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6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Flying Down to Rio remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for a plot that actually makes sense, you're going to have a rough time with Flying Down to Rio. It's basically an excuse to get Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the same room, and honestly? That's enough.
Fred is playing a bandleader who is mostly just there to facilitate the dance numbers. Ginger is there to be the absolute coolest person on screen, every single time she moves.
There's this one moment where they start moving together, and the whole movie just kind of forgets the script exists. It’s not like The Toll of the Sea where the focus is on the color or the drama. Here, if nobody is tapping their shoes on the floor, the film feels like it’s waiting to exhale.
The middle act is a bit of a slog. Everyone is chasing everyone else around hotel lobbies and it feels like a stage play that didn't know how to transition to film. I found myself checking my watch, waiting for the next big musical number to rescue the pacing.
It’s not as polished as the later films, and you can really tell. It feels like a rough draft of greatness. You see the sparks fly between them, but the movie keeps trying to shove a traditional love story in the way of their chemistry. Just get out of the way, movie.
If you’re a fan of old musicals, you’ve probably seen it. If you’re not? You might find it a bit dusty. But there’s a certain energy here that reminds me of the chaotic invention you see in tiny, weird projects like Filmstudie. It’s trying things, even if some of them fall flat.
Don't go in expecting a masterpiece. Go in expecting to see the start of something that eventually changed how we look at movie stars. 💃