Under the Rainbow

A little person living in a Kansas homeless shelter who clings to Hollywood's promise. He approaches life with practical daydreams, climbing a roof to fix an antenna as a ritual of aspiration. His fall crystallizes the tension between dream and danger, suggesting that the glamour of film carries real stakes.

Annie Clark is a long-suffering MGM employee in Culver City, navigating a day filled with visitors, requests, and the looming presence of espionage. She keeps a steady hand as an assistant, guiding others through the unfolding intrigue. Her resilience anchors the human side of a plot filled with spies, royals, and camera lenses.

The Austrian duke arrives under guard with his Secret Service escort, a symbol of aristocratic dignity amid hotel intrigue. He navigates the hotel’s chaos with restrained composure, even as danger closes in around him. His presence escalates the tension as spies maneuver for a hidden map.

The Austrian duchess accompanies the Duke, bringing refined etiquette that stands in contrast to the hotel chaos surrounding them. She remains poised as intrigue swirls, aware that danger follows in the wake of royal attention. A canine-linked clue becomes a pivotal thread in the chase.

Otto Kriegling is a Nazi secret agent moving through the shadows with a threatening presence. He aims to seize the map and escalate the confrontation, forcing others to improvise under pressure. His pursuit intensifies the hotel-studio mêlée into a deadly crossfire.

Nakomuri is a Japanese contact who believes the hidden map is concealed in the Duchess’s dog's collar and uses his camera to threaten when needed. He moves through the chaos with a mix of caution and opportunism. His actions intertwine with espionage and the fate of the others on the floor plan.

Bruce Thorpe is the Secret Service escort guarding the Duke and Duchess, playing a crucial role in protecting them while unraveling the diagram of danger surrounding them. He reveals details about the map that become the turning point of the chase. His presence signals the intersection of political stakes and Hollywood spectacle.

Henry is the hotel caretaker left in charge when the boss is away, his presence a source of comic misfortune and occasional mismanagement. His inefficacy amplifies the chaos that surrounds the guests and the plan to escape with the map. The character functions as a human anchor to the hotel’s farcical side.

The 150 little people cast as Munchkins populate the hotel corridors, creating a living link to The Wizard of Oz and injecting a sense of chaos into the production atmosphere. Their presence foregrounds the film’s meta-commentary on stardom and spectacle. They become part of the story’s dreamlike texture rather than mere background.

Akido is a Japanese tourist whose murder by an assassin escalates the danger surrounding the Duke and Duchess. The killing marks a violent turning point that intensifies the pursuit through hotel corridors and studio lots. His role is a catalyst that heightens the stakes for all involved.