Tag: bob hope

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2022) Roundup Featuring… Bob Hope And Dorothy Lamour

Welcome back to my new “Whats Old Is A New Release Again Roundup” series! This time around, I’m focusing on titles released in 2022 featuring either Bob Hope or Dorothy Lamour (or both), whether they be on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K UHD. Due to the slower pace of releases, I will be starting out with two films, and updating this post as I see more (with the updates showing up on the 2022 Releases page). This post will be completed when I have seen all of the titles released in 2022, or at the tail end of March 2023 (whichever happens first). So, let’s dig into some of Bob and Dorothy’s films that have seen a new release in 2022, which so far includes Monsieur Beaucaire (1946) and Where There’s Life (1947)!

Remember, as an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

Update: On 2/12/2023, comments were added on the recent Blu-ray releases of The Last Train From Madrid (1937) and Fancy Pants (1950), along with remarks on two more shorts for the “Coming Up Shorts” series, all of which completes this post for the year.

Table Of Contents

Coming Up Shorts! with… Wild Poses (1933)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 4 (1933-1935) from ClassicFlix)

(Length: 18 minutes, 31 seconds)

Spanky’s (George McFarland) parents decide to have his picture taken. However, after listening to the other kids from the Gang who tag along, Spanky refuses to sit for a picture! This was yet another hilarious short, particularly with Franklin Pangborn playing the photographer (who frequently gets a punch in the nose from Spanky). Of course, as an audience member seeing the other kids messing with the photographer’s equipment, I can’t blame Spanky for not wanting his picture taken. There’s some humor to be found with Emerson Treacy and Gay Seabrook returning to play Spanky’s parents, although Gay Seabrook wears out her welcome a bit with her attempts at humor. Still, this was a fun one, and one that I wouldn’t mind revisiting with some frequency!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Hi’-Neighbor! (1934)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 4 (1933-1935) from ClassicFlix)

(Length: 17 minutes, 54 seconds)

Jerry (Jerry Tucker), the new kid in the neighborhood, has his own small fire engine (and the envy of the Gang). However, he doesn’t want to share it with them, leading them to put together their own fire engine. Hi’-Neighbor proved to be a fun one! Jerry Tucker shows himself to be a good foil to the rest of the Gang, as he inadvertently pushes them to use their ingenuity to make their own fire engine! Of course, watching Spanky (George McFarland) try to help Stymie by “passing him a wheel” is one of the most amusing moments, as are the instances of Jerry getting his comeuppance. The only problem is the use of rear-screen projection during their final race, which takes away from the sense of speed and danger needed. Other than that, this one was fun, and worth seeing!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Reunion In Rhythm (1937)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 6 (1936-1938) from ClassicFlix)

(Length: 10 minutes, 47 seconds)

The Adams school is hosting a banquet for their current students and some of their alumni. Spanky (George McFarland) and the Gang put on a show for everybody. This one was fairly entertaining. There are several musical numbers, including “Baby Face” (sung by Darla Hood to Eugene “Porky” Lee), “Broadway Rhythm” (sung by Spanky), “Going Hollywood” (sung by Georgia Jean LaRue) and “I’m Through With Love” (sung by Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer). The main recurring joke (and done rather well) is Buckwheat (Billie Thomas) attempting to get involved by reciting “Little Jack Horner” instead of just holding the placards like Spanky keeps ordering him to do. There are some brief appearances by former Our Gang members Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, Joe Cobb and Matthew “Stymie” Beard, although only Mickey gets to actually speak. Overall, a fun short that I would love to revisit!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Glove Taps (1937)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 6 (1936-1938) from ClassicFlix)

(Length: 10 minutes, 53 seconds)

Butch (Tommy Bond) has arrived, and declared himself the big shot of the group, willing to take on the toughest kid. Alfalfa (Carl Switzer) is accidentally volunteered, so Spanky (George McFarland) takes it upon himself to train Alfalfa for the fight.  This one was quite funny, with Alfalfa’s training being the main source of humor.  Spanky and Alfalfa are assisted by Buckwheat (Billie Thomas) and Porky (Eugene Lee), who spend most of their time shaking their heads as if they know that Alfalfa’s “training” won’t work.  The showdown between Alfalfa and Butch was also quite entertaining, and I would say that the overall short is worth seeing again and again!

The Last Train From Madrid (1937)

  • Plot Synopses: The city of Madrid has been devastated by the Spanish Civil War. The military is offering one last train for civilians to escape the city, but they can only get on with special passes. The story follows seven people throughout the day as the train departure approaches. Some are newly in love, some are on the run from the military. All hope to escape to a new life, but will they be able to get on the train?
  • Film Length: 1 hour, 18 minutes
  • Extras: Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalist/Author Bryan Reesman; Trailers for The Last Train From Madrid (1937), Road To Singapore (1940), Donovan’s Brain (1953), Thunder Bay (1953), The Ride Back (1957), The Song Of Songs (1933) and The Accused (1949)
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Label: Kino Lorber Studio Classics
  • My Rating: 8/10
  • Quick Comments
    • On The Movie Itself: Check overall impressions.
    • On The Transfer: According to the Blu-ray case, this transfer comes from a new 2K master. I would say that this film looks quite good! The picture is nice and clean, with the vast majority of the dust and dirt removed. Some scratches still exist, but they are few and far between, and really don’t subtract from the film’s image. It’s certainly the best way to see this movie!

Monsieur Beaucaire (1946)

  • Plot Synopses: There are some forces pushing for war between France and Spain (led by Spanish General Don Francisco, as played by Joseph Schildkraut, who seeks to usurp the Spanish throne during wartime). However, the kings of the respective countries are trying to avoid war, and agree to an alliance via royal marriage of Princess Maria of Spain (Marjorie Reynolds) to the French Duke de Chandre (Patric Knowles). In leaving France, de Chandre lets the ex-royal barber Monsieur Beaucaire (Bob Hope) pose as the duke in order to escape being executed. Under this charade, the real duke meets the princess and falls for her (without knowing who she is), while Beaucaire has to deal with the Spanish general’s attempts to assassinate him and prevent the alliance. Can Beaucaire maintain this masquerade and convince his ex-girlfriend Mimi (Joan Caulfield) to come back to him, or will war break out between the two countries?
  • Film Length: 1 hour, 33 minutes
  • Extras: KLSC Bob Hope Promo, Trailers for The Cat And The Canary (1939), Road To Singapore (1940), The Ghost Breakers (1940), Road To Zanzibar (1941), Caught In The Draft (1941), Nothing But The Truth (1941), My Favorite Blonde (1942), Road To Morocco (1942), Road To Utopia (1946), Where There’s Life (1947), The Paleface (1948), Alias Jesse James (1959) and Murder, He Says (1945)
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Label: Kino Lorber Studio Classics
  • My Rating: 9/10
  • Quick Comments
    • On The Movie Itself: Check overall impressions.
    • On The Transfer: According to the Blu-ray case, this transfer comes from a new 2K master. Apparently, there must not have been great elements to work with, as this has been one of the more disappointing transfers of a Universal-owned Bob Hope film to come from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. There’s still a fair amount of scratches, dust and dirt still present (although it’s only really egregious during the opening credits, and improves somewhat afterward). The image is also a bit darker in a lot of places than it seems like it should be. In spite of these issues, it’s not completely unwatchable, and likely to be as good as we can expect for now.

Where There’s Life (1947)

  • Plot Synopses: With the recent end of World War II, the small country of Barovia is looking forward to its first democratic election to replace the monarchy, but a secret society called the Mordia (who hopes to gain power) has attempted to kill Barovian King Hubertus II (William Edmunds). With him dying, the country’s only hope of preventing the Mordia from rising to power before the election is to find the son he had years earlier when he married an American woman (a marriage he was later forced to have annulled). Now, his son is radio announcer Michael Valentine (Bob Hope), who is about to marry Hazel O’Brien (Vera Marshe). A group of Barovian delegates, led by General Katrina Grimovitch (Signe Hasso), attempt to keep Michael alive and bring him to Barovia. But with the Mordia constantly trying to kill Michael, and Hazel’s cop family chasing after him when he misses the wedding, will he be able to survive and help Barovia in their time of need?
  • Film Length: 1 hour, 15 minutes
  • Extras: KLSC Bob Hope Promo, Trailers for Where There’s Life (1947), The Cat And The Canary (1939), Road To Singapore (1940), The Ghost Breakers (1940), Road To Zanzibar (1941), Caught In The Draft (1941), Nothing But The Truth (1941), My Favorite Blonde (1942), Road To Morocco (1942), Road To Utopia (1946), The Paleface (1948) and Alias Jesse James (1959)
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Label: Kino Lorber Studio Classics
  • My Rating: 9/10
  • Quick Comments
    • On The Movie Itself: Check overall impressions.
    • On The Transfer: When Kino Lorber Studio Classics originally announced that they had licensed this film (before they had a street date), it was said that this transfer was going to be from a 4K scan of the best available elements done by Universal. While that comment was later dropped for the official press release (and the back of the Blu-ray case), I can confirm that this film looks quite good! The picture is highly detailed, and most of the scratches, dirt and debris have been cleaned up (and what remains really isn’t that distracting). So, this release is indeed the best way to see this movie!

