Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 22

6 Section 2 Chicago Tribune, Tuesday, October 12, 1976 Moyies he Ritz': Madcap tour de farce with a few moments of forced gai ety By Gene Slskel critic It A iWHaH irtffiiiiitMittiii r. hi aiinwimr iKi -v i -T n'niriirii ft, OW DOES A Cleveland garbage company executive end up holding a gun on his MOVIS CI :1 Movl I I brother-in-law a New yowvuy gay bathhouse, while a dozen says and one horrible Puerto Rican singer cower lh the bath Rita Moreno and Jack Weston in "The Ritz." I Ritz gay clientele, presumes Googie is a transves- tite. Of course she thinks he's gay, and in between destroying a couple of Cole Porter tunes and "Everything's Coming Up Roses," she decides to help her career by straightening him out By now, you should be getting the idea that "The Ritz" is a madcap farce. The film version of the hit Broadway play has been directed by Richard Lester, no stranger to farce Hard Day's Night," "Help," "Petulia," "The Three Musketeers," "Robin and A good chunk of the film's humor seems forced; but that isn't Lester's fault; it's the nature of gay humor to annoyi'ngfy impose itself. But "The Ritz" grows on you as the film progres- ses.

The humor builds as Lester piles on the horrible, bathhouse entertainment and Jerry Stiller' mad-dog search for Jack Weston. I've never been a fan of but in this film he's funny when he's crazy-. 1 angry. Top honors, however must go to Moreno, who won a Tony Award for her Googie Gomez in the original Broadway version of. "The Ritz." In her overwrought Puerto Rican accent, anything Googie says is funny.

For example, "Everything's Coming 'Up Roses" comes out of her quivering mouth as "Every sinks coming up rosas." "The Rite" is R-rated, but its restricted rating is earned for rough language, not for any explicit sex scenes. All of 'that stuff takes place, we're told, be- hind a door in the baths marked "Steam Room," YOU PROBABLY WILL not see a worse film this year than Henri Charbakshi's "The Last Affair" at the Chelex Theater, formerly the Playboy. Theater. Charbakshi heads a group of investors who recently bought the Playboy's lease on the North Dearborn Street theater. That's probably the only way Charbakshi could get his film played.

u-i 'The Last is the first film I've seen that is all supporting scenes and no main story. There is drag car racing footage, an extended fight in a bar, and a couple of lovemaking sequences but at-no time do we really meet the main characters. That's probably because the main actress can't act and Charbakshi couldn't use any dialog scenes witn her. Filmed in Chicago, "The Last Affair? does contain beautiful camera work by Robin T. Rutledge.

Rating for "The Last one star. mm Elf house's swimming pool? To answer that ridiculous question, you'll have to see "The Rite." And that isn't a bad idea, if you can handle the few times its gay humor is artistically rammed down your When old-man Vespucci (George Coulouris) kicks off, he kicks off a family feud. His son Carmine (Jerry Stiller) litterally wants to kill his brother-in-law Gaetario (Jack Weston), who stands to inherit "half of the family's sanitation business. Donning a black wig that looks like a humpbacked poodle, Weston high-tails it out of Cleveland to New York where a cab driver takes him "to the last place my brother-in-law- would look for me." That would be The Ritz, a gay bathhouse presumably paU terned after New York's' famous Continental Baths, where entertainer Bette Midler -first made her mark warbling for the swish towel set. Naturally, Weston doesn't realize he has stumbled Into a gay bathhouse.

This is one of those average, man-in-a-weird-setting comedies. But in a matter of minutes, he's made aware there's something strange 'about the place. That happens when a small, owlish, balding man lures him into a private room, calls the portly Weston his "jelly roll man," and then tries to jump him sexually. A bathhouse attendant later exp-' lalns the small dude is what is known the gay trade as a "chubby chaser." i THE NEXT THREAT to Weston comes in the form of a woman. A very crazy woman.

Her name is Google Gomez (Rita Moreno). She is an entertainer. All right, she thinks she's, an entertainer. Apparently no one at the baths has told her any different. Any way, this Puerto Ricdn spitfire, who regularly sings at the baths, -is convinced that Weston is a big Broadway producer.

Well, Weston, how aware of The dm ith Vis curea sty mT seaifoo Riverview Fun and Riverview Prices at Old Chicago! Everyone pays the regular $1.50 admission and then all rides are only 10 each. The Corkscrew Chicago Loop. The Chicago Bobs, the Moon Walk, Dodgem Cars and Roter From seacoast to 1 We're right in the only a dime. seacoast, wherever you neighborhood, so if you There are 31 rides and attractions in all to excite love great seafood at are, chances are that and delight you. It's a full blown tribute to the good old davs.

And it's all indoors so bad weather won't spoil your TRIBUNE MINI-REVIEW The boys In the bath "THE RITZ" Dlrttcted by Wehtrd Letter, eereenplay by Terrenee McNaiy baaed on Me suae play, photographed by Paul Wilson, edited by John Bloom, musio by an thorn, produced by Oenii O'Dell, Warner Broi, release it lh Car. good timesl Come join the good old time fun. Free parking very good prices, go where America goes. For dinner. For lunch.

