The Road to Hong Kong
by Norman Panama
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Actor: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Joan Collins, Robert Morley, Walter GotellDirector: Norman Panama
Brand: Sony
Cinematographer: Jack Hildyard
Writer: Norman Panama
Editor: Alan Osbiston
Editor: John C. Smith
Producer: Melvin Frank
Writer: Melvin Frank
Producer: William Kirby
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 91 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-12-03
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of The Road to Hong Kong
DVD Review: 3 1/2 stars for this last nostalgic reunion of Hope and Crosby!
Summary: 3 Stars
This 1962 release of "Road To Hong Kong" marked the last appearance and "Road" picture the two legendary entertainers would ever make.While this film may not be as sharp as some of their original efforts of the 40s,it is still a quite enjoyable jaunt and worth seeing.
This United Artists film was shot in England at the famed Shepperton Studios.Melvin Frank,who was to become involved a short four years later in one of my favourite comedies "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum",produced it.Toronto born Robert Farnon who conducted the Canadian Band of the AEF during WW2,does the honours in the music department;along with composers Van Heusen and Cahn.
The film opens with a song and dance routine of "It's Teamwork" on a vaudeville-like stage with a scenery back drop listing of all their past Road movies.The story starts in Hong Kong where a desperate Joan Collins, who works for an unspecified foreign power(" the third echelon"),is talking to American security people who are baffled hearing Amercian voices in a space ship going to the Moon(an obvious nod to the then heated space race between the U.S. and Russia).The story then desolves into events which led to that moment.We find Chester and Harry with yet another get-rich scheme in Calcutta,India with a flying device.Chester of course gets roped into flying it with disastrous results.He ends up in the hospital with no memory.A doctor played by Peter Sellers(who does a nice comedic turn) recommends he go to a monstary in Northern India to regain his memory.At the airport they bump into agent Joan Collins who mistakes Chester for another agent and gives him secret papers by mistake.The boys get to the monstary where Chester regains his mind with an unknown substance in a bottle,which they take with them(Watch for a cameo by David Niven).
Back in Hong Kong they discover the secret papers which they burn,but not before Chester memorizes the contents.Collins gets the two to come to Hong Kong and the secret underground facilities of her boss to give them the formula.Unable to get his recognitive powers back they put the boys on a rocket which is going to the moon and back,instead of two chimps that were scheduled to go.During the flight the gag scene from Chaplin's "Modern Times" is redone,where machines that are supposed to feed them automatically go haywire.Of course the food is bananas and milk.
When they return to Earth Collins learns that they boys are to be dissected after they have revealed the forumla.Having taken a liking to them both she helps them to escape.At this point we are regaled by a brief walk on by the boys old pal Jerry Colona.77 1/2 minutes into the picture we finally see Dorothy Lamour,dressed in her trademark sarong.When the boys beg her to help them Chester says"Hey,you can't forget all those pictures we did together",and she responds with"Neither can anyone else,that's why I'm working over here!".She incorporates them into her stage show with some funny moments and about seven minutes or so later Dorothy is gone from the film.
Chester and Harry return to the underground facilites in an attempt to stop them,now with the aid of the American security forces.They end up on the rocket with Collins and land on the planet "Plutonia"(?) from whence they can never return.They of course vie for Collins' attention while doing their closing"It's Teamwork" number,when suddenly Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra appear,for a brief moment.The picture ends with Harry getting the girl(as usual) and Chester floating up and away.
It's quite the "plot" to be sure but the story isn't the main thing here,it is Hope and Crosby;and neither disappoint.The usual bantering and one liners that made these pictures especially dear to their fans years before are here in abundance in this one too.It had been about 10 years since their last "Road" film but both Crosby and Hope jumped back into their characters like they had never been away from them;a testament to the pros both these talented men were.
Like all Road pictures before,there is no lack of music in this one either.As stated they did an opening and closing song and dance routine,about 35 minutes into the film they sing "Road to Hong Kong",at about the 60 minute mark Bing sings a nice number to Joan called"Let's not be Sensible" and finally when Lamour makes her entrance we even get a song from her.None of them intrusive and all flow nicely in and out of each scene.
Technically this film has been transferred quite well and is generally clean and crisp black and white,in its' original widescreen 1:66:1 ratio.Other than the original theatrical trailer this DVD has no other special features,so it is pretty much a plain Jane kind of release.
In conclusion I do recommend this film for all fans of the "Road" franchise.Crosby and Hope are still on their marks and their famous zingers are still to be found in abundance throughout.Lamour makes her appearance(but late and too short)and there are cameos by many famous stars to boot.All and all a pleasant diversion and not a bad ending to a wonderful franchise that starred two of the most talented men in showbusiness,Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
Description of The Road to Hong Kong
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