Fancy Pants (1950)

  • Plot Synopses: Hoping to impress nouveau riche Agatha Floud (Lucille Ball) and her mother Effie (Lea Penman), an Englishman hires a group of actors to portray his family and servants. It doesn’t go well, but Effie decides to bring the “butler” Humphrey (Bob Hope) back to their home in Big Squaw, New Mexico, in order to help reform her down-to-earth husband. Trouble arises when her husband misinterprets her message about Humphrey, and tells everybody in town that Humphrey is an earl that was pursuing Agatha (which especially infuriates Agatha’s self-appointed beau, Cart Belknap, as played by Bruce Cabot). Word about the “earl” even reaches President Theodore Roosevelt (John Alexander), who decides to come meet him. With all the townspeople hoping that the president’s visit will help them to achieve statehood, can Humphrey and the Flouds successfully pull off this deception?
  • Film Length: 1 hour, 32 minutes
  • Extras: Trailers for Fancy Pants (1950), Never Say Die (1939), The Cat And The Canary (1939), Road To Singapore (1940), The Ghost Breakers (1940), Road To Zanzibar (1941), Caught In The Draft (1941), Nothing But The Truth (1941), My Favorite Blonde (1942), Road To Morocco (1942), Road To Utopia (1946), Where There’s Life (1947), The Paleface (1948), Sorrowful Jones (1949) and Alias Jesse James (1959); KLSC Bob Hope Promo
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Label: Kino Lorber Studio Classics
  • My Rating: 9/10
  • Quick Comments
    • On The Movie Itself: Check overall impressions.
    • On The Transfer: According to the Blu-ray case, this film was “Remastered in HD by Paramount Pictures — From 4K Scans of the 35mm YCM Three-Strip Technicolor Elements.” Having seen this release, I would guess that either Kino was given the wrong transfer, or that it was done poorly. Compared to Warner Archive Collection’s releases of three-strip Technicolor films, this one is at times out of focus and the color doesn’t seem quite as vivid as one would like. Also, there is periodically some dust and dirt (nothing major, but it is there). It does look decent at times, but that really is all that can be said about this release. It’s still recommended, if only because the movie itself is such a hoot.

My Overall Impressions

Like my post in this series for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, I have eschewed individual comments on these films to reflect on Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour’s presence in these films. Now that I’ve seen all four films, I can express my thoughts about all of them with regard to Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Monsieur Beaucaire, Where There’s Life and Fancy Pants all feature Bob Hope with his usual screen persona, that of a coward who keeps dishing out quips but manages to be a hero when the chips are down. While none of these films have any “Bing-Crosby-cameo-in-a-Bob-Hope-film” appearances, Bing is referenced in both Monsieur Beaucaire and Where There’s Life (okay, it might be pushing it a bit to say that he’s referenced in Monsieur Beaucaire, but who says “bing” instead of “bang” when talking about someone being shot, especially in a Bob Hope film?). For Monsieur Beaucaire, Bob’s big comedic moments (apart from his quips) are his obsession with his girlfriend Mimi due to his worries about the other lotharios in the French court (which actually leads to them gaining an interest) and the final swordfight between him and Joseph Schildkraut’s General Don Francisco. As to Where There’s Life, some of his best moments come when dealing with William Bendix’s Victor O’Brien, the cop brother of Vera Marshe’s Hazel, especially when Bob’s Michael Valentine tries to explain the ridiculous situation that he finds himself in. Fancy Pants finds Bob working with Lucille Ball for the second time (following the previous year’s Sorrowful Jones). Obviously, the two of them working together is the film’s main highlight. Apart from that, Bob’s other highlights include all his run-ins with her character’s self-appointed boyfriend Cart Belknap (as played by Bruce Cabot), particularly their final brawl. Also, the film’s “fox hunt” for President Roosevelt is quite hilarious! In The Last Train To Madrid, Dorothy Lamour finds her character torn between two old friends, one of whom has been incarcerated for a few years, and the other is a captain who just helped his friend escape from certain death. She only has a few appearances, but she manages to convey her feelings quite well, as we see her try to figure out which of the two friends she really loves (all while planning to escape from the city). There are certainly other memorable moments in these films, but the ones I mentioned are among the standouts.

Well, now that I’ve commented on all four of these films, I’ll give you my rankings on these releases, from highly recommended (1.) to least recommended (4.):

  1. Where There’s Life (1947)
  2. Fancy Pants (1950)
  3. The Last Train From Madrid (1937)
  4. Monsieur Beaucaire (1946)

When it comes to which of these releases are recommended, this is a slightly tougher decision. For me, all three Bob Hope films (Monsieur Beaucaire, Where There’s Life and Fancy Pants) are extremely enjoyable movies that keep me laughing and eager to return to them (and I’d give a slight edge to Fancy Pants from that group), and, while not *quite* as good, The Last Train From Madrid was also up there. However, other factors are also at play here. Where There’s Life and The Last Train From Madrid both have the superior transfers, with very little damage present. Fancy Pants almost feels like it used the earlier DVD transfer (in spite of what the case states), but, whether that is true or not, it’s not up to snuff for a three-strip Technicolor film. Monsieur Beaucaire also came out looking less-than-stellar (whether it’s because of the state of the film elements used or who did the restoration work, I don’t know). Coming back around to The Last Train From Madrid, my main knock against the film is that Dorothy Lamour, despite being top-billed in the credits, has very little screen time (and, considering this post is on the films of Bob and Dorothy, that does affect my opinion here at least slightly). Obviously, these films didn’t all come out equally here, but I would still say that every one of them has at least something to recommend about it.

Other 2022 Release Roundups

Blu-ray Roundup #1

Blu-ray Roundup #2

4K UHD Roundup

Fred Astaire And Ginger Rogers Roundup

W. C. Fields Roundup

Bing Crosby Roundup

“Screen Team (Bob Hope And Dorothy Lamour) Of The Month (May 2022)” Featuring Bob Hope in… My Favorite Spy (1951)

We’re back for one final film as part of May’s Screen Team Of The Month featuring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour! To finish it off, we’ve got one of Bob Hope’s solo outings, the 1951 comedy My Favorite Spy, also starring Hedy Lamarr!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Wet Blanket Policy (1948)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Woody Woodpecker Screwball Collection from Universal Studios)

(Length: 6 minutes, 25 seconds)

Woody Woodpecker is pushed by insurance salesman Buzz Buzzard into signing an insurance policy… with Buzz as the beneficiary! This one was an entertaining short, with a different slant than usual for a Woody Woodpecker cartoon. Usually, he’s the one being the pest for everybody else, but here, Buzz makes him look like a good guy! This time, Woody is mostly on the run from Buzz, who just keeps coming back after Woody hits him. I won’t say that it’s the greatest Woody Woodpecker cartoon, as the interplay between Woody and Buzz falls short of that between Woody and Wally Walrus. Still, it provided a few good laughs, making it worth returning to in the future!

And Now For The Main Feature…

At an airport, Eric Augustine (Bob Hope) is trying to evade some agents trying to capture him. He manages to get away, and the agents turn to the local police to help them catch him. The police pick up vaudeville comedian Peanuts White (Bob Hope) (who greatly resembles Eric). Peanuts tries to convince them of his identity, but they don’t believe him. That is, until they receive word that the real Eric is still hiding at the airport, so they let Peanuts go. However, they have to turn to Peanuts for help when the real Eric is injured in a shootout with the agents. They need Peanuts to impersonate Eric, who was going to buy a top-secret microfilm, but Peanuts, a bit of a coward, wants nothing to do with their spy intrigues. It takes a phone call from the U.S. President Harry Truman to convince Peanuts to go through with the whole charade. The agents help make him over to look more like Eric, and help him learn not only how to act like Eric, but who all Eric’s “friends” and enemies are. Upon getting him through enough training, Peanuts is sent off to Tangier. Upon arriving, he narrowly escapes an assassination attempt before ending up in a cab with Eric’s on-again-off-again lover (and fellow spy), Lily Dalbray (Hedy Lamarr). She quickly resumes her romance with “Eric,” but what Peanuts doesn’t know is that she is working for his nemesis, Karl Brubaker (Frances L. Sullivan). The plan is for her to steal the microfilm from “Eric” when he gets it, and have him killed. At the hotel he is staying at, Peanuts meets Tasso (Arnold Moss), another agent posing as “Eric’s” valet. Peanuts only has eyes for Lily, so Tasso has to keep reminding him that anybody could be passing him info on when and where he should meet with Rudolph Hoenig (Luis Van Rooten), the man who possesses the microfilm. Of course, while all this is going on, the real Eric has gotten away from the agents, and is making his way to Tangier. With all the double-crossing going on around him, can Peanuts successfully get the microfilm AND get out of the country alive? And will Lily fall for him, or follow through with her plan to have him killed?

With both My Favorite Blonde (1942) and My Favorite Brunette (1947) doing well for him, of course Bob Hope was going to return to this “series” again. For My Favorite Spy, he went back to spoofing the spy genre. Joining him for this third go-round (without any reference to her hair color in the film’s title) was Hedy Lamarr, whose own career was waning at this point. She hoped that, by working with Bob (then one of Hollywood’s biggest stars), she might be able to reverse that decline. Of course, the initial idea for the film was slightly different than what we got, with Bob’s character of Peanuts initially envisioned as being a schoolteacher (instead of a vaudevillian) being sent to Cairo (the movie’s working title was Passage To Cairo). But, things changed as they went along. Reportedly, Hedy Lamarr proved more adept at comedy (possibly even upstaging Bob Hope), resulting in Bob having some of the movie re-edited to make him the funnier one. The movie’s premiere took place at the home of Anne Kuchinka in Bellaire, Ohio (she had won a radio contest through Bob’s program in which people wrote letters giving reasons why the premiere should be held in their own home).

I’ve seen this one once or twice before, and I will admit that it’s one that I enjoy. As usual for a Bob Hope film, he’s certainly got his quips throughout, which usually land pretty well for a few good laughs. One of the film’s most memorable moments is when Bob’s main character, Peanuts, gets a dose of truth serum, with unexpected results (since the bad guys still think that he is the spy). I also enjoy the final chase sequence, which with its fire truck antics, is reminiscent of similar moments in the classic comedies Never Give A Sucker An Even Break (1941) and In Society (1944) (although, unlike those two films, it doesn’t share any footage). The film isn’t without its faults, though. For one thing, there’s no cameo from Bing Crosby (outside of a veiled reference). I’ll grant you that it’s not a major thing, since he didn’t make cameos in every Bob Hope film, but his presence is missed after he did make appearances in the other two “My Favorite” films. Another problem for me is that it feels like they really underused the “real” Eric Augustine in this movie. For the most part, he’s really not there a lot, and when he is around, he really doesn’t speak much, if at all (which is certainly enough to make you pause and wonder how everybody else mistook the far chattier Peanuts White for him). I don’t know how much of that is the tech (and its cost), but it just takes away from what could have been something more. It’s certainly far from a perfect film, but I think it provides enough humorous moments that I don’t mind coming back to it every now and again. Maybe for others, it might be better as a rental, but I think it’s worth recommending, anyway.

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Olive Films.

Film Length: 1 hour, 34 minutes

My Rating: 7/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) – Bob Hope – Son Of Paleface (1952)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

Film Legends Of Yesteryear: Screen Team & “Screen Team Of The Month (May 2022)” Featuring Bob Hope And Dorothy Lamour in… My Favorite Brunette (1947)

Well, since I’m not doing as many films this month, I’m going to start off with a movie featuring this month’s Screen Team, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour! That film would be the 1947 comedy My Favorite Brunette, which also features Peter Lorre and Lon Chaney, Jr.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Fair Weather Fiends (1946)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Woody Woodpecker Screwball Collection from Universal Studios)

(Length: 6 minutes, 46 seconds)

Everything is just fine for Woody Woodpecker and his friend, Wolfie Wolf, as they sail around on their boat, eating all day long. Then a storm leaves them stranded without food on an island, and hunger sets in. This one was quite humorous, with the two attempting to eat each other. I’ll admit, the story was fairly predictable, pitting the two “friends” against each other when they get hungry, but they did have another bird to compete over briefly, which added to the hilarity. Not the most original cartoon, but it was funny, and I certainly would gladly watch it again!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) is a baby photographer, but he dreams of being a private eye, just like Sam McCloud (Alan Ladd), whose office is right across from Ronnie’s studio. While Sam is away on a trip, Ronnie messes around in Sam’s office (since Sam asked him to man the phones while he is away) when Baroness Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour) comes in. Mistaking him for Sam, she asks for his help in finding her missing wheelchair-bound husband. She leaves a map with him to keep hidden, and gives him an address to meet her at. Ronnie decides to take her case, especially when he sees her being followed by someone else, and drives out to the address. It turns out to be the mansion home of a friend of her family’s, Major Simon Montague (Charles Dingle). While she is out answering a call, the major tells Ronnie that her “husband” (actually, her uncle, as she thought that making him out to be her husband would make the case more attractive to “Sam”) is alright, and that she is currently mentally disturbed (which is why the baron is hiding in another room). At first, Ronnie believes the major based on her behavior when she returns, but, upon exiting the mansion, he looks in a window and sees the “baron” up and walking around (which he takes a picture of), leaving him to believe Carlotta’s story. He is discovered and makes a run for it, but one of Montague’s henchman, Kismet (Peter Lorre), follows him and attempts to burn the photo and its negative. Ronnie later tries to bring the police up to the mansion, but they don’t find anybody there (except for Kismet, who is posing as a gardener). Still suspicious, Ronnie tries to sneak in and look for clues. He does indeed find one (which was planted in an obvious spot for him to see by Kismet). Ronnie follows the clue to a sanitarium, where he is captured and held prisoner, alongside Carlotta and the real baron. While Montague explains to Ronnie what is really going on (he wants the baron’s mineral rights to a uranium mine), the baron secretly gives Carlotta a message to go see an engineer who had helped him put together the map (the one Carlotta had asked Ronnie to keep hidden). When they get the chance, Ronnie and Carlotta escape, and make their way to see the engineer, James Collins (Reginald Denny). However, before they can bring any of this to the police, Kismet kills James and makes it look like Ronnie did it. Ronnie gets away from the police, and escapes to Washington, D.C. with Carlotta. There, they attempt to stop Montague from getting the mineral rights, but will they ultimately be successful?

During the latter part of World War II, Bob Hope had some issues with the studio heads at Paramount Pictures, as he had wanted to hold onto more of his salary. It had been suggested to him by a big show business lawyer that he should form his own production company, and make his movies in partnership with Paramount. While he liked the idea, the heads at Paramount did not, and he was suspended for a few years. Of course, he had all his work with the USO to keep him busy, and enough popularity with audiences that the studio finally relented, and Hope Enterprises, Inc. was born. For their first production, they went with My Favorite Brunette, a sequel (in name only) to his earlier hit, My Favorite Blonde. Of course, with his own money being put in the picture, Bob Hope (known for goofing off on the set of his movies) took things a bit more seriously this time around. Given that they were spoofing film noir this time around, they were able to get genre regular Peter Lorre, as well as Lon Chaney, Jr. (in his first film upon leaving Universal Pictures). It worked well enough at the box office, though, as Hope Enterprises continued to produce Bob’s movies, and the My Favorite series would be revisited one more time in the early 1950s with My Favorite Spy.

Personally, I’ve seen My Favorite Brunette a number of times over the years, and enjoyed it. But when watching it for this review (the first time I’ve seen it in most of a decade), the film overall made a lot more sense to me. The biggest reason, of course, is that I am now a lot more familiar with the film noir genre (having mainly seen a bunch of movies from the genre after I made the jump to HD in 2014). So, that makes the presence of Alan Ladd (in a brief cameo as Sam McCloud) and Peter Lorre much better, as well as Lon Chaney, Jr., in a role reminiscent of the type that Mike Mazurki would normally be playing. Of course, the movie itself is fun because of Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour! While the film has many wonderful comedic moments, one of the most memorable is the scene where Bob’s Ronnie has just been told that Dottie’s Carlotta is crazy (while she was out of the room), and, when she comes in, she more or less does act a bit crazy, especially in the way that she handles the letter opener she is carrying (I know I certainly would be questioning her sanity while she is doing that)! And this film has what I consider to be one of the best “Bing Crosby cameo in a Bob Hope movie” moments (I can’t really say anything more without spoiling things, it’s one of those things that just HAS to be seen)! Quite simply stated, this is a fantastic comedy, with a great cast! I personally consider it the best of the My Favorite series with Bob Hope, and I have no trouble whatsoever in recommending it!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Film Length: 1 hour, 28 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Road To Utopia (1946) – Bob Hope – Road To Rio (1947)

Road To Utopia (1946) – Dorothy Lamour – Road To Rio (1947)

The Maltese Falcon (1941) – Peter Lorre – Silk Stockings (1957)

Road To Utopia (1946) – Bob Hope/Dorothy Lamour (screen team) – Road To Rio (1947)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

TFTMM’s Screen Team Edition Presents “Screen Team Of The Month (May 2022)” Featuring Bob Hope And Dorothy Lamour

Well, May has arrived, which means that it’s time to “announce” my Screen Team for the month: Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour! (What’s that? You figured that out from reading this post’s title? Well, that’s just cheating!) 😉 As I’d mentioned before, I am no longer doing these series of screen teams/stars of the month as a blogathon, but I’m certainly open to anybody else interested in joining in if they so choose!

