Bob Hope: 100th Anniversary Collection Summary 'Old Memories' Review I am a Bob Hope fan so I think everything hes in is great.These are very old clips and happy to say way before my time.Bet you Can't watch it without a smile on your face. | |
On the Road With Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Collection (Road to Singapore/Road to Zanzibar/Road to Morocco/Road to Utopia) Summary 'It's BOB HOPE... what MORE do you NEED to know?' Review The Primer to BOB HOPE Movies: 1930s' films.............***** 1940s' films.............***** 1950s' films.............***** Early 1960s'..............**** Latter Films...............*** All the ROAD Pictures are worth the money, except "THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE"... but STILL better than ISHTAR! The BOB HOPE USO SHOWs are butchered due to the copyrighted songs. | |
| Best of Jack Benny Summary 'bobfan' Review This collection is worth the purchase price if you do not already own "Road to Bali". Bob fans will also find value in the segments from 50's TV shows in which Bob guest starred on the Jack Benny show and on the Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra show. There is also a segment in which Bob guest stars on the Bobby Darin show. Other material includes segments recorded (in a studio) in front of serving military personnel from the 40's and 50's of sketches, dancing and singing from Bob and his guests. The sketches are lampoons of military life and are great vehicles for Bob's wit and physical timing. Unfortunately much of the material in this collection is of "less than perfect" video and audio reproduction with little effort in cleaning up the original source sound and vision evident. | |
| Comedy 10 Movie Pack Summary 'The Hurricane Review' Review May 29, 2003, is an important date in American comedy as it marks the 100th birthday of Bob Hope. | |
| Bob Hope Ultimate Collection (Special Edition) Summary 'The Hurricane.... entertaining force of nature' Review I was delightfully surprised upon viewing this film for the first time. I had never heard of it, and took a chance because the price was right and I had other Dorothy Lamour films. I believe this to be either her best or second best next to My Favorite Brunette (with Bob Hope). I couldn't believe that this film isn't better known. It's got a great story line, interesting characters, and is superbly directed by Ford. Dorothy Lamour is young and looks great (1937). The special effects are great and don't have a "staged" feel or look to them. I've seen more modern films with worse special effects. They did a terrific job putting this film together and making it look as realistic as it does, especially for 1937. I have a feeling White Cargo (1942) starring Hedy Lamarr which was released a few years after The Hurricane was influenced by this film. Not all of it, but certain parts of the films are similar. Hedy's character in White Cargo and Dorothy's character in The Hurricane are complete opposites, nothing alike. But both have a well-meaning, heavy-drinking doctor as well as a "by the rules" guy in charge, as well as some other plot aspects. I must give The Hurricane a very strong recommendation. Very entertaining from beginning to end. You won't regret giving this a viewing! | |
| Bob Hope - Laughing With the Presidents Summary 'Classic' Review THE HURRICANE (1937) directed by John Ford. This is an excellent movie that I highly recommend. While it is mentioned now and again as a really good movie, It's not often mentioned as a great "John Ford movie". It's said that John Ford campaigned to get the directing gig that had been promised to Howard Hawks. It ended up with Ford and what an excellent job of it he did! Dorothy Lamour is given top billing over such great 30s actors such as Mary Astor, Raymond Massey, C. Aubrey Smith, and Thomas Mitchell. In my opinion deservedly so. This is Lamours tour de force from beginning to end. Dorothy Lamour as the Island Girl is the sexiest thing on two legs in this film. Jon Hall is her true love. Massey is the overbearing governor of the island and Astor as his wife. Mitchell is great as the hard drinking Island doctor trying to get Massey to lighten up. Aubrey Smith is the priest of the island who also sympathizes with the Islanders and tries to defuse Masseys hard line approach to governing. This movie is full of action, amazing effects that still hold up. The story is a simple one, and so much the better as it's more about the characters and the Hurricane anyways. Lamour and Hall are the island lovers, separated when Hall is unjustly imprisoned. Carradine makes a deliciously evil prison guard gleefully making Halls life miserable. The looming Hurricane however, makes no distinctions between good and bad. It simply devastates. This movie also has some of the sexiest scenes and one of THE best kisses in classic movies hands down. Check out the wedding scene at the beginning. We are given examples of the "traditional" wedding and then BAM, Island style! There is so much heart in this film. It's got amazing chemistry between the leads. Hall is also quite exceptional as the "free spirit" first mate who just cannot be caged. Its got endless energy and