This 2017 box set of Bob Hope movies includes most of Bob Hope’s movies from 1938 to 1949–his most productive decade. I’ve enjoyed these movies over the years. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby “invented” the Road movie genre. There are plenty of laughs on these 10 DVDs. This set also includes the documentary, American Masters: This is Bob Hope, which includes interviews with Chevy Chase, Tom Selleck, Brooke Shields as well as clips from Bob Hope’s classic films, radio and TV shows, plus access to his personal archives. If you’re a Bob Hope fan, this is a must-buy. If you want to laugh, this set will give you 1821 minutes of humor. GRADE: A
MOVIES:
Thanks for the Memory (1938) (with Shirley Ross) as Steve Merrick
Never Say Die (1939) (with Martha Raye and Andy Devine) as John Kidley
The Cat and the Canary (1939) (with Paulette Goddard) as Wally Campbell
Road to Singapore (1940) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Ace Lannigan
The Ghost Breakers (1940) (with Paulette Goddard) as Larry Lawrence
Road to Zanzibar (1941) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Fearless
Caught in the Draft (1941) (with Eddie Bracken) as Don Bolton
Nothing But the Truth (1941) (with Paulette Goddard) as Steve Bennett
Louisiana Purchase (1941) (with Vera Zorina and Victor Moore) as Jim Taylor
Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) (with Bing Crosby and Paramount Pictures all-star cast) as Bob Hope – Master of Ceremonies
My Favorite Blonde (1942) (with Madeleine Carroll) as Larry Haines
Road to Morocco (1942) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Orville ‘Turkey’ Jackson / Aunt Lucy
Combat America (1943) (short documentary film)
Show Business at War (1943) (short documentary film)
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) (voice on radio program; uncredited)
Road to Utopia (1946) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Chester Hooton
Monsieur Beaucaire (1946) (with Joan Caulfield) as Monsieur Beaucaire
Variety Girl (1947) (with Bing Crosby and Paramount Pictures all-star cast) as Bob Hope
Where There’s Life (1947) (with William Bendix) as Michael Joseph Valentine
The Paleface (1948) (with Jane Russell) as ‘Painless’ Peter Potter
Sorrowful Jones (1949) (with Lucille Ball) as Humphrey ‘Sorrowful’ Jones
At his best, Hope was a sheer delight, and his films were a treat. Sometime in the 1960s he lost his way — and his timing — and th films suffered. So did the audience.
Dan, you are so right! Bob Hope’s films from the Sixties are mostly mis-fires. But this box set captures most of Hope’s best moments.
Because of WW2 most of these films appeared much later in Germany so I don’t remember them, anyway I was more into experimental films as a student.
But my father might have seen at least some of them during WW2 – while he was on service as an officer guarding Hitler’s headquarters!
Those Nazi bigwigs used to listen to Jazz, watch American films, drink whisk(e) and champagne – all the stuff that was forbidden to regular people. He told me this once a long time after the war …
Wolf, many Bob Hope classics show up on Late Night TV on a regular basis. Our PBS station used to broadcast old Bob Hope movies on a regular basis.
TCM runs Bob Hope movies on occasion. Enjoyed Bob Hope a lot as a kid and some of his early ones hold up well. His 50’s and 60’s output was pretty poor and his later tv specials became embarrassingly bad.
Steve, like you I prefer the early Bob Hope movies. His later movies and TV specials were mediocre at best.
I like THE GHOST BREAKERS a lot. Not so much the Road movies (due to my dislike for Crosby). I agree, his ’60s movies were mostly pretty bad.
My father always talked about walking into the men’s bathroom at an airport in California or Arizona (can’t remember) and seeing Bob Hope at the next urinal. He told him he was surprised he didn’t have his own (VIP) bathroom, and Bob said, “When you’ve gotta go…”.
Best Hope line ever: “Welcome to the Academy Awards, or as they call it at my house, Passover.”
Jeff, I enjoy the early ROAD movies. Love that “Best Hope line ever”!
He rubbed me the wrong way after his support of the Vietnam War. Hard to get past that. But as a kid I loved him.
Patti, I think a lot of movie people like Bob Hope thought Vietnam was going to be like World War II. It turned out to be a quagmire.
I think he was best as a stand-up comedian.
Rick, Bob Hope had a quick wit and could ad lib with the best comics.
I liked his older movies as well, and felt like he broke the 4th wall a bit to good effect.
One of the things I’m looking forward to in NOLA in Nov. is seeing the Bob Hope exhibit at the WWII museum. (Also seeing my dad’s name on the wall of honor or whatever it’s called.)
Maggie, Diane will be looking for warm weather in the Big Easy in November.
I saw his USO Christmas show in Nam, 1967. Raquel Welch was also there. I thank him for his support of the troops.
Bob, Bob Hope visited the troops with his Christmas shows for years. You have to admire his dedication to our troops.