Table Of Contents

Quick Film Career Bio

Bob Hope

Birth: May 29, 1903

Death: July 27, 2003

Leslie Townes Hope was born on May 29, 1903 to William Henry Hope and Avis Townes in Eltham, London in the U.K. A few years later, the Hope family emigrated to the United States, where they took up residence in Cleveland, Ohio. As a kid, Bob did a number of odd jobs to help bring in some extra money, but he really found his niche as a performer, famously winning a talent contest with his impersonation of Charlie Chaplin in 1915. He briefly toyed around with the idea of being a boxer, but instead went into vaudeville as part of a dance team with his girlfriend at the time. He worked with different partners and different acts, until he was given the opportunity to emcee a show, where he realized he was funnier on his own. He enjoyed some success on Broadway, particularly with the show Roberta.

He did some shorts for both Educational Pictures and Warner Brothers, but none of them really made much of a mark. With his success on Broadway, though, he found himself with a new audience via radio. Hollywood came a-calling, mainly through Paramount Pictures, who cast him in The Big Broadcast Of 1938 (1938) (which also included Dorothy Lamour in the cast). While the film itself wasn’t that memorable, his duet with Shirley Ross, “Thanks For The Memories,” became a hit and essentially became Bob’s theme song, not only for his radio show but for many of his future endeavors. Paramount kept putting Bob to work in different movies, while he tried to work on his screen persona (which really started to take shape with the following year’s The Cat And The Canary). However, it would take being re-teamed with Dorothy Lamour and being cast opposite Paramount’s big star, Bing Crosby in Road To Singapore (not to mention all the ad-libbing that was involved) to turn Bob into one of the studio’s biggest stars. Throughout the remainder of the 1940s (and beyond), Bob continued to enjoy success with more Road films, the My Favorite series that started with My Favorite Blonde (1942), and the Paleface films. The fifties found him continuing to do comedies, but he also attempted to prove his acting abilities with a few dramatic parts. However, with his increasing focus on TV and changing audience tastes, his film career started to peter off in the 1960s, with his last starring role being in the 1972 film Cancel My Reservation.

In the early part of World War II, Bob Hope did a special performance for some troops at California’s March Field. Having always preferred the genuine laughs from a live audience, he now found himself with a lifelong mission of performing for American troops through the USO (United Service Organizations). He recorded some of his radio shows in front of servicemen, and when he made the switch to television in the fifties, he continued the practice (especially during wartime). It had its ups and downs (especially during the Vietnam War), but he continued to appear in television specials up through the 1990s (along with a few guest appearances on various TV programs). He finally retired in the latter part of the 90s, with his health starting to fail him. He celebrated his 100th birthday in May 2003, before he passed away from a bout with pneumonia on July 27, 2003.

Dorothy Lamour

Birth: December 10, 1914

Death: September 22, 1996

On December 10, 1914, Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton was born to Carmen Louise and John Watson Slaton in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a teenager of about 14 or 15, she left high school with the intention of working as a secretary to help support her mother and herself. She started entering beauty pageants, and was crowned Miss New Orleans in 1931. She and her mother relocated to Chicago, IL where she briefly worked as an elevator operator. After an audition, she was hired to sing with Herbie Kaye’s orchestra. This led to her working both onstage and on the radio for a few years. At one point, she was making an appearance at the Clover Club in Los Angeles, California, when a representative of Paramount Pictures saw her there. She was given the opportunity to do a screen test, and so Paramount Pictures hired her, with her making an uncredited appearance in College Holiday (1936).

Her next film at Paramount was The Jungle Princess (1936), which was her first starring role (and the one that established her as the “Sarong Girl”). Over the next few years, she had a variety of both starring roles and supporting ones opposite some of the big stars of Hollywood (including, as I mentioned before, starring in Bob Hope’s first film, The Big Broadcast Of 1938). Like Bob, she found greater fame through the Road series (especially since she was able to spoof her image as the “Sarong Girl”), holding her own against the constant ad-libbing from her two co-stars. With the U.S. getting involved in World War II, she became a popular pinup girl for American servicemen, and volunteered to help sell war bonds (doing so well she earned the nickname “The Bond Bombshell”). She continued to do a variety of different roles at Paramount (musical, comedy and drama), through the end of the war and into 1947, before she left Paramount.

She made a few films for independent producers, but none of them were that popular with audiences. After doing the film noir Manhandled (1949), she took some time off from Hollywood to be with her second husband William Ross Howard III and their two sons. She started to make a comeback through The Greatest Show On Earth (1952) and Road To Bali (1952), but, big as those roles were, they weren’t resulting in better film offers. So, she concentrated on performing in nightclubs and on stage (with some television appearances thrown in). She came back for a cameo appearance for The Road To Hong Kong (1962) (at Bob Hope’s insistence, since Bing Crosby had wanted somebody younger for the female lead) and made a few other film appearances alongside her guest star gigs on various TV shows. From the 1970s onward, she mainly focused on TV and the stage, with her autobiography, My Side Of The Road, getting published in 1980. She continued to work into the 1990s before finally passing away after she suffered a heart attack on September 22, 1996.

My Own Feelings On Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour

Bob Hope was one of the first classic movie stars that I took a liking to. The Princess And The Pirate (1944) was the first film of his that I can remember seeing, although I didn’t really start to focus in on him until I started seeing the Road series with his co-stars Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. After watching all the films from that series in short order, I started trying out more of Bob’s solo comedies, and found them just as enjoyable. For me, he came into his own once he did The Cat And The Canary, with most of his films faring quite well up through Alias Jesse James. While I’ve enjoyed some of his films after that (during the 1960s), they were nowhere near as good as his earlier fare. I may not be quite as much of a fan as I was initially, but he was essentially my gateway drug to classic films.

Dorothy Lamour took me a bit longer to come around to. Certainly, I enjoyed seeing her in the Road films with Bing and Bob (and when she was reduced to a cameo appearance for The Road To Hong Kong, it became quite obvious to me just how necessary she was to the rest of the series). Apart from the Road series, my main exposure to her was through the films she did with Bob Hope (plus her cameo appearance in Here Comes The Groom). That’s been starting to change the last couple of years, with a few of her solo efforts starting to get released on Blu-ray (though none of her famous “sarong” films have made it to the format as of this writing). While I don’t favor her as much as I do Bing and Bob, I can’t deny that she has been interesting to see in the handful of movies that I’ve managed to find so far.

As a team, they’ve been a lot of fun together. Since they essentially started working together on Bob’s first film (Big Broadcast Of 1938), they were able to develop some chemistry early on (although it really started to kick in with Road To Singapore, their second film together). Frankly, I think they are best together in their films apart from the Road series, where they are able to show off their chemistry a lot more (as opposed to the Road series, where she’s generally caught in the middle of Bing and Bob, with a greater preference for Bing’s characters, a running joke in the series). While they apparently had some issues getting along offscreen from some of what I’ve read, it’s nice to know that at least Bob knew she was more necessary to the Road series when it came time to making The Road To Hong Kong and fought for her inclusion in the film. I do like them together (and I can say that, having essentially seen all of the movies that they did together that I know of), which is certainly one of the reasons I decided to pick them as one of my featured Screen Teams!

Bob Hope Filmography

This is a list of all the films that I personally have reviewed from his filmography so far. Obviously, I will be adding to it throughout the month of May, and it is my plan to add to it as I review more and more of his films even beyond this month’s celebration.

College Swing (1938)

The Cat And The Canary (1939)

Road To Singapore (1940)

The Ghost Breakers (1940)

Road To Zanzibar (1941)

Caught In The Draft (1941)

Road To Morocco (1942)

Road To Utopia (1946)

My Favorite Brunette (1947)

Road To Rio (1947)

The Paleface (1948) (Original) (Update)

The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)

My Favorite Spy (1951)

Son Of Paleface (1952)

Road To Bali (1952)

Alias Jesse James (1959)

The Road To Hong Kong (1962)

Dorothy Lamour Filmography

This is a list of all the films that I personally have reviewed from her filmography so far. Obviously, I will be adding to it throughout the month of May, and it is my plan to add to it as I review more and more of her films even beyond this month’s celebration.

Spawn Of The North (1938)

Road To Singapore (1940)

Road To Zanzibar (1941)

Caught In The Draft (1941)

Road To Morocco (1942)

Road To Utopia (1946)

My Favorite Brunette (1947)

Road To Rio (1947)

Lulu Belle (1948)

Here Comes The Groom (1951) (cameo)

Road To Bali (1952)

The Road To Hong Kong (1962)

Entries For This Month

Thoughts From The Music(al) Man –

My Favorite Brunette (1947)

Lulu Belle (1948)

My Favorite Spy (1951)

Bob Hope And Dorothy Lamour Roundup

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2021) with… Alias Jesse James (1959)

I’ve covered two of comedian Bob Hope’s western comedies previously, and now I’m back for the third one, the 1959 film Alias Jesse James, which also stars Rhonda Fleming and Wendell Corey!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Bargain Day (1931)

(available on Blu-ray as part of The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 2 (1930-1931) from ClassicFlix)

(Length: 19 minutes, 1 second)

Wheezer (Bobby Hutchins) and Stymie (Matthew Beard) take the other kids’ things, and try to sell them door-to-door. When they come to the home of a poor little rich girl (Shirley Jean Rickert), they come in and get into trouble. This was another fun one, particularly following Stymie around the house as he got into various mischief. I particularly got a good laugh out of the three kids doing their little “Watt Street” comedy bit (a strong reminder of “Who’s On First” and similar comedy routines). Again, this one was a lot of fun, and one I certainly would recommend for its charm and humor!

And Now For The Main Feature…

It’s the early 1880s. At the Plymouth Rock Insurance Company in New York City, Titus Queasly (Will Wright) is looking at how his insurance salemen are doing. When he sees that Milford Farnsworth (Bob Hope) hasn’t sold a good policy in quite some time, he decides to fire Milford. At a local bar, Milford tries to get his job back by selling a policy to the bartender when he is overheard by a stranger in town. That stranger likes what he hears, and decides to buy a $100,000 policy and pays it in full. Taking the policy back to his boss (after getting a doctor to sign off on the policy), Milford is welcomed back with open arms. That is, until Mr. Queasly gets a look at a newspaper, and sees that the infamous outlaw Jesse James (Wendell Corey) has been in the city. When he shows the picture to Milford, he realizes that the stranger he had sold the policy to was indeed the famous outlaw. Mr. Queasly orders him to take the train to Angel’s Rest, Missouri to either buy back the policy from Jesse or protect him at all costs. On the train ride there, Jesse James stops the train and robs everybody, including Milford. Once he gets to town (after the robbery), Milford has the telegraph operator send his boss a message to wire him more money to pay Jesse. He tries looking for Jesse in town, but Jesse’s men pick on him and chase him out of town on the train. When Jesse learns from the telegraph operator that Milford had sent for more money, Jesse goes after him on the train, and brings him back to the James ranch as a guest. That night at a party being held at the ranch, Milford formally meets and falls for saloon singer Cora Lee Collins (Rhonda Fleming), who is Jesse’s “girlfriend” (as in, she doesn’t like him, but he likes her and he always gets what he wants). Afterwards, Milford finds out that a gunslinger has come calling for Jesse, planning to shoot him in the morning in the town. To prevent that, Milford dresses himself in Jesse’s clothes and rides into town. When facing the gunslinger, Milford pretends to surrender, then lifts his hat to fire his two guns (which were wired together), wounding the gunslinger. Impressed, Cora Lee kisses him and asks him to leave town before he gets hurt, although he refuses, still believing he needs to protect Jesse. When Jesse comes riding in, he realizes that, if Milford is killed (while dressed like Jesse), then they can claim that Jesse James is dead, and he can collect the insurance money (that would go to his beneficiary, Cora Lee). With Jesse now planning to kill him, will Milford be able to survive? Or will he need the insurance that he’s been peddling?

With Bob Hope returning to spoof the Western genre again, following his earlier films The Paleface (1948) and Son Of Paleface (1952), it’s a natural that this one is a lot of fun, too! Personally, I feel that Alias Jesse James‘ tone is somewhere in between those two, as it does have some elements that are almost cartoonish in nature, while still not going full-fledged live-action-cartoon (like Son Of Paleface). Regardless of tone, it’s a film that promises a lot of hilarity, and keeps that promise! I know that I get a good kick out of watching Bob Hope’s Milford getting pushed by his horse into the gunfight with Snake Brice (played by Jack Lambert), and then winning by lifting his hat (which, as I said, had strings tied to the triggers of his gun, which wing the gunslinger enough to end the fight). Then, of course, when Wendell Corey’s Jesse James first tries to kill Milford after holding up the train, Milford later arrives at the ranch while riding a cow! Then, of course, there is the slow-motion fight when Jesse and his men are all under the influence of mushrooms! I could also mention the film’s finale (and I will, but I’ll do that to end this post under a spoiler alert). Plain and simple, this is a fun film! Sure, it’s not perfect. The film certainly treats the Native Americans better than the earlier two films (where they were essentially one-dimensional villains), although Milford referring to two Native Americans on the train as “foreigners” hasn’t aged the best (even if it was the character being angry at discovering that they were salesmen for another insurance company after he gave them his sales pitch). To a degree, there’s not a lot of character work here, as far as arcs are concerned. And, for better or worse, Bob Hope’s age was showing, particularly off-camera, as he passed out (when trying to film what I can only assume was the final chase sequence, which was done on a treadmill in front of a rear projection screen) and had to be taken to the emergency room. Still, for a film made when it seems like Bob Hope’s movie career was already going downhill, I feel like it’s his last really great comedy (with the rest after it ranging from decent to awful). I think it’s one that anybody can enjoy (and I certainly like watching it with some frequency!), so I have no problem whatsoever in recommending it!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. This release seems to be using an older HD scan. It’s definitely got some good moments, where the detail looks quite good, as well as the color. That’s not completely true of the whole film, but most of those other issues are still relatively minor, and likely source-related. As good as this film is, I wish it could get a full restoration to improve the detail and color (but it’s owned by the current MGM, which would seem to mean that that is unlikely in the near future). So, for now, this is as good as it gets (and that’s good enough for me)!

Spoiler Alert:

Well, now that we’re under the spoiler alert, we can talk about this film’s very memorable finale. The whole thing starts with the aforementioned chase sequence, with Milford (Bob Hope) and Cora Lee (Rhonda Fleming) riding through the countryside on a buckboard (well, she’s riding, as he is forced to run in the hole he created when he tried to jump on the buckboard from a roof). Once they get to town, Milford faces off against the James gang. Like in The Paleface, Hope’s character is a poor shot with a gun. However, he doesn’t know that, as he is being secretly helped in what I can only call “the Western crossover to end all Western crossovers!” On the TV side, we’ve got Roy Rogers (from The Roy Rogers Show, as well as Bob’s Son Of Paleface co-star), Hugh O’Brian (Wyatt Earp, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp), Ward Bond (Major Seth Adams, Wagon Train), James Arness (Sheriff Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke), Fess Parker (Davy Crockett, Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett), Gail Davis (Annie Oakley, Annie Oakley) and Jay Silverheels (Tonto, The Lone Ranger). We also get Western movie star Gary Cooper and the requisite “Bing Crosby cameo in a Bob Hope film” (because, as he says in the movie, “This fella needs all the help he can get.”) Granted, all of these appearances feel like the stars just filmed them whenever their schedule allowed, so nobody interacts with each other (or the film’s main characters). That, and a few of them do something that feels out of character (not only for their characters, but for anybody in a Western): they put their guns back in their holster even before the gunfight is finished! Still, this scene is a lot of fun, and the movie is worth seeing just for this sequence alone!

End Spoiler Alert

Film Length: 1 hour, 33 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Road To Bali (1952) – Bob Hope – The Road To Hong Kong (1962)

The Killer Is Loose (1956) – Rhonda Fleming

The Killer Is Loose (1956) – Wendell Corey

Love In The Afternoon (1957) – Gary Cooper – They Came To Cordura (1959)

High Society (1957) – Bing Crosby – High Time (1960)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2021) with… My Favorite Blonde (1942)

We’ve got yet another Bob Hope comedy! This time, it’s the 1942 film that set out to prove that Bob Hope considered actress Madeleine Carroll “My Favorite Blonde!”

Coming Up Shorts! with… T.V. Of Tomorrow (1953)

(Available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 2 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 7 seconds)

We are shown the many innovations of the television of tomorrow. Another funny cartoon, even if it is a little dated, as the technology ideas revolve around what TV was like back then. Of course, it throws in a joke about not being able to find much on, as it jokes about westerns being on everywhere (which wasn’t far from the truth not long after this short was created). I had a few good laughs seeing Tex Avery’s usual type of gags as he made fun of television, and certainly look forward to revisiting this one in the future! Only problem with this short is some audio issues at the very beginning of the short (they don’t prevent you from understanding everything, but you can tell there’s something wrong, just the same).

And Now For The Main Feature…

Everything is starting to look good for vaudevillian Larry Haines (Bob Hope). He’s part of an act with his penguin, Percy. Hollywood has come a-calling for Percy, and Larry has a job on that picture as Percy’s trainer. But things start to go awry when he meets Karen Bentley (Madeleine Carroll). She decides to go along with him to Los Angeles, which he doesn’t mind at first. But, then she starts acting a little crazy, which drives him nuts. What he doesn’t know, though, is that she is a British agent who needs to deliver a flight plan for American bombers to somebody in Chicago, but she is being chased by enemy agents. As he gets on a train, she pins the plans (contained in a scorpion medallion) on his coat and leaves, planning to catch up with him later. The enemy agents get on the train with Larry and intimidate him when he is in the club car (although he is able to get away before they can do anything further). After another train stop, Karen catches up with him and continues the trip to Chicago with Larry. When he changes his coat, she steals his luggage (to get the coat that had the scorpion pinned on it) and runs off. She goes to an apartment (with Larry following), where she discovers that an agent she was supposed to meet has been murdered. With Larry trying to take back his suitcase, Karen now has no choice but to tell him the truth. Although he is unwilling to accept it at first, he believes her when, upon trying to leave, a knife is thrown at him (and misses). Karen knows she needs to go on with the scorpion, but is unsure of how to get out of the apartment with the enemy agents lying in wait. Larry quickly gets an idea to stage a wife-beating incident in the hopes that they will get a police escort out of there (which they do). As the police escort them to jail, Larry and Karen decide to make up in a sickeningly sweet manner, which results in the police letting them go. Of course, the enemy wasn’t idle during that time, as they decided to call the police themselves and report the murder of the other agent, blaming Larry for it. With a new manhunt on for the two of them, Larry and Karen must stay on the run as they continue towards L.A. Can they make it in time to get the flight plans delivered, or will the enemy agents win out?

