Entertaining early RKO musical with Latin bombshell Dolores Del Rio taking the leading role, but one Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers stealing the notices for their "Carioca". The plot is really just as thin as the Astaire-Rogers movies (boy meets girl, mistaken identities..yada yada), but the numbers are improved immeasurably in the stars' later films. And Fred and Ginger are just that much more appealing than the two stars here Del Rio has a lovely face but sadly not much acting ability, while Gene Raymond delivers some good lines but looks quite creepy. Astaire steals the show in the obligatory best friend role (a role Edward Everett Horton would play in many of the later Astaire-Rogers flicks), and Ginger wisecracks nicely as the singer named Honey (though her fringe makes her face look chubby). "The Carioca" is their first dance together, and it's markedly different from the rest of the numbers they would do. It's strikingly sensual, sort of bump-and-grind and along with the famous final scene (chrous girls on an aeroplane wing), is the most memorable moment in the film. The main problem with the film is the leads are okay but not that great, and the musical numbers go on too long. The editing and direction is all over the shop. Still, it's pretty good entertainment in a fluffy way.
Review of Flying Down to Rio
