Blame It on Rio

This light-hearted comedy features Michael Caine (Matthew) and Joseph Bologna (Victor) as two middle-aged best friends who go on a summer vacation to Brazil, each with a daughter in tow. Beautiful, voluptuous Michelle Johnson (Jennifer) and a pretty Demi Moore play the teen daughters. Jennifer falls for Matthew and they begin a wild and passionate, but secret affair. When Matthew decides to finally break it off with her, she cries to her father about the man she loves who broke her heart, so Victor goes on a search for the mystery man who hurt his daughter. Comic madness ensues. Filmed in the lush, tropical beaches, mountains and forests of Rio de Janeiro, this is one great vacation movie. Also starring a very funny Valerie Harper as Matthew's wife, who has some secrets of her own.

This is a fun light-hearted comedy, with magnificent views of Brazil and subtle comic performances. It captures that early eighties feel well. And broaches the subject of a teenage temptress more honestly than the recent version of Lolita.

I can only think that this movie was out of time. probably from a gentler age, but it still hits the mark with me, even watching it now.

Now let me start by saying I love a good movie! I love a great script, engaging characters and brilliant cinematography.

***This movie has none of these things!

But it does have the type of storyline and pointless nudity that Hollywood seems unwilling to include in a mainstream film. This is one of those movies that was on HBO late at night when I was a kid and I loved it.

There's something to great nudity! We just don't celebrate it enough anymore! Plus Demi Moore pre-implants!

Stanley Donen directed many wonderful films from 1949 through the 1960s. But his career became very scattershot after the production code fell, and his big screen career came to a lamentable end with Blame It on Rio (1984). Although he later directed a nice little TV movie for ABC in 1999

The film is billed as a comedy, but its grim. Michael Caine stars as a man in the midst of a midlife crisis who, perhaps under the spell of a trip to sultry Rio, embarks on a brief affair with the nymphet daughter (Michelle Johnson) of his best friend (Joseph Bologna). The actors look embarrassed and stricken (this extends to Valerie Harper and Demi Moore as well), the script isn't funny (no laughs in this film, only one gag that produced a tiny smirk), the photography is flat, and the end result is very dour and unappealing.

But the worst mistake of all in the film is including a luscious black-and-white clip of the wing walking "Rio by the Sea-o" production number from 1933's Flying Down to Rio. The brief scene shows the studio system at its height, with true wonder and fascination. It leaves one lamenting the film around the clip all the more.

It's a travelogue/sex-comedy with great photography of Rio, funny jokes and a pleasing early eighties feel. All the typical aspects of life in Brazil are shown like Carnival, native gods/religion, topless sunbathers, street dancers, the monolith dome with Jesus on top etc. There are a lot of funny lines that will keep you entertained and Michael Caine delivers them well. The soundtrack has a lot of bossa nova strains (composed by Ken Wannberg) and adds to the sexy, lighthearted mood.