My Favorite Spy *** (1951, Bob Hope, Hedy Lamarr) – Classic Movie Review 1278

Director Norman Z McLeod’s 1951 comedy thriller stars Bob Hope in his third and final My Favorite… adventure. It is still very enjoyable thanks to a fizzy screenplay, snappy direction and above all the tirelessly sparky performances.

In a tailor-made role, Hope is carefully cast to his familiar stereotype movie image as a burlesque funny-man called Peanuts White. His co-star Hedy Lamarr sparkles as the irresistible Lily Dalbray, the glamