Road to Rio
Encyclopedia
Road to Rio is a 1947 comedy film
, directed
by Norman Z. McLeod
and starring Bing Crosby
as Scat Sweeney, Bob Hope
as "Hot Lips" Barton, and Dorothy Lamour
as Lucia Maria de Andrade. It was the fifth of the "Road to …" series.
They stow away on board a Rio
-bound ship, after accidentally starting some fires at a circus. They then get mixed up with the distraught Lucia, who first thanks them, then unexpectedly turns them over to the ship's captain. Unbeknownst to both of them, Lucia is being hypnotized by her crooked guardian, Catherine Vail. Vail plans to marry Lucia to her brother so she can control her and a set of 'papers'.
After a series of misadventures including sneaking off the boat, recruiting a few local musicians, and the boys trying to escape with Lucia only to have Vail hypnotize her again and slap them both, Vail decides to do away with the boys permanently. She hypnotizes both of them and tries to get them to kill each other in a duel, but it fails. Scat and Hot Lips finally figure things out and the boys head for the ceremony in order to stop the wedding and to help catch the crooks. Upon finding the 'papers', which Scat reads, when Hot Lips asks what they are about, Scat tears them up and looks into the camera saying "The world must NEVER know."
Later on, Scat is dismayed to see that Lucia loves Hot Lips and not him. But upon peaking through a keyhole, he sees Hot Lips hypnotizing her.
Hope's frequent sidekick Jerry Colonna has a cameo as the leader of a cavalry charging to the rescue of Bing and Bob, as the film cuts away to the galloping horses periodically. All is resolved before Colonna can arrive. "Exciting, though... wasn't it?!"
This movie also has the distinction of being the only film that Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters appeared in together.
All lyrics by Johnny Burke
, and music by Jimmy Van Heusen.
For the commercial recordings, Bing Crosby recorded the song "Experience" with big band vocalist Nan Wynn
. Bing Crosby also recorded the songs "You Don't Have to Know The Language" and "Apalachicola, Fla" with the Andrew Sisters. Bing did not record any of the songs from the film with Bob Hope or Dorothy Lamour.
Originally registered for copyright as LP1171 with a declared publication date of August 25, 1947, the continuation of copyright was contingent upon renewal between the 27th and 28th anniversaries of that date. Renewal occurred July 25, 1975, number R610335. The film opened February 19, 1948, so the renewal is still timely even if that later date were considered publication date.
The copyright is now scheduled to run until 95 years after the publication date (2042). The renewal form names as authors Hope Enterprises and Bing Crosby Enterprises, which were partners when the film was produced. As it turned out, the copyright (which never expired, and thus the film never entered the public domain) was re-assigned to Columbia Pictures Television
--Columbia and LBS Communications (which formed the joint venture Colex Enterprises
) assumed the rights to this film from Hope Enterprises, and re-released the film to television in the 1980s.
Today, CPT and what is now FremantleMedia
hold ancillary rights, with FremantleMedia holding the video license. Any DVD release from a company not licensed by FremantleMedia violates the copyright, which continues to credit CPT as the copyright holder, as evidenced by recent video releases by BCI Eclipse, and now, as of the present, Shout! Factory
(under Fremantle's license).
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Norman Z. McLeod
Norman Z. McLeod
Norman Zenos McLeod was an American film director, cartoonist and writer...
and starring Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
as Scat Sweeney, Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
as "Hot Lips" Barton, and Dorothy Lamour
Dorothy Lamour
Dorothy Lamour was an American film actress. She is best remembered for appearing in the Road to... movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope .-Early life:Lamour was born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton in New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Carmen Louise Dorothy...
as Lucia Maria de Andrade. It was the fifth of the "Road to …" series.
Plot
Scat Sweeney, and Hot Lips Barton, two out of work musicians, travel the US trying to find work and stay away from girls. After running from state to state, each time running because of a girl, they try their luck in Louisiana.They stow away on board a Rio
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
-bound ship, after accidentally starting some fires at a circus. They then get mixed up with the distraught Lucia, who first thanks them, then unexpectedly turns them over to the ship's captain. Unbeknownst to both of them, Lucia is being hypnotized by her crooked guardian, Catherine Vail. Vail plans to marry Lucia to her brother so she can control her and a set of 'papers'.
After a series of misadventures including sneaking off the boat, recruiting a few local musicians, and the boys trying to escape with Lucia only to have Vail hypnotize her again and slap them both, Vail decides to do away with the boys permanently. She hypnotizes both of them and tries to get them to kill each other in a duel, but it fails. Scat and Hot Lips finally figure things out and the boys head for the ceremony in order to stop the wedding and to help catch the crooks. Upon finding the 'papers', which Scat reads, when Hot Lips asks what they are about, Scat tears them up and looks into the camera saying "The world must NEVER know."
Later on, Scat is dismayed to see that Lucia loves Hot Lips and not him. But upon peaking through a keyhole, he sees Hot Lips hypnotizing her.
Hope's frequent sidekick Jerry Colonna has a cameo as the leader of a cavalry charging to the rescue of Bing and Bob, as the film cuts away to the galloping horses periodically. All is resolved before Colonna can arrive. "Exciting, though... wasn't it?!"
This movie also has the distinction of being the only film that Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters appeared in together.
Songs
- "You Don't Have To Know The Language", performed by Bing Crosby and The Andrews SistersThe Andrews SistersThe Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
- "Experience", by Dorothy Lamour
- "But BeautifulBut Beautiful (song)"But Beautiful" is a popular song with music written by Jimmy Van Heusen, the lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was published in 1947.One of five songs written by Burke and Van Heusen featured in the Paramount Pictures movie Road to Rio , it was introduced by Bing Crosby and is also associated with...
", Bing Crosby - "Apalachicola, Fla.", Bing Crosby and Bob Hope
- "For What?", Bing Crosby and Bob Hope
- "Diz Que Tem", performed by Marquita RiveraMarquita RiveraMarquita Rivera , a.k.a. "Queen of Latin Rhythm", was a Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer.Dubbed the "Queen of La Conga", "Queen of Latin Rhythm" and "Latin Hurricane" during various stages of her career, Rivera, went on to enjoy a strong musical career both in the United States and in her...
All lyrics by Johnny Burke
Johnny Burke (lyricist)
Johnny Burke was a lyricist, widely regarded as one of the finest writers of popular songs in America between the 1920s and 1950s.-Biography:...
, and music by Jimmy Van Heusen.
For the commercial recordings, Bing Crosby recorded the song "Experience" with big band vocalist Nan Wynn
Nan Wynn
Nan Wynn was an American big-band singer and actress from Wheeling, West Virginia.She recorded with well-known orchestras, including those of Teddy Wilson, Freddie Rich, Raymond Scott and Hal Kemp.-Films:...
. Bing Crosby also recorded the songs "You Don't Have to Know The Language" and "Apalachicola, Fla" with the Andrew Sisters. Bing did not record any of the songs from the film with Bob Hope or Dorothy Lamour.
Copyright
The film's copyright was renewed in a timely manner by an associate of the film's owner.Originally registered for copyright as LP1171 with a declared publication date of August 25, 1947, the continuation of copyright was contingent upon renewal between the 27th and 28th anniversaries of that date. Renewal occurred July 25, 1975, number R610335. The film opened February 19, 1948, so the renewal is still timely even if that later date were considered publication date.
The copyright is now scheduled to run until 95 years after the publication date (2042). The renewal form names as authors Hope Enterprises and Bing Crosby Enterprises, which were partners when the film was produced. As it turned out, the copyright (which never expired, and thus the film never entered the public domain) was re-assigned to Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television was the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gems . The studio changed its name on September 4, 1974.-1974-1982:...
--Columbia and LBS Communications (which formed the joint venture Colex Enterprises
Colex Enterprises
Colex Enterprises was a joint venture company between Columbia Pictures Television and LBS Communications, Inc., active from 1984 to 1988. The joint venture's name was a combination of the two companies' names .The company was responsible for distributing the Screen Gems...
) assumed the rights to this film from Hope Enterprises, and re-released the film to television in the 1980s.
Today, CPT and what is now FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
hold ancillary rights, with FremantleMedia holding the video license. Any DVD release from a company not licensed by FremantleMedia violates the copyright, which continues to credit CPT as the copyright holder, as evidenced by recent video releases by BCI Eclipse, and now, as of the present, Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
(under Fremantle's license).