Gaetano Procio is in big trouble with his wife’s Mafia family, and scared for his life he jumps into a New York taxi and demands that the driver take him to the safest place that no-one would ever find him. He omits to tell Gaetano that The Ritz Baths are totally gay and what follows is a series of the most hilarious and ridiculous incidents that will literally have you rolling in the aisles with laughter.
Gaetano is played by the wonderful Jack Weston and his is just one of several phenomenal performances that include F Murray Abraham (pre his Oscar for ‘Amadeus‘) as the campiest man ever, and a very young hunky Treat Williams as a detective completely with squeaky falsetto voice. But it’s the sensational Rita Moreno as Googie Gomez The Ritz’s talentless entertainer with the most excruciating and hilarious accent that steals the movie. She should have got her second Oscar for this!
Written by Terrence McNally (‘Love, Valour & Compassion’, ‘Kiss of The Spiderwoman’) from his smash Broadway play and directed by Richard Lester this classic gay movie sadly received limited release back in 1976, and yet it is one of the funniest gay screwball comedies ever made and is a sheer delight.
P.S. Movie Trivia. There is no such thing as a small part in Hollywood. Look out for the female accountant who has one whole line in The Ritz. She’s played by Bessie Love who got her Oscar Nomination back in 1930 for The Broadway Baby.
