sketchy without the menace it should have provided Costellou0026#39;s brand of comedy. This also looks like a try-out for the Volusia dancers. Their costumes are eye-catchers, but this is their only movie credit. Of the three MGM productions (Lost in a Harem, {1944}), and (Au0026amp;C in Hollywood, {1945}), this one in my view is the least. All in all, they really did belong at low-budget Universal where there was less concern with prestige.”