In the early 1940s, comedian Bob Hope had a bit of a crush on actress Madeleine Carroll, which he used to really talk up on his radio show. Figuring the free publicity would help her career, she asked to be on his radio show, and then he took things a step further by asking her to be in My Favorite Blonde. Of course, the film ended up spoofing some of the types of thrillers that Alfred Hitchcock was known for at the time (including the 1935 film The 39 Steps, which Madeleine Carroll had starred in). My Favorite Blonde turned out to be another hit, and one that started yet another series for star Bob Hope, with My Favorite Brunette (1947) and My Favorite Spy (1951) following.

I’ve had the opportunity to see this one many times over the last two decades, and it’s one I enjoy coming back to periodically! Bob is funny, as usual, with his quips providing much of the humor (especially those insulting his Road movies co-star Bing Crosby). And, speaking of Crosby, he makes the first of what would become many cameo appearances in Bob’s films (and causing Bob’s character to do a double-take). Of course, there are other fun moments, too, whether it be any of the times that Madeleine Carroll’s Karen changes her character in front of the enemy agents, all the while making Bob’s Larry think that she’s flipped her lid. Then there’s the moment on the train where the enemy agents just sit there in the club car, intimidating Larry (and all while not doing anything more than staring intensely at him). And, speaking of those agents, they are well-cast, with Gale Sondergaard continuing to show how good she is as a villainess in creeping others out. It’s not a spy movie, at least, not in the way most would think in an era where we have the likes of James Bond, the Bourne franchise, or any number of action films. Still, it’s an entertaining ride, and well worth giving a chance!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring a new 2K master. The transfer looks pretty good, for the most part. There are some shots that don’t look as good (particularly some of the foggy scenes early in the movie), but I suspect a lot of that has to do with the limitations of the source elements used. It’s still a huge improvement over what was previously available, with most of the dirt and debris cleaned up, so I would definitely say it’s the best way to enjoy this movie!

Film Length: 1 hour, 18 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Nothing But The Truth (1941) – Bob Hope – Road To Morocco (1942)

Road To Zanzibar (1941) – Bing Crosby – Holiday Inn (1942)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

Screen Team Edition: Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard

I’m back for another round of Screen Team Edition, and, this time, the focus is on Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, who made three films together: The Cat And The Canary, The Ghost Breakers and Nothing But The Truth. Of course, before I comment on this pair , I have the plot descriptions for all three of the movies that they made together.

The Cat And The Canary: Lawyer Crosby (George Zucco) comes out to the isolated mansion of the late Cyrus Norman. There, he is to read Cyrus’s will to his potential heirs, including Wally Campbell (Bob Hope), Joyce Norman (Paulette Goddard), Fred Blythe (John Beal), Charlie Wilder (Douglass Montgomery), Aunt Susan (Elizabeth Patterson) and Cicily (Nydia Westman). According to the will, Joyce is to inherit everything, unless she dies or goes insane in a short period of time (at which point everything would go to the second heir, whose name was being kept hidden in a second envelope). Since the mansion is rather isolated in the swamps, with no way for anybody to get away that night, they are all given rooms to spend the night in. Soon, some rather spooky things start happening, particularly around Joyce, including Crosby disappearing while he was trying to warn Joyce. While all the remaining men volunteer to help Joyce, Wally in particular helps her out. The two of them manage to find a valuable necklace that Cyrus had left for Joyce, but it ends up disappearing. Wally does his best to try and find out who is behind everything going on, as he cares for Joyce, but can he stop the other heir before Joyce is driven crazy with fear?

The Ghost Breakers: Mary Carter (Paulette Goddard) is on her way to Cuba to see an old, supposedly haunted castle that she has inherited. She is joined (accidentally) by crime reporter Lawrence “Larry” Lawrence (Bob Hope), who is trying to escape the police when he thinks he accidentally murders somebody (which he didn’t do). Larry decides to continue the trip with her when he discovers that somebody is trying to scare her away from the castle. Once they arrive in Cuba, he sneaks on ahead to the castle with his valet, Alex (Willie Best). Some time later, Mary comes to the castle by herself. Can they all figure out what is going on, or will they be scared out of their wits?

Nothing But The Truth: Stockbroker T. T. Ralston (Edward Arnold) is in trouble: his niece, Gwen Saunders (Paulette Goddard), is trying to collect $40,000 for charity, and he has promised to give her $20,000 if she can raise the other half. Of course, he doesn’t want to keep that promise, and, behind her back, convinces everybody he knows not to donate. However, she has managed to collect $10,000, and turns to the one person he hasn’t talked to: the newly-hired Steve Bennett (Bob Hope). Gwen asks him to invest the $10,000 in something that will double her money in a quick period of time (without telling her uncle or anybody else where the money came from). Before Steve can do anything, his boss T. T. tries to get him to sell some bad stock. Steve is unwilling to do so, believing that honesty is the best policy. T. T. and his partners, Tom Van Dusen, a.k.a. “Van” (Leif Erickson) (who also happens to be Gwen’s boyfriend) and Dick Donnelly (Glenn Anders) decide to call him on the idea by betting him that he can’t the tell the truth and nothing but the truth for twenty-four hours. Steve takes up the bet, using Gwen’s money, since he figures he can win easily. With nobody allowed to tell about the bet, the three men decide to stay close to Steve to keep him honest (and try to force him to lie). He’s stuck going with them on T. T.’s yacht for the weekend, and, with their constant pestering in an attempt to get him to lie, he manages to insult almost everybody on the boat. To make matters worse, Dick Donnelly (who is married to T. T.’s daughter) also finds himself trying to avoid trouble, when his mistress, actress Linda Graham (Helen Vinson), comes on board, looking for the money that she had been promised would be put into her show. Since Dick had promised her that Steve would pay, she appeals to Steve by trying to tell him about the show (and, in the process, convincing some of the eavesdropping women that the two are an estranged couple). With everybody mad at Steve (including Gwen, whom he had fallen for), will he be able to win the bet, or will he tell a lie to get himself out of trouble (and lose all that money)?

As a young boy, Bob Hope had idolized comedian Charlie Chaplin, and famously won a prize for impersonating Chaplin in 1915. Paulette Goddard started going out with Chaplin in 1932, and they would marry in 1936. Her big break was opposite Chaplin in his classic Modern Times, proving her abilities as a comedienne. In 1938, Bob Hope broke in to the movies with The Big Broadcast Of 1938, but, outside of that film introducing what would become his theme song, his early films didn’t register much with audiences. However, he was enough of an up-and-comer that Paramount Studios kept trying, and, in pairing him with Paulette Goddard for The Cat And The Canary, they not only gave him a film that would make him a star, but also enabled him to meet his childhood idol, Charlie Chaplin, who complimented Hope on his abilities as a comedian. The chemistry between Bob and Paulette worked, bringing in the box office and leaving Paramount wanting to pair them up again. The following year, they did The Ghost Breakers (also to great success), so of course, Paramount decided to pair them again.

However, with Nothing But The Truth, things were starting to change. The two didn’t get along as well offscreen, as his ego was starting to become too much of a problem, not just for her, but also for that film’s director. Not only that, but he had also enjoyed success with a different team, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, through the first two Road pictures. Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard would still appear in another film, Star Spangled Rhythm from 1942, but they would not share the screen, as she mainly appeared for a song with Dorothy Lamour and Veronica Lake, while he acted as emcee for the “show-within-a-show.” Plans were made for them to possibly work together in the film Murder, He Says, but that didn’t come about (although the film did reference The Ghost Breakers).

Personally, I find all three films to be enjoyable, and I can see some progression in style between them. The Cat And The Canary works as an old, dark house film, but, as I said when I originally reviewed the film, Bob Hope is pretty much the reason it is considered a comedy. Everybody else in the movie (including Paulette Goddard) seem to play it straight. The Ghost Breakers keeps that “haunted house” idea going, but increases the comedy. Again, it is mostly Bob, although Paulette does add some more to the comedy. After both of those films, Nothing But The Truth is a bit of a rude awakening, abandoning the horror aspects altogether, and heaping on the comedy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Paulette gets more of a chance to show off her comedic skills, while we see Bob trying to tell the truth for twenty-four hours (and making others mad in the process). I think that The Ghost Breakers is the best film of the three, but, depending on my mood and what type of film I’m looking for, I could easily sit through any of these three. So I would certainly have no hesitancy in recommending any films featuring this screen team!

