Flying Down to Rio, a fanciful musical starring Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond and featuring the first on-screen pairing of the dynamic dancing duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, was lauded by The New York TImes on its release in 1933 as a “hearty and lively show,” with lavish production and beguiling songs.
While it’s certainly chock full of elaborate dance numbers in the style of the legendary choreographer and director, Busby Berkeley, what that review doesn’t mention is just how naughty this picture is. Released within a short span of time after the widespread introduction of sound into American film and the enforcement of what is popularly known as the “Hays Code,” Flying Down to Rio is a fascinating window into a brief but artistically and historically significant era. It was a cultural moment when Hollywood was able to push the boundaries of decency, titillating audiences and infuriating defenders of morality alike. Sometimes that meant explicit depictions of prostitution, rape, or violence that would not pass censorship just a few short years later.
Often, though, what the so-called pre-code era is known for, and what Flying Down to Rio has in spades, is revealing costumes, obvious innuendo, and a generally saucy, playful and downright ribald attitude towards that perennial obsession: sex. Of course, you won’t see anything you aren’t likely to see at the beach today, but Flying Down to Rio might make you blush the next time you think about what your great-grandparents were up to back in the day!
Doors – 7:00 PM
Film – 8:00 PM
Tickets - $6
1hr 29min | Not Rated | Musical/Romance | USA
The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts.
