Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Road to Rio Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 5, 2017

For their fifth “Road” picture, 1947’s “Road to Rio” doesn’t actually make much time for terra firma, keeping stars Bob Hope (playing trumpeter Hot Lips Barton) and Bing Crosby (as nightclub singer Scat Sweeney) on a boat, with Rio more of a destination than a playground for their latest adventure. Keeping up with their customary charms and wit, along with plenty of musical numbers to help win over audiences, “Road to Rio” is a largely successful installment of the comedy series, keeping Hope and Crosby busy with shenanigans that make the most of their individual gifts, while keeping things relatively casual to encourage the franchise’s cocktail hour ambiance.

“Road to Rio” goes a little broad to help locate a fresh adventure for Hope and Crosby, finding Barton and Sweeney making a mess of a circus as they race across America, breaking hearts along the way. Three-ring troublemaking inspires an escape onboard a ship bound for Rio, meeting Lucia (Dorothy Lamour), a woman being manipulated through hypnotism. The plot itself is a little much, but the “Road” movies aren’t too concerned with narrative integrity, simply passing time with drama before staging musical numbers, allowing Hope to charm with silliness and Crosby to soar with singing. Songs are bouncy and amusing, emphasizing terrific interplay between the stars, and some backup is provided by The Andrews Sisters, who join Crosby for “You Don’t Have to Know the Language,” the effort’s liveliest performance.

Road to Rio Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Restored and preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, "Road to Rio" holds up well for its Blu-ray debut. The AVC encoded image (1.34:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a sense of dimension, achieving clarity even with softer period cinematography, securing detail on costuming and sets, and facial particulars are reasonably appreciated, supporting the feature's sly comedy. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and filmic. Source shows some wear and tear, with thicker scratches and speckling on display.

Road to Rio Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is a bit restrained by age, finding the overall listening experience slightly muffled, with pronounced hiss carrying throughout. Dialogue exchanges aren't ruined, coming through with passable clarity, preserving rapid-fire one-liners. Musical numbers are appealing, and while they're not precise, they maintain a spirited presence with agreeable instrumentation. Atmospherics aren't defined, but crowd activity is explored.

Road to Rio Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Road to Rio Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As with the other "Road" pictures, "Road to Rio" is crammed full of inside jokes and Hope's fondness for breaking the fourth wall, keeping viewers involved in the mischief. While some of the antics are bit dated even for 1947 (including a barber shop mix-up that has Barton and Sweeney screwing up a shave, trying to cover it up with shoe polish), the overall endeavor remains energetic and musically satisfying, preserving the brand name's appeal.