Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

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.

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.

Don Daniels It was 1976, Tehran Iran. Terry, also American, and I were bored at work and on the spur of the moment decided to skip out and check out the Tehran Film Festival. Boy, did we have no idea what we were getting in for.It just so happened that the next film on the bill was The Ritz. We knew nothing about it, but we hailed our driver, raced downtown to the theater, and made it in just in time.Before long, we were rolling on the floor. Truly, we couldn't hold on to our seats, I can't speak for Terry but the tears were just pouring down my face from laughter. And what made this worse was that, in a mostly packed theater, it seemed that most of the time the two of us near the back were the only ones laughing. Oh, every once and while the Farsi sub-titles would catch-up and the rest of the theater would let out a good laugh, I guess they were having a good time, but it was amazing to us how much was being missed, even some of the visual humor.I suppose we were both just overdo for some comic relief, but I've watched this film again through the years and it remains one of the funniest films I have ever seen. Jack Weston as the everyman-victim is perfect, as is Rita Morena as a never-quite-been, trying with varying degrees of success, to retain her dignity, her temper, and her dreams. And the rest of the cast -- who can you fault? Yes, from the dark opening deathbed scene, to all the madcap mistakes that follow, this is farce that at times sinks almost as low as the Three Stooges, but keeps sailing from floor to floor with surprise laughs at every turn.Some folks can't seem to get past the subject matter, I guess. But if you can find this movie, and you can open your mind beyond the lifestyle to just enjoy all the zaniness that happens, then hang on to your towel!

Paul_Genet There are times when a play is very successfully made into a movie, but not usually a comedy. The Lion In Winter was a very successful transformation form the stage to the big screen by James Goldman, author of both, and brother of William Goldman, a highly well thought of screenwriter. But all of that aside, if you would like to forget your troubles and simply laugh yourself into exhaustion, I highly recommend this movie.