Movie review – Road #5 - “Road to Rio” (1947) ***

At 100 minutes the longest Road movie and it feels too long. It’s full of bright moments though, as Bob and Bing fling yet another from another creditor and wind up on a boat to Rio. They meet Dorothy Lamour, who is a bit more passive in this film (it was post-war and women were giving up their jobs and going back to housewifery) – she’s being hypnotised by ever reliable Gale Sondegaard so she’ll marry a rogue. Sondegaard leads an imposing collection of villains, Hope’s wisecracks are strong and there are some memorable music numbers (one effective romantic number to the background of a film being projected, another with the Andrews Sisters) but it goes on for too long. It does have one the funniest climax gags – the cowboys who ride to the rescue at the end, don’t make it, but say “wasn’t it exciting”. Also Hope winds up with Lamour - even if he does have to hypnotise her.