exuberance. The finale of course is The Hurricane itself and it does not disappoint. Unbelievably filmed on a studio back lot. I knew this before watching it, but still didn't believe it, its that good. The opening, when Mitchell is on a ship, looking at the island as he passes by and tells a curious passenger "the tale" is a wonderful opening to a great story. I've always been a fan of films that start with a peripheral or main character looking back and "telling the story". One great example of this type of storytelling device is the fantastic Greer Garson/Walter Pidgeon film "MRS PARKINGTON" (also highly recommended). Ford puts it to great use in this film. It also has a great score and is visually very easy on the eyes. Lamour is beautiful, sexy, playful, poignant. She does it all in this and mostly with her eyes alone. As much as I enjoyed all of her appearances in the Road Pictures with Hope and Crosby, I think they could have done a lot more with her based on this performance. She even makes Astor seem tepid by comparison, no easy trick! An extremely enjoyable film that I can't praise highly enough. | |
| The Hurricane [Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour] Summary 'An oldie, but goodie' Review Beautiful period film. A wonderful addition to the collection of anyone interested in classic Hollywood productions of the 1930's. | |
| Wagon Master Summary 'One Of The Better Adventure Stories Of The '30s' Review A tip-off to the age of this film is its lack of confusion with the more recent "Hurricane," which portrays the life of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Of a different genre, this hurricane epic might be compared with the likes of "Deep Impact" or "The Perfect Storm." It is that riveting. The story centers around a Pacific islander named Terangi (Jon Hall) who is incarcerated on Tahiti for a minor offense in an atmosphere of colonial racism. Terangi's plight is worsened as he keeps trying to escape and gets socked with more prison time. His home island governor, De Laage played by Raymond Massey, is an unbending martinet who wants to make an example of Terangi. His efforts are in vain, for the islanders revere Terangi and shelter him when he makes good his escape after eight long years in prison. Meanwhile, Terangi's wife Marama (Dorothy Lamour) has given birth to a daughter whom Terangi has never seen. Just as they finally reunite, the mother of all storms kicks up and they have to use all their wits to survive. The storm (typhoon) is loud and frighteningly realistic. Monster waves obliterate the island and all life still on it. Fortunately for De Laage's wife Germaine (Mary Astor), Terangi takes her with his family and saves her life too. When De Laage returns to her after riding out the storm at a distance, he is a changed man and buries his grudge against Terangi. A great story of love, injustice, and redemption. Rev. Dennis J. Mercieri | |
| Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Summary 'NOT HURRICANE BUT INTERESTING' Review For a film that's billed as a romance movie, this has got a surprising amount of good suspense and action. It's really an adventure story with a romance angle. It's also very interesting and a good film with decent special effects, at least for when this was made. I'm thrilled to order this on DVD here at Amazon as I could never find it in any store. It's almost a "Count Of Monte Cristo" story with an innocent man imprisoned on an island and finally succeeding in escaping. However, in this story, the escapee "Terangi" (John Hall) also has to battle a hurricane after escaping! The film starts slowly in the first half hour, but stick with it, it's worth it. The story becomes very involving as "Terangi" begins his battle against "the law," and the weather. Dorothy Lamour is likewise fascinating as "Marama," Terangi's wife. The cinematography is very good and the direction excellent. Then again, one of the best directors of all time did this film: John Ford. It also has a nice cast. Look at the supporting actors: Mary Astor, Raymond Massey, C. Aubrey Smith, Thomas Mitchell and John Carradine! A solid Golden Age adventure story and one of the best of the 1930s decade. | |
| Arabian Nights (Universal Cinema Classics) Summary 'Completely in the dark' Review ,,,,,This movie is interesting because it introduced Dorothy Lamour to movie audiences and along with Hurricane and the Road pictures typecast her forever in a sarong. Lamour was an unknown when she was cast in the lead role because of her waist lenth brunette hair and her exotic beauty. It also marked the first major role for Ray Milland who screen tested with Lamour for the part and got the role when she suggested him. Milland was always grateful to Lamour and said in later years that she was responsible for saving his career. In his book, "Wide Eyed in Babylon", Milland wrote of Lamour, "a simpler nicer person does not exist". .....The plot of a girl raised alone in the jungle with a pet tiger is far fetched by modern standards but this was in an era when Tarzan movies were popular. The dvd print is sharp but somewhat dark in some scenes with little shading between black and white. I deducted one star for dvd quality. The movie is good escapist adventure with a feel good ending and a must have for fans of Dorothy Lamour. | |
| Lost Horizon Summary 'Lamour is beautiful but the copy stinks!' Review I live in the U.K. so to acquire this film I had to send for a copy from the USA. This cost me $32.24 here in the U.K. that's £19.83. A lot of money for a single DVD. Upon arrival, very quick I must say, I played the disc and was very disappointed. There is hardly any definition, sometimes when Dorothy Lamour smiled she looked like a ghoul, just her eyes and teeth showing. If you want a copy of this film I would suggest looking to see if Paramount ever issued it on VHS. Which it what I shall be doing after typing this review!! | |
| Mutiny on the Bounty Summary 'Spawn of the North' Review This is a black&white movie. An I literally mean BLACK and WHITE. No other definition is visible. Nevertheless the original movie itself is good and Lamour is beautiful even without any gray-scales. But, it is as bad as any copy possibly could be. An old overused 8 mm would be more enoyable watching than this one. Not recommended.Looking for a better copy. | |
| THE JUNGLE PRINCESS - DVD - Dorothy Lamour, Ray Milland Summary 'If you love Bob and Bing' Review THE JUNGLE PRINCESS stars Dorothy Lamour, Ray Milland, Akim Tamiroff, Lynne Overman and Molly Lamont. Christopher Powell (Ray Milland) is in Malaysia with his fiancee and her father, capturing wild animals. While out hunting, he is attacked by a tiger and his native guides run away, leaving him for dead. But the tiger is the pet of Ulah (Dorothy Lamour), a beautiful young woman who grew up by herself in the jungle. She rescues Chris and takes him back to her cave where she nurses him to health and falls in love with him. The movie was made in 1936, is in B&W and runs 83 minutes. | |
| The Thing from Another World Summary 'Fun films but packaging misses bullseye' Review Great movie and excellent viewing. If your looking for a prestine copy of Spawn, this is it, but disappointed that there is no menu selection. | |
| Love is the Answer (Deluxe Edition) Summary 'just great' Review Henry Fonda, John Barrymore, George Raft and Dorothy Lamour lead an all-star cast in the sprawling epic Spawn of the North. This wild-eyed "western of the North" is the tale of one man's transformation from fisherman to vigilante, forced by honor to stand alone against Russian pirates. It was the early 1900's, and Alaska was proving itself to be the last of the American frontiers. Men and women of all backgrounds raced to make a better life for themselves in this virgin territory, while others strove to rob its riches and claim its beauty as their own. Jim Kimmerlee (Fonda) just wanted to make an honest living off of the rich Alaskan salmon fisheries. He was about to find out, however, that whether in friendship, love or war, frontiers are neither easily forged nor soon forgotten. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video \"play only\" devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives. | |
| Spawn of the North (Amazon.com Exclusive) Summary 'great box set' Review Then this is a must for your collection, or a good place to begin one. | |
| The House of the Seven Gables (Amazon.com Exclusive) Summary 'The Road To Fun & Laughter' Review The first four ROAD pictures are real treasures of comedy and music. Hope and Crosby's easy style have often been immitated by newer comics and even animated characters, but never equalled. The only downside to this collection is putting all on one disc. Just don't like double sided discs when not necessary. Making this a two disc set should not have increased production costs enough to increase the purchase price. Finally, WHY only the first four? Was it a rights issue? The 5th, RIO, must surely still be under Universal/Paramounts control. Still these squabbles don't negate the life of these films. What classic Hollywood was all about... | |
| The List of Adrian Messenger (Amazon.com Exclusive) Summary 'Sawdust memories' Review a true classic, a joy to watch all 4. "they don't make them like this anymore" | |
| The Black Shield of Falworth (Amazon.com Exclusive) Summary 'The Greatest Show on Earth' Review I loved this box set. I used to see these on Sunday afternoons nice to be able to see them whenever I like. Great quality. | |
| Dragnet (1954) (Amazon.com Exclusive) Summary 'They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore' Review These films are no-brainers. Literally. Just check your brain at the door, so-to-speak, and let Hope & Crosby be your guide on a journey to far off fun, chuckles, gags and goofs! Sure it's full of shtick and predictable pratfalls, but it's supposed to be! I mean, the whole point of classic comedy is making people laugh at you simply by poking fun at yourself. And the jokes that are scripted are pretty funny, too!!! There's laughs, guffaws and gams galore in this superb collection of exotic adventure. And speaking of gams, pay attention to the lovely and alluring Lamour who often finds it hard to control her own giggling at Hope and Crosby's antics! In this day and age of apprehenion, now is the time to, "Hit The Road" to fun and laughter. | |