For take-out. and free admission to the shopping man. Mole and eutjjring thealere. Rated R. Open Every Day Shopping Center; Monsun.

na.m. p.m. Amusement Park: 1p.m.-10 p.m. Paul B. Met Treat William John Everaon Christopher J.

Brown Cava tng i Qaetana Procla Jack Wetton Claude Google Gomez Ma Moreno Michael Brick Carmine Vetpucol Jerry Stiller Tiger VMan Proclo Kaya Ballard Dutt Chris R.Vunay Abraham Abe you'll find favorite seafood right around the corner. There are over 30 seafood dinner choices on our menu. All at prices that don't go overboard. And great service. There we do go overboard.

priaay i p.m.-imianigni Saturday 11 a.m.-1 2 midnight Sunday 11a.m.-10p.m. A CHICAGO Ltke uicblgm Old Chicago Is In Bollnabrook-at 1-5S BOUNGBROOKl J. Chicago Seeing Barbara Rush in "Sane Time, Next Year" you can enjoy a auperb dinner before or a ipecial supper after, at (Stevenson Expressway) Jf ujil' "in. mi lli? -1 and Illinois 53 a half an hour from downtown Chicago. Phonei759-1895 p.

laBatMKiaaBia ONLY ONE BLOCK AWAY, AT HARRISON WABASH Adjacent Garage Parking at reduced rate Reservation! please Vfl 7-0700 Where America goes for seafood. 1321E.Sib!eyBIvd.,Dolton841-80203915W.211thSt.,iatteson481-8510 9500 Southwest Oak Lawn 636-4300 330 E. Ogden Ave, Westmont 986-5010 680 North Mall Schaumburg 885-0500 19 W. 555 Roosevelt Lombard 627-4540 4431 Roosevelt Hillside 449-1058 9870 N. Milwaukee Des Plalnes 296-2838 The only ndoor amusement park and shopping center! 11:30 a.m.-l0:00 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m.-ll:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday SCHOOL GUIDI AMUSEMENT AMUSEMENT Oct. 24, DINNER DANCE featuring AMUSEMENT U' TOMORROW AT 7:30 PM jl OlftXIfTiAX' MnifCIIDCD AMUSEMENT TOMMY PORSEY NITE Complete Prime Rib Dinner at 6 P.M. Oancinj from p.m. $10 Per Ticket.

Reserve How. Ml I. TECHNJCAL INSTITUTE ft "Miowura moit dOMurt I SCHOOL FOR AUTO MECHANICS I INTER. AMPHITHEATRE CHICAGOH iTHKIIiUT fi DM wed. mat lUNIUnl rM Jiiwi iw.mt.uu.itM.mitM.

3, AND BODT-reNDHT I Day Evening Classes I Eve. Dei 13 I I Body Fender Nov. Appearing vary Friday Will Carroll Oreh. Oct. 30-27, FRIDDY MILLS Oct.

31 4 LADDS UNOUETt miUILI to BOO-tKCMl UTU WtEKDIYt Itmied Number of Opentfga "THE FUNNIEST, COMEDY ABOUT 10 VE AND CUVE BARNES, NY. TIMES APpnwN rar vera ana Foreign Studente I mutMio INCINEERINB AMUSEMENTS AMUSEMENTS Ih2fi TBGL DRAFTING TONIGHT 8 P.M.-IAST7TIMES1 Leonard Bernstein's I EC! IE llACiiie In the Great' Atrierlean. ar '2Var2oS0n' 1 OAY-EVE. fcliJIel li UUVIHI.lv Classic Musical Boa or), 10-S Oally. Sun.

t-TrJS p.m. Tickete ales at TICKETBOH BLACKST0KE C000 SO. MICHIGAN CHICAGO All Seats Reserved $4.50 $5.50 $6.50 $7.50 CELEBRATES 200 YEARS OF CIRCUS IN AMERICA I OCT. A.M. P.M.

P.M. cove w.y with ua. a t. w. HUW, MM, (WW luniw.MirwS50wbMa.

CM 2 30D Ml Ira. CMWe. CCKTRAL VMCA, 11W. Waew TICKETS NOW ATI All Tlcketron Outlet Ineludlna Cure. Warda TODAY NO PERfORMANCM TOMORROW .7:30 Fllptlde Record Storea MOTION PICTUMS Third Rln Ricora Start Ticket Can.

tr.l 130 N. Mlehloanl I FOR GROUPS 7914190 1 111 Vs' PHONE RESl 7914000 man leaaMaBiaHPii Dial 454-4777 for tRIE CROWN McCrS ft. TICKETS AT B.0. 1 nCKETROH. 1 1,5 NEAR NORTH Tlcketron outlet near.

at you Amphitheatre Box Office a uu B.nkAm.riearai biff WEDNESDAY DRURV LANE THEATER (EAST) Starring DINA' MERRILL ANTHONY GEORGE. Wed. thru Sun. Adrri. from S3.00.

