GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

mark.waltz For anyone who has seen the umpteen productions of "Gypsy" on Broadway, I dare you to not hear the song "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and think of Rita Moreno's hysterical performance as Googie Gomez, singing the song "fresh from her appearance in a bus and truck production of "Fiddler on the Roof".", deserving a second Oscar to go with hers from "West Side Story". Anita was a good hearted spitfire who provided spark yet understanding to the doomed love story in "West Side Story", but Moreno deliciously spoofs the Hispanic stereotypes she has faced by joyously jumping into the film version of a play she had done on Broadway. "Ju thought I vas a drag quin?", Moreno lusciously asks the straight Jack Weston, hiding in a gay bath house from his mobster brother-in-law (Jerry Stiller) and fighting off passes from a balding, hairy chubby chaser. There's the extremely effeminate F. Murray Abraham who also quotes "Gypsy" by squealing as he enters a sauna, "Hello everybody, My name's June! What's yours?" and desperately inviting people to an orgy in his private room, and squeaky, soprano voiced Treat Williams as the straight private investigator hired by Stiller to trap Weston. Add on the fantastically funny Kaye Ballard as Weston's wife who disguises herself as a man to enter the bathhouse, and you've got one of the most delicious farces ever to transfer from stage to screen.While there's plenty of bare male upper torsos, there's nothing offensive in this gay comedy of errors where something dirty might be going on behind closed doors, but none of it is shown on-screen. It's certainly better than the same year's horrible adaption of "Norman, Is That You?", and a far cry from the sometimes funny but ultimate tragic screen version of "The Boys in the Band", but certainly, any gay themed movie in the mid 1970's was ahead of its time, even if it did have some stereotypical characters. Yes, these types of characters do exist, and there are the archetypes of all of them, from effeminate Abraham to the various macho, butch men who have their noses in the air anytime something less than their type approaches them. Veteran early sound actress Bessie Love has a late career appearance, ironically as a receptionist in the front lobby of the bathhouse. Another highlight is when three of the men gather together for a talent show to sing "Three Caballeros" (after another contestant has just done a wretched rendition of "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries"), making this just truly a gay old time that is truly irresistible.

Sebastian (sts-26) I caught this on late-night television some time in the late seventies or early eighties, just before AIDS made the headlines. Later, I - in my teens - rather naively wondered why it never reappeared. Of course, the AIDS crisis made this film - with its references to anonymous gay sex as plot devices - "too much", and it was quickly forgotten. This kind of shrugging off of unpleasant memories happens all too often, and is unfortunate. One needs to acknowledge a few key facts with respect to The Ritz:First, that the setting was, to some degree incidental. As with any great farce, the story could have been transplanted with relative easy, only losing some bite and a few twists.Second, that the setting, which was very timely for the mid-seventies, was the very thing that provided the twists that made the movie so hilarious and unique. At the time of the Ritz's theatrical release gay bathhouses were the subject of much discussion, and drew a certain level of public disapproval and debate.Third, that good snapshots of a particular time do not necessarily seem all that appealing in retrospect - usually because they capture the warts-ridden realities. In the seventies this seemed understood, and a number of movies exploited this fact, having at their hearts a meanness about the times being portrayed. With the eighties there seemed to be a desperate need for unconditional nostalgia, and since then a number of great movies have lost their once-acknowledged significance (why do so few people, other than movie critics, fondly remember America Graffiti while the saccharine Grease is so celebrated?).Too bad, particularly for a movie like The Ritz; it may have been the last great farce, with its superb cast - Moreno and Williams both pull out all the stops - fantastic timing, and outrageous gags. And it could only have managed to be a great farce in the very jaded seventies by dealing with such timely subject matter.Hopefully the film will be rediscovered via a film festival, or a more serious Remember When television or radio show. However, I fear that popular culture has grown far too shallow, and, despite all the avenues for cultural archeology, films such as The Ritz have been buried way too deep by the sands of time.

shlych I first saw this movie in the 70's, and have never forgotten it. When I tried to rent it at local movie outlets-no luck. It was like Christmas in July, when I finally located it on e-bay. This has to be one of the funniest movies ever made..even my politically correct daughter couldn't stop laughing. The movie is so well done-giving the actors freedom to do things we are not used to seeing them do. Its hard to decide who's my favorite-gogi gomez I think. Rita Moreno is unbelievably funny. Those who take offense to comedy about gay society, should chill out and watch this. Its not so much about being gay, as it is about learning to accept differences. I love it love it love it. A true comedy classic!!!

grantch Why is this great comedy not available in the US? When I checked the listings, it's only on a PAL VHS tape ... I can view other region DVDs on my computer, but have no way of viewing PAL VHS. This movie which I saw several times when it was new, is one of the funniest films you'll ever see. It's based on a Broadway play but you'd never guess its source as, unlike many movies made from plays, it's not stagebound. The characters and the situation make for nonstop action and absolutely terrific one-liners. Treat Williams is indeed well named for he is a treat as the detective. You'll howl at the predicaments Jack Weston gets in. And you'll love Rita Moreno who proves to be a comedic gem. "The Ritz" is high on the list of best cinematic comedies and whoever owns the rights should release it in a wide-screen DVD version. It's sort of like a Noel Coward play updated to a "modern" bathhouse ... jokes on the screen overflow to keep the viewers happy and having a terrific time.