Lawson This has got to be the earliest non-homophobic and non-offensive gay movie (by my standards anyway). 1976! It's based on a play by Terrence McNally - whom I think is gay - and he also wrote its screenplay. It also features most of its original Broadway leads, including, notably, F. Murray Abraham and Rita Moreno.The Ritz is a screwball comedy about a clueless man trying to elude his murderous brother-in-law by hiding out in a bathhouse, which, unbeknownst to him, is very much a gay hangout where men not only have sex with each other but also feature performances by singers and talent shows.Handled by a tactless director or screenwriter, this movie could've been offensive on so many levels, and I, being easily offended enough to be a GLAAD watchdog, was very happily surprised to fully enjoy the movie. Sure there were the stereotypical portrayal of gay men as nellies, but they were part of a variety that also included muscle hunks, lean twinks, leather daddies, and chubby chasers.The actors have a lot of fun with their roles. The clueless straightys include the chubby Jack Weston, who, as you might guess, gets chubby chased, and a young and sexy Treat Williams as the detective trailing Weston. Well sexy when he kept his mouth shut anyway. You'll find out what I mean...Gay bathhouses used to feature female singers and Bette Midler got her start in them, which is why she's such a gay icon. Rita Moreno is this bathhouse's diva, and she gives a lively performance that treads the ideal line between portraying and caricaturing a spitfire Latina.But the eye-pop award goes to F. Murray Abraham, whose most famous role is Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. Yes, Salieri unabashedly plays a flouncy flamer in this movie! Much credit goes to him for tackling the role with gusto yet not going over the top with flailing arms and lisping and all the other stereotypes.

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!!!

gftbiloxi Chunky, quivering, middle-class ordinary Gaetano Proclo (Jack Weston) is 'married to the mob' in the form of wife Vivian (Kaye Ballard)--and his crazy brother-in-law Carmine (Jerry Stiller) hates him. Certain that Carmine is about to kill him, Gaetana hops a cab, tells the driver to take him to the last place any one would ever look for him... and suddenly finds himself hiding out in the middle of a gay bath house.But this only the first ten or fifteen minutes of the film: there is much, much more to come, and all of it is over the top hilarious. Jack Weston, Jerry Stiller, and Kaye Ballard are perfectly cast in their roles, but would you believe F. Murray Abraham (Oscar winner for AMADEUS) as the screaming queen to end all screaming queens? How about Rita Moreno as a no-talent lounge singer who is busting a gut to become a bath-house star just like Bette Midler? Or Treat Williams as a P.I. with blonde hair and a squeaky voice? My own favorite of the bunch is Paolo Poeti as Claude, a "chubby chaser" who takes one look at Jack Weston and falls in love at first sight--and then proceeds to make his life absolute hell by chasing him all over the bath house. Before it's all over you'll find people hiding under beds, thrown into swimming pools, impersonating the Andrews Sisters, and being pursued by unwanted lovers of the wrong persuasion, all to absolutely hilarious, incredibly giddy effect.Like most farces, THE RITZ deals in stereotypes--but it is never mean spirited in its portraits, and the cast carries off the eccentric characters (both straight and gay) with considerable aplomb. Filmed long before the AIDS crisis, THE RITZ offers a comic look at a New York gay bath house and a way of life that would soon come to a grinding halt--a fact that gives the film a certain unintended poignancy for gay viewers. Even so, you don't need any specialized background to enjoy this laugh-out-loud movie, which is as much (and really more) for a straight audience as it is for a gay one. Highly, highly recommended... call over some friends, turn up the steam heat, break out some bath towels, and get ready for a true laugh riot.Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

hawes-daryl I've always loved the film; I even went to the premier in NYC. I fell in love with, as many of us did, with the Rita Moreno's character of Googie Gomez. She is still in 2005 as fresh as she was almost 30 years ago. HOWEVER...when I heard that Ms. Moreno was going to be appearing in my favorite little 100 seat cabaret in San Francisco, just a few days after 09/11/2001, I jumped on Delta to San Francisco just to see her. I mean-just to see her. I arrived at 5PM and flew back at midnight. This was the first day that the planes were flying after 09/11 and people were not yet comfortable and having fun yet. In fact, during her show to only about 40 of us, she commented on "those bastards" not getting us down and she put on a fantastic show. Then after the show, she came out and spoke with everyone and was well received. However (as I said) when I mentioned to her how much I loved "her" Googie Gomez, her entire body language, tone and attitude changed to me. She immediately changed the subject and when I brought up Googie again, she really seemed "pissed off."Does anyone have any thoughts about this or have they encounter Ms. Moreno, who is still tops in my book.