Flying Down to Rio is a
musical film made by
RKO and released on
December 29, in
1933.
Background
The film was directed by
Thornton Freeland and produced by
Merian C. Cooper and Lou Brock. The screenplay was written by Erwin S. Gelsey, H.W. Hanemann and
Cyril Hume, based on a story by Lou Brock and a play by
Anne Caldwell. The music was composed by
Max Steiner.
The first screen announcement of the Astaire-Rogers partnership - from the trailer to Flying Down to Rio
The film stars
Dolores del Río and
Gene Raymond, but is remembered today primarily for the teaming of
Fred Astaire and
Ginger Rogers, in relatively minor roles. They would go on to star in nine more films together. Their first dance together on film, "
The Carioca", in which Astaire and Rogers dance with their foreheads touching scandalously, appears in this film. "Carioca" was written for the film by composer
Vincent Youmans and lyricists
Edward Eliscu and
Gus Kahn.
Linwood Dunn did the
special effects for the celebrated airplane-wing-dance sequence at the end of the film.
Plot summary
Composer Roger Bond (Gene Raymond) and his orchestra are appearing in
Miami, with vocalist Honey Hales (Ginger Rogers). Despite the warnings of accordionist and assistant band leader Fred Ayres (Fred Astaire), Roger is attracted to the beautiful and flirtatious Belinha (Dolores del Rio) in the audience, he leaves the bandstand to pursue her.
Doña Elena (Blanche Friderici), Belinha's
chaperone, is informed of this, and arranges for Roger and the band to be fired. But Roger pursues Belinha to
Brazil, and organises as engagement for the band at the Hotel Atlantico in
Rio de Janeiro, unaware that the hotel is owned by Belinha's father (Walter Walker). Roger persuades Belinha to allow him to fly her there in his private plane, which runs into trouble inflight, forcing a landing on an apparently deserted island. Under the moonlight, she falls into his arms, while admitting to him that she is already engaged.
In Rio, Roger informs his good friend Julio (Raul Roulien) that he has fallen in love, but finds out that Belinha is engaged to Julio. During rehearsals for the Hotel's opening, Fred is told by police that the hotel lacks an entertainment license. When Roger spots a plane overhead, he comes up with the idea of strapping dancing girls to planes, with Fred leading the band and Honey and Julio leading the planes. The show is a great success and the hotel's future guaranteed. Julio gives Belinha up to Roger while Fred and Honey celebrate.
Notes and references