All three movies are available on Blu-ray (individually) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

The Cat And The Canary

Film Length: 1 hour, 14 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

The Ghost Breakers

Film Length: 1 hour, 25 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

Nothing But The Truth

Film Length: 1 hour, 30 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2021) with… Nothing But The Truth (1941)

We’ve got another Bob Hope film today, and that would be his third pairing with actress Paulette Goddard, the 1941 comedy Nothing But The Truth!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Car Of Tomorrow (1951)

(Available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 2 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 19 seconds)

We are shown the “cars of tomorrow.” This one is fun, as it shows different types of cars. Some car features work (in a literal way), and others backfire. But the gags come fast and furious (and, building off of The House Of Tomorrow, it even throws in one “mother-in-law joke”). There are a few jokes based on stereotypes that haven’t aged well, but it’s only one or two instances. I enjoyed a few good laughs with this one, even if it did just seem to be a series of gags with different types of cars.

And Now For The Main Feature…

Stockbroker T. T. Ralston (Edward Arnold) is in trouble: his niece, Gwen Saunders (Paulette Goddard), is trying to collect $40,000 for charity, and he has promised to give her $20,000 if she can raise the other half. Of course, he doesn’t want to keep that promise, and, behind her back, convinces everybody he knows not to donate. However, she has managed to collect $10,000, and turns to the one person he hasn’t talked to: the newly-hired Steve Bennett (Bob Hope). Gwen asks him to invest the $10,000 in something that will double her money in a quick period of time (without telling her uncle or anybody else where the money came from). Before Steve can do anything, his boss T. T. tries to get him to sell some bad stock. Steve is unwilling to do so, believing that honesty is the best policy. T. T. and his partners, Tom Van Dusen, a.k.a. “Van” (Leif Erickson) (who also happens to be Gwen’s boyfriend) and Dick Donnelly (Glenn Anders) decide to call him on the idea by betting him that he can’t the tell the truth and nothing but the truth for twenty-four hours. Steve takes up the bet, using Gwen’s money, since he figures he can win easily. With nobody allowed to tell about the bet, the three men decide to stay close to Steve to keep him honest (and try to force him to lie). He’s stuck going with them on T. T.’s yacht for the weekend, and, with their constant pestering in an attempt to get him to lie, he manages to insult almost everybody on the boat. To make matters worse, Dick Donnelly (who is married to T. T.’s daughter) also finds himself trying to avoid trouble, when his mistress, actress Linda Graham (Helen Vinson), comes on board, looking for the money that she had been promised would be put into her show. Since Dick had promised her that Steve would pay, she appeals to Steve by trying to tell him about the show (and, in the process, convincing some of the eavesdropping women that the two are an estranged couple). With everybody mad at Steve (including Gwen, whom he had fallen for), will he be able to win the bet, or will he tell a lie to get himself out of trouble (and lose all that money)?

Nothing But Trouble was the third and final pairing of Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. Like the previous two films, it was based on another property, which first came about as a 1914 novel by Frederic S. Isham before being turned into a 1916 stage play by James Montgomery, and which was then made into a movie twice before (in 1920 and 1929). The basic story, that of somebody betting that they can tell the truth (and only the truth) for a set amount of time has been done many times, both on the big and small screen, so the plot itself is nothing new. What does matter is how well done it is, and I personally think that the cast of this film makes it work quite well here! We still have Bob Hope early in his career, when he did do more as a romantic lead (and did quite well here). Compared to her two previous outings with Bob Hope, actress Paulette Goddard is given a lot more to do as a comedienne, and she shines in that regard, providing just as many laughs as Bob! Edward Arnold, Leif Erickson and Glenn Anders are all fun as the trio trying to trip up Bob (while also keeping their own noses clean), and the rest of the cast is solid, too. While he doesn’t have a lot to do, actor Leon Belasco, who portrays the psychiatrist Dr. Zarak, manages to leave an impression, as he comments on everybody’s actions (mostly by referring to names of famous psychiatric cases he knew of in Europe). The film’s weak spot (for better or for worse) is black actor Willie Best as Hope’s servant, and all the black stereotypes that come with it (although at least he’s not scared all the time like he was in The Ghost Breakers). As I said, this is not a new concept story-wise, but it’s a well-done comedy, and worth seeing!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring a new 2K master. Personally, I think the movie looks wonderful! The detail is improved over the old masters that were previously available, and the image has been cleaned up of dirt and debris! The only problem I have with this release (and sadly, it’s more of an issue than I wish it was), is that the movie is not uncut. I know there is some footage missing at about the hour mark (that had been present on an earlier DVD from Universal). According to a representative from Kino, the missing footage is not on any of the film elements available at Universal (who owns the movie), and may have been a scene cut in the U.S. (and therefore the footage may have been found for the DVD in elements from another territory). That’s the last I have heard on the subject, and I don’t know if anything further will be done about it. It’s disappointing, as it leaves us with a fairly obvious jump cut that takes away from some of the scene’s humor. Hopefully, that’s something that might still get fixed somewhere down the line, but, if it doesn’t, it certainly makes this release a question of whether you want better picture quality (for which it is recommended), or the entire film (for which I would be a bit more hesitant to recommend it).

Film Length: 1 hour, 30 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Caught In The Draft (1941) – Bob Hope – My Favorite Blonde (1942)

The Ghost Breakers (1940) – Paulette Goddard

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) – Edward Arnold – Ziegfeld Follies (1945)

The Ghost Breakers (1940) – Bob Hope/ Paulette Goddard (screen team)

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2021) with… Caught In The Draft (1941)

Today, we’ve got some fun with another service comedy from 1941! This time, it’s Caught In The Draft starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Of course, as always, we’ll start things off with a theatrical short, then move on to the main event.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Out-Foxed (1949)

(Available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 2 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 8 minutes, 18 seconds)

A group of hunting dogs (including Droopy) are promised a steak if they can bring in a fox. It’s the old type of “hunter vs. prey” cartoon, but, hey, it’s Tex Avery. Most of the fun is watching the way the British fox outsmarts all the hunting dogs (even using some of their own tricks against them). Only complaint here is that, for a Droopy cartoon, he’s more like a minor character. Still, as I said before, it’s Tex Avery, it’s Droopy, and therefore, always worth a few good laughs!

And Now For The Main Feature…

32-year-old movie actor Don Bolton (Bob Hope) has a problem with loud noises (particularly gunshots), which scare him to the point of fainting. This is a big problem for him, as the U.S. Senate is currently working on a bill to institute the draft for men in the age group of 21 to 40. While on the set for his latest film, he meets the visiting Colonel Peter Fairbanks (Clarence Kolb) and his daughter, Antoinette “Tony” (Dorothy Lamour). Don decides to try going out with Tony and get married, in the hope that he will be able to avoid the draft. She is open to his interest in her (although she doesn’t know his real motives), and he does propose. Almost immediately after his proposal, they hear on the radio that the age limit for the draft will be up to 31 years of age. Don starts trying to worm his way out of his proposal, and Tony, realizing why he wanted to marry her, breaks things off with him. With it becoming more official that the age range for the draft is up to 35 years of age, he tries to make up with her. In order to do so, he tries to fake enlisting in the army, but at the recruitment center, he is stuck dealing with a real recruitment officer (not the fake he had tried to hire). So, now he is in the army, and Don is joined by his agent Steve Riggs (Lynne Overman) and his assistant Bert Sparks (Eddie Bracken). They are assigned to the camp that Colonel Fairbanks is in charge of, and Don (who has fallen for Tony for real) tries to restart their relationship. However, Tony also wants her father’s blessing, and he won’t give it until Don can attain the rank of corporal. Will Don he able to achieve that rank (and marry Tony), or will he and his buddies be failures as soldiers?

Caught In The Draft is the fourth film that Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour made together, following their earlier films The Big Broadcast Of 1938, Road To Singapore and Road To Zanzibar. Of course, this film marks a slight departure from those earlier films. For one thing, it is just them. There’s no love triangle/rectangle with others involved, just these two (well, unless you count Bob Hope’s characters’ usual love affair with himself). And, with that, their relationship is far different, as she sees him with his issues that he has to actually try to overcome. Thus, there is a bit more give-and-take between them than there was previously.

Overall, I enjoy this movie. Sure, it has some things that haven’t aged well (I’d certainly argue that Bob Hope’s character’s “fear” of loud noises might be treated differently if the movie were made nowadays). I’m not overly fond of the section of the movie pre-enlistment, as Bob Hope’s character is hard to root for (again, I can understand the fear of loud noises, but I don’t like how he is willing to marry somebody long enough to avoid the draft and then just drop them). Once everybody is enlisted (and I will admit, that enlistment scene is probably funnier because we want to see the character drafted because of what he had already done), the movie (and the comedy) improve. Obviously, we’ve got them doing the “inept new soldier” thing, with drills, tank driving, and (almost) parachuting. I’ve only had the chance to see the movie twice now (over a long period of time), but it was fun seeing this movie both times, not only for Bob and Dottie, but also for Eddie Bracken and Lynne Overman’s characters, who also add to the comedy. It’s a fun wartime comedy, and certainly one I would recommend!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics from a new 4K master. This release looks pretty good, with a nice, crisp picture. It’s been mostly cleaned up (with a few places here and there that have minor dirt). Overall, this Blu-ray would certainly be the way that I’d recommend seeing this movie!

