Saturday, February 6, 2010

FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933)




Flying Down to Rio (1933). Musical. Director: Thornton Freeland. Producer: Merian C. Cooper and Lou Brock. Music was composed by Max Steiner. Cast: Dolores del Río, Gene Raymond, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The song "Carioca" was written for the film by composer Vincent Youmans and lyricists Edward Eliscu and Gus Kahn. The tango-song "Orchids in the Moonlight" sung by Raul Roulien.

Composer and womanizer Roger Bond and his orchestra are performing in Miami, with singer Honey Hales. Even though the assistant band leader Fred Ayres, has warned Roger, he leaves the stage to dance with the beautiful Belinha, sitting in the audience. Angry, Dona Elena, Belinha's chaperon, arranges for Roger and the band to be fired. Roger, who will not be stopped, takes the band and chases after Belinha all the way to Brazil, where they are hired to play at the Hotel Atlantico in Rio de Janeiro, owned by Belinha's father. Roger flies Belinha in his private plane, which he fakes engine trouble, forcing them to land on an island. While there, she tells him that she is already engaged to be married.

Back in Rio, during rehearsal, Fred is told by police that the hotel does not have an entertainment license. Roger sees a plane flying overhead, and comes up with the idea of strapping dancing girls to planes, with Fred leading the band.

Will the show be a great success for the hotel ?

Will Rodger celebrate with Belinha?




This film is known for the first pairing of dance partners Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Two unknowns who really smoked up the screen in a dance number called "The Carioca," which received such a wonderful reviews from critics and fans that they performed in nine other films.


Soundtracks:

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"Music Makes Me"
(uncredited)
Music by Vincent Youmans
Lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Performed by Ginger Rogers

"Carioca"
(uncredited)
Music by Vincent Youmans
Lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Song performed by Alice Gentle, Movita and Etta Moten
Dance performed by Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, chorus

"Orchids in the Moonlight"
(uncredited)
Music by Vincent Youmans
Lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Performed by Raul Roulien
Danced by Fred Astaire and Dolores del Rio with Ensemble

"Music Makes Me"
(uncredited)
Instrumental reprise
Music by Vincent Youmans
Lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Sung by Ginger Rogers
Dance performed by Fred Astaire

"Flying Down to Rio"
(uncredited)
Music by Vincent Youmans
Lyrics by Gus Kahn and Edward Eliscu
Song performed by Fred Astaire
Dance performed by chorus

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