Hello!
Today marks the start of Hamlette's Alan Ladd Blogathon!!!! (Wow, MC you are actually participating on the first day instead of the last minute? Shush.) Be sure to check it out
HERE.
So, I had never seen anything with Alan Ladd in it but when Hamlette announced this I knew that this was my chance! Digging through our DVD and VCR collection (and it is digging, we have a lot) I found one, starring Bob Hope with a cameo by Alan Ladd. I was worried that it wouldn't be enough, but he has a big enough part to actually have a character name!
It was actually really enjoyable, and I was laughing quite a few times!
My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so.
My Favorite Brunette (1946):
"All my life I wanted to be a hard boiled detective like Humphrey Bogart, or Dick Powell, or even Alan Ladd."
Ronnie Jackson, baby photographer, wants to be a detective. When Sam McCloud, the next door detective, goes away for awhile he leaves Ronnie the job of answering the calls. Ronnie is messing around in there pretending he is a detective when Baroness Carlotta Montay comes in asking for help finding her relative. Ronnie plays the part, pretending he is Sam McCloud because she is so beautiful and this is his chance. He gets into a lot more then he thought he would...
"You don't have to pull a gun on me to kiss me."
Genre: Comedy, Film Noir, Mystery, Romance.
Length: 88 minutes (approx.)
Costumes: 6, there are parts where people are just wearing towels or bathrobes.
Costumes by: Edith Head.
Script: 9, "Well, let me tell you something...I like long drives."
Crew:
Directed by: Elliott Nugent
Produced by: Danny Dare
Screenplay by:
Edmund Beloin
Jack Rose
Starring:
Bob Hope as Ronnie Jackson. "He'll take any kind of a role."
Dorothy Lamour as Carlotta Montay.
Peter Lorre as Kismet.
Lon Chaney, Jr. as Willie.
Alan Ladd as Sam McCloud.
Frank Puglia as Baron Montay
John Hoyt as Dr. Lundau
Charles Dingle as Major Simon Montague
Reginald Denny as James Collins
Ann Doran as Miss Rogers
Music: 8.
Music by: Robert Emmett Dolan.
Quotes: 7, "Nutty as a fruitcake with all that beautiful frosting."
Notes: Kismet at one time asks, "Can either of you tell me who the eighth president was?" But we never get the answer. Right off the top of my head I can tell you Martin Van Buren.
My favorite scene is the one where Ronnie is "looking" for evidence.
Who doesn't want a camera like that!?
Storyline: 7, there is some suggestive stuff, death, kissing, smoking (bleh!), and drinking(gross!). But this is a hilarious film, and it is a good one!
Overall Score: 7!
Sorry that my pictures are sort of blurry!
Thank you so much for reading! Be sure to check out all the goings on
HERE!
MovieCritic
I've watched this film, I thought it really weird. Good review!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com
It is pretty weird! For the first half I was just staring at the screen thinking, "What is this?" But then I started to get into it! Thank you!
DeleteThanks for your entry, Movie Critic! This movie really is loads of fun -- I'm glad you dug it up, because it was the impetus for me finding and watching it! And it's such a fun movie -- it not only works as a spoof with lots of laughs, but the mystery is solid too! Good, good stuff.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you for hosting this! It is, :D! Very! It had some kind of creepy stuff in it, but it was all worked out. And the end was something I was not expecting. Bings cameo surprised me!
DeleteHee, yes, Bing's cameo was just hilarious. I love the "Road" movies he and Hope made together!
DeleteAnd it did have some creepy stuff... but it was spoofing film noir, which is often a bit creepful, so it worked.
Bing was so disappointed he didn't get to execute Hope. ;P Of course!
DeleteAll the characters make it so it really is spoofing film noir, but we all get a few laughs too!
Indeed. If we didn't laugh, it wouldn't be a good spoof!
DeleteThat is very true! :D
DeleteI have not seen this movie, but I enjoyed reading your review, MC!:)
ReplyDeleteOnce you get into it, it is very enjoyable! Thank you, Elanor! :)
DeleteI think I watched this a long time ago!
ReplyDeleteI need to re-watch it, though. I've forgotten a lot.
Re-watching movies makes them better! You get to enjoy it all over again!
DeleteThanks for your comment, Gray!
I have seen one, count it, one Bob Hope movie in my life. (and it wasn't one of the Crosby "Road" pictures. I think my libary has this. I'll look later today. Good review.
ReplyDeleteThis is only my second Bob Hope movie, and I haven't seen "Road" either, but "hope"fully I will!
DeleteThank you!
I've seen relatively few movies with Alan Ladd, and I think this would be a nice one to see. I mean, I remember I almost watched it, but decided for something else... I must fix this mistake.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to read my contribution to the blogathon! :)
Cheers!
Le
http://www.criticaretro.blogspot.com
Same here, I have only seen two of his movies. There isn't much of him in this movie, but what there is of him is excellent! It is very good, you definitely have to fix that!
DeleteThank you for commenting, I will look at your post right away!
I love this movie! Hope is fabulous in this. I like the way most of his comic remarks are just ignored by the other characters (like they're side comments to the audience).
ReplyDeleteHe is, it is only my second movie I've seen him in, but I really enjoyed it! They don't think he knows what he is talking about, where sometimes he doesn't, but still.
DeleteThanks for your comment, Stanley!