The Ritz (1976)

In the heart of Cleveland, Ohio, Gaetano Proclo, an affable man of considerable girth, finds himself in an unlikely predicament. Married into the notorious Vespucci clan, a family with deep roots in the New York mob, Gaetano has never truly been in the good graces of his patriarchal father-in-law. As the old man lies on his deathbed, he bequeaths a sinister task to his son, Carmine: to eliminate Gaetano, thereby preventing him from inheriting a share of the family's lucrative garbage empire. In the face of impending doom, a desperate Gaetano hails a cab, instructing the driver to take him to the last place the mob would look. Unbeknownst to him, his destination turns out to be The Ritz, a raucous hub of male camaraderie and a renowned gay bathhouse. Gaetano, a straight man, is blissfully unaware of the bathhouse's true nature until he's already entangled in the vibrant, bustling activities unfolding within its steamy walls. In an effort to maintain his anonymity, Gaetano checks in under an alias, ironically choosing Carmine's name. As he attempts to navigate the unfamiliar terrain, he finds assistance in Chris, a regular with a knack for high-pitched exclamations and an inside knowledge of the bathhouse's workings. However, Gaetano's journey is not without its obstacles. Among the bathhouse's regular patrons are Claude Perkins, an ardent admirer of larger men who sets his sights on an unsuspecting Gaetano, and Googie Gomez, a flamboyant entertainer with a heavy accent who mistakes Gaetano for a Broadway producer and sees him as her golden ticket to stardom. Thrown into the mix is Michael Brick, a handsome yet naive private detective hired by Carmine to track down Gaetano, who fails to see through Gaetano's poorly-disguised toupee and fake mustache. The plot thickens when Carmine and Gaetano's wife, Vivian, arrive on the scene. With Michael mistaking Gaetano for his employer and Vivian assuming her husband's presence in the bathhouse is purely recreational, a whirlwind of miscommunication, mistaken identities, and secret revelations ensues. As Gaetano attempts to evade both familial assassins and amorous advances, "The Ritz" evolves into a comedic labyrinth of deception and unexpected alliances.

The Ritz is a comedy movie featuring Jack Weston and directed by Richard Lester.

It is possible to buy The Ritz on Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube.