BLAME IT ON RIO

US, 1984, 95 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Joseph Bologna, Valerie Harper, Demi Moore, Michelle Johnson.
Directed by Stanley Donen.

Blame It On Rio is a sex comedy of the '80s - more frank and permissive in style, middle age crisis and some young ex-models turned actresses to ogle at. The atmosphere of Rio - all glitter and affluence rather than poverty or Brazil of the Third World, offers an atmosphere of escapism. However, the comedy is firmly based on the screwball farces of the '30s - and is ultimately a comedy of morals and manners.

The film is sustained by Michael Caine with a strong and gentle performance - with the device of his confiding in the audience. Model Michelle Johnson has a similar device for communicating her point of view. Joseph Bologna is very good as the unsympathetic playboy. Direction is by Stanley Donen - of such excellent films as On The Town, Singin' In The Rain and of such mixed pieces as Lucky Lady. Co-writer of the screenplay is Larry Gelbart, responsible for many amusing comedies including Oh, God and for the television series M*A*S*H. A lot of froth - but with its heart in the right values and moral place at the end.

1. A romantic screwball comedy? Farce? The echoes of television situation comedies? Attraction for the wide audience? In terms of manners and morals?

2. The style of the 80s: frankness - yet an old-fashioned atmosphere? Problems, values, solutions?

3. Stanley Donen and his style: the visuals of Rio, affluence, fluff, verbal and visual comedy, bittersweet tones?

4. Larry Gelbart and his comedy: light, ironic sentiment?

5. The importance of the musical background, the wide range of songs and their mood, the lyrics? Title song?

6. The title and its being used by victor - and his bitter comment about what had happened to Matthew and Jennifer? The atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro - especially in Hollywood films? The insert from the Fred Astaire-Ginger? Rogers musical Flying Down To Rio -with its memories of an innocent past, an exaggerated past, of musical comedy? Rio as a holiday centre for affluent American types? The title with blame, responsibility, guilt - and the way these were explored?

7. The device of Matthew and Jennifer talking to the audience? Information, confiding, eliciting a response? Audience sympathy for Matthew, understanding, disapproval? The same for Jennifer? Their comments being intercut with the action? As a continued device throughout the film? The moralising, leading audiences into the experience and sharing it? Touches of irony and humour?

8. The holiday atmosphere: Brazil, San Paolo and work, Rio and holiday? The beaches, the beauty of the harbour and the mountains, the statue of Christ? The villas? The western style city? Reality or image? Reality and unreality? And the device of the disapproving and silent servant?

9. The background of work, packing for the holiday, the introduction to each of the characters, their situations, tension? Pace? Ironies revealed at the end?

10. Rio and the effect on all of them? The villa, the beach, the emphasis on sex and nudity? Marriage, affairs? Rio and its nightclubs, cabaret, witchcraft? The neighbour. Marques and his restaurant, style?

11. Michael. Caine's performance as Matthew: his comments, the status of his marriage, age? Work, holiday? His friendship with Victor, the disturbance with his wife not going on holiday? The visit to the beach - and his ironic comments about nudity? The Nicole? Victor and his light permissive behaviour? Jennifer and the effect on Matthew? Her seducing him in the context of the marriage ceremony? The beach? The comedy with his embarrassment, burying himself in the sand when the English couple came by? Background of reality, consent, guilt - his wanting to see it as a dream? The affair continuing and its effect on Matthew? Telling Victor the truth or not? Wanting to break? Commonsense? Moral issues? Victor and his reaction, the ambiguities and humour, being invited to accompany Victor on the search for the guilty man, misleading Victor? The diary? Jennifer and her furtive encounters with him? Nicole's hostile reaction? The fight with the cabaret singer, his telling Victor the truth and Victor's hostile reaction? His coping with the situation and each of the characters? The significance of the experience for him?

12. Jennifer as the nymphet? Her friendship with Nicole, the visit to Rio, the beach and the nudity, the freedom of expression and behaviour, timetables etc.? The atmosphere of the wedding and her seductive behaviour? The outings, the shaving sequence, provoking Matthew? The witchcraft and the flowers thrown into the water? Discussions with Nicole? The leading Victor to alternative suspects? The fight? The finale, the taking of the pills? The clash with Matthew's wife? The ending - and the date with a boy her own age? The theme of the older man and the younger girl? Peer relationships?

13. Victor: work, divorce, infidelity, exasperation with the lawyers, love for his daughter and spoiling her? The strictness and the pact? The contrast with his own behaviour, picking up the divorcee, the scars, his becoming irrational about Jennifer's affair, the diary? Wanting to find and injure the guilty nun? Asking Matthew to help him search? The comic touches, the fight? The truth and his calm, his anger? The reality about his affair with Matthew's wife? Double standards? Jennifer's overdose? His driving the couple to the airport? The wife's comment about his zip - a comment on the middle-aged footloose type?

14. Matthew's wife - enigmatic at the beginning, refusing to go on the holiday, the telephone calls, her concern about Matthew, the emptiness of their life, lack of communication? Nicole's calling her to the rescue? Arrival, clash with Jennifer? The revelation of the affair? Her handling the situation, Matthew's response? Trying to sort out the issue? The showdown with Victor - and the holiday with Matthew? His later comments about their moving towards understanding, communication and reconciliation?

15. Nicole - her relationship with mother and father. friendship with Jennifer? Keeping her secret? Anger with her father? Her own behaviour? A more restrained type?

16. The presentation of the young men of Brazil, their dating the girls? marques - and the older style gentleman, his restaurant, his buying the alleged aphrodisiac and Victor's hostile reaction?

17. The maid and her silent sour criticism of the goings-on?

18. The final resolution of problems? Traditional values and morals? An exploration of contemporary behaviour? Fidelity and infidelity, love and commitment?