Dinner theatre from. $8.75. McCormick Place. Ph. 791-6200.

Attendant parking $1 .00 includes City Tax 4 Tip. by mall or at box of DRURY LANE AT WATER TOWER PLACE With JOEY BISHOP also LARRY BISHOP. DinnerTheatre available. Self-Parking $2.15. Phono 266-0500.

175 E. Chestnut II -rV. flea-at Ticket into. Call H12) S23.401J at firnun fial.B Info. TWPTP OPENS TONIGHT 8 P.M.

Box Office Open 10 AM "ABSOLUTELY ENCHANTING .7:30 ISFrl .4.1 Sej te sat, 17 Sun 1)00 .8:30 IS Man. NO PERFORMANCES ISTuti. .2:300) .7:300) 20 Wed. .2:30 .7:30 21 7:30 22Pri. .4:1 .4:1 23 .3:00 .8:00 24 .1:00 .5:30 25 Mori.

2:30 j. .7:300) NO PERFORMANCES 27 Wed. ,7:30 .7:30 2Frl. .4:1 SO SOS.t.. .3:00 ,.3:00 It .11:00.

,3:00 .7:30 NOV, P.M. i't .7:300) .3:00) 3 NO PERFORMANCES .7:360) .4:150 .3:15 SSat. .11:00. .3:00 .3:00 7 Sun. .11:00.

13:00 .7:30 II Call (312) S23.77SS "I haven't had flood llm at Goodman Thtatre In yeara, I promlae you guaranteed good time." 6yaaSun Timn "Goodman dellveri in high Everything you went. Kill for a tlckat." WinerTrlburn Noel Coward's or call 42 esai Mail Order: Send self FINAL DAYS I HE MOUSETRAP eddeued. stamped en- -Qtt tsrnts, N.Y. Timet A i. 1 money order, payable to RINGLING BROS.

For a limited time only, Chlcagoland Tastee Freei Is offering Tastee-Dog, Vench'fries and Ice-cold i 1 Coca-Cola: Only 79. I For a limited time only, we're offering our Tastee-Dog an order or golden crisp fries and a regular sized refreshing Coca-Colaall for this special, low price. So put some welcome variety Into your life and treat yourself today. ARLINGTON PARK THEATRE DAVID McCALLUM 1 KATHARINE HOUGHTON, KURT KASZNAR In Agatha Christie's Mystery Reservations: 255-0900 (aODSFAVORITi CArBLaXOTDtKNatBAYrrOlBE, RAY" RAYNER' MIKE NUSSBAUM Dinner CIRCUS, to P.O. Box THE LAST AFFAIR 09007, Chicago, III.

0609 ADO BOe sxmax taunt wi aae Childnn Under 12- $2.00 Off Mail Handling Charge SPECIAL ADDED ATTRACTION I Admission Include! HIM Viiit to Menagerie una Hour prior to performance lima Ihesecretaffwsof WLDREDWILD DRURY LANE NORTH THEATRE Starring: NANETTE FABRY Box Ooffice: 634-0200 FlneliOayeiaaea T3 SCHOOL GUIDE A mXA. cowsoy SCHOOL GUIDI Chargll: major credit cards 443-3800 Gooclman on Monroe, nent to Art tnatltuta DflURY LAKE THEATER (SOOTH) i Starring CESAR ROMERO. Adm. from $3.00. Dinner theatre from $8.25, Call 779-4000 or 422-6000.

2500 W. Drury Lane. Vv. BwovNM.ia-X'AiMl DlMlMiMl Udun JMM 9M.I A Bert university reachtng tot ti pnguirmg Iot tar ttM 1 tElfcrS AT BOX OFF. i TtCKETROH I PH.

8:30. Wed. Sat Hat 2 PH. Sun. 7 PH 2324 $iiaiTy Ave).

minds 8 P.M. ONLYlV 11 SUCCESS SPOIL ROCKHUHTER PHEASANT RUN DINNER PLAYHOUSE Starring ELIZABETH RAY. Rt. 64, St. Charles.

Phone; 584-1454 (ChOP, -261-7943) OE PAUL UNIVERSITY iSE.jKfceoft 321-7800 rAfljrcjCourt illtol owe in It's not ust a meal, It's a Tit Watch Channel 44 starting October 4 18th, Monster Rally. "Coca-Cola' and "Coke" art reguierea trada-marke which IdenMy the tarn produot ot the Cocaola Company. Equal Opeftumv Eduoaiof FOR PHONI RESERVATIONS To advertise In this dlrec tory call 222-3840 When you need a Job, nothing does the Job like the Tribune. VILLAGE "MIDWAY" Crackeri" Genevieve Buck, Evelyn Livingstone, Marylln Stltz Enjoy the Tribune's trio of top fashion ail MIoMoen.