Film Length: 1 hour, 22 minutes

My Rating: 8/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Road To Zanzibar (1941) – Bob Hope – Nothing But The Truth (1941)

Road To Zanzibar (1941) – Dorothy Lamour – Road To Morocco (1942)

Road To Zanzibar (1941) – Bob Hope/Dorothy Lamour (screen team) – Road To Morocco (1942)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… The Paleface (1948)

Today, we’ve got a Bob Hope double-feature! To be fair, they’re both kind of cheater reviews, with the other one being some updated comments on the new Blu-ray of The Cat And The Canary, and, while I’ve already done The Paleface (and its sequel) before, that also has a recent Blu-ray release! So, I feel it’s worth talking about the Bob Hope and Jane Russell comedy The Paleface again! Of course, we’ve got our theatrical short to get through first, and then it’s on to this fun film!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Rough Brunch (1971)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Ant And The Aardvark from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 18 seconds)

The ant gets help from a termite to avoid the aardvark. Another cartoon with the ant getting help from somebody else. While the termite himself may not be one of the best supporting characters from the series, he’s still enough fun to make it worthwhile. After all, the aardvark never seems to see the destruction coming, as he keeps walking in all the wrong places! Certainly amusing enough to revisit with some frequency!

And Now For The Main Feature…

(Host): Well, I don’t see the Narrator, so I better get started telling the story. It was a dark and –

(Click) (The lights on the stage go out)

(Host): Hey, who turned out the lights? (Crash). And who left that chair there for me to crash into?

(Narrator): (From offstage) Never mind that. Get back to the story!

(Host): There he is. But, he’s right, let’s get back to it. It was a dark and stormy night –

(Sound of a thunderclap) (Rain starts falling down on the stage heavily)

(Host): Great. Rain, too?

(Narrator): Get on with it!!

(Host): Well, YOU’RE not the one getting soaked, so shush! Still, I should keep trying. It was a dark and stormy night when two masked men came up on the jail –

(The Narrator comes out in a hold-up mask and points his gun into the back of the Host)

(Host): What is this, a hold-up?

(Narrator): No, YOU’RE the one holding things up. In case you haven’t forgotten, we already covered most of this in the previous review, so I’ll speed you up. Calamity Jane (Jane Russell) is freed from jail. She is sent, by the governor, to find out who is sending guns to a renegade group of Native American Indians. To hide as part of a wagon train going west, she marries dentist “Painless” Peter Potter (Bob Hope).

(Host): Happier now?

(Narrator): Yes.

(Host): Then, can you take the gun out of my back?

(Narrator): I can, but where would the fun be in that? Now you stay put, while I continue telling the audience the story. (Turns away while still holding gun to Host) Jane finds some men bringing dynamite out with the wagon train. She overhears their suspicions that Painless might be the federal agent, and she feeds them enough details to “confirm” their speculations. Before long, Painless and Jane lose track of the wagons in front of them, and they (along with everybody that was behind them) get separated. They stay at a cabin overnight, but in the morning, they are attacked by a group of Native Americans. Painless, who was outside shaving at the time the attack began, crawled into a rain barrel outside (because the doors were locked before he could get in). Using a gun that Jane tossed him out a window, he tries to start shooting through a hole in the barrel. It appears that he manages to shoot down a number of attackers (but, in reality, it is Jane shooting with a rifle through the window, out of sight of everybody else).

(Host): (Tries to tiptoe away while the Narrator is distracted. Steps on a floorboard that creaks very loudly, and then makes a mad dash offstage)

(Narrator): Hey, not so fast! (Takes aim at the host, and shoots. The bullet ricochets around the stage, and hits a snake that was slithering up behind the Narrator). What? (Looks back at the now dead snake). Wow! Guess my shooting lessons with Painless paid off! (Blows away smoke from gun and puts it in holster. The gun goes off). Hoh! (Starts hopping up and down on one leg and grabs the foot that was shot) “One, two, three, four, five, six seven. I split one of them in the middle!” (Quoting Red Skelton from the movie Lovely To Look At) Anyways, eleven Native Americans were killed in the attack.

(Host): (from offstage) Twelve!

(Narrator): Don’t start that. We’re not doing that one. Again, eleven were killed (although I’m not sure I counted that many shots/bodies in the actual film). Regardless, word about Painless’ heroics makes its way to the town of Buffalo Flats, to the ears of saloon owner (and leader of the renegade group in town) Toby Preston (Robert Watson). He makes plans to have his singer, Pepper (Iris Adrian) try to catch Painless’ attention, in the hope that her boyfriend, Joe (Jeff York), would kill him in a jealous rage. When they get into town, Jane splits up with Painless to go see her contact in town, blacksmith Hank Billings (Clem Bevans). However, in breaking up with Painless, she makes him an easy target for Pepper. When Joe catches them together, Painless challenges him to a gunfight at sundown.

(Host): (From offstage) The fool!

(Narrator): Indeed! When Jane hears about it, she decides to let him die, so that the renegades think the federal agent is dead (leaving her more freedom to sneak around). However, at the last moment, she reconsiders, and shoots Joe (but, of course, everybody still thinks that Painless did it). Jane has Hank try to locate where the dynamite is hidden, while she goes to reconcile with Painless. Later that night, while Painless is unconscious after another one of Jane’s knockout “kisses,” Hank stumbles into their room with an arrow in his back, and, with his dying breath lets her know the dynamite is in the undertaker’s establishment. After waking him back up, Jane sends Painless over to investigate (without fully telling him the reason), and he gets captured (along with Jane).

(Host): (From offstage on stage left) Off to the Indian camp! Yah! (A pair of horses come running from one side of the stage to the other, with the Host being dragged along on the ground by the reins)

(Narrator): (Shakes head) After watching this movie, you’d think he’d know better than that. Anyways, with both of them now captured, can they save the West? Or will there be a massacre?

(Host): (From offstage) Back to the stage! Yah! (Another horse comes riding from off stage right, with the Host holding the reins and riding a skateboard. The Host lets go of the reins and tries to slow down, but crashes into a brick wall, now flat as a pancake) Where did that wall come from?

(Narrator): (Pulls the Host pancake off the wall, sticks a hose into him and start pumping to return him to normal) I have no idea… (Walks offstage and throws a lever that lowers the brick wall back into the ground)

(Host): (Shakes it off) Ok, I’m all right. Now, let’s talk about this movie. Writer Frank Tashlin wanted to create a western parody that would send-up the Owen Wister novel The Virginian (as well as the 1929 movie), along with a lot of the other Western cliches of the time. Actress Jane Rusell was under contract to Howard Hughes, and Paramount had to negotiate with him to get her to do this movie. Making The Paleface would turn out to be one of the few experiences with moviemaking that she would look back on fondly. For Frank Tashlin, that wouldn’t quite be the case, as he disliked what director Norman McLeod did with the film (compared to what he wanted). But, this did help drive him to direct his own movies (including this film’s sequel Son Of Paleface). In the meantime, The Paleface was a big hit, becoming the highest grossing Western parody until Blazing Saddles, and, for the second time, Bob Hope sang an Oscar-winning song with “Buttons And Bows” by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (following his theme song “Thanks For the Memory” winning from 1938).

Well, there’s not a whole heck of a lot more I can say about this movie. When I previously reviewed this movie (and its sequel) nearly three years ago (over on my FB page where I started doing all this), I remarked on a lot of the memorable moments that keep me coming back to this film. And my feelings are still quite similar, as after nearly twenty years of watching this movie, I still enjoy Bob Hope’s antics, and bravado (and oversized ego), and what Jane Russell’s character has to put up with. This film may not be the most politically correct in terms of its treatment of the Native Americans, as their characters are very stereotypical and not that well-developed (but they seem to be a little more developed than in the sequel), but it’s still a movie I come back to every now and then for a few good laughs! So, I would definitely continue to recommend this film, and its sequel (of course, which one you go with may still depend upon your tastes and/or mood, due to the differences in comedy)!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. Their transfer of this movie looks quite good. All the colors are more vivid than I’ve seen previously, and the detail is definitely improved! It’s not a full-fledged restoration, as there are some specks and dirt here and there, but it’s certainly the best this movie is likely to look any time soon!

(Gunshots offstage)

(Host): Now, if you’ll excuse me, to quote Bob Hope, “I’m going back east, where men may not be men, but they’re not corpses, either.” (Starts running offstage)

Film Length: 1 hour, 31 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Road To Rio (1947) – Bob Hope (original review of The Paleface) (here) – The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)

Jane Russell (original review of The Paleface) (here) – Son Of Paleface (1952)

As an Amazon Affiliate, this site gets a small percentage for every purchase made upon using one of the Amazon links, even if it’s not the movie I linked to (and it’s at no extra cost to you). If you like what I’m doing with the blog, please consider using them so that I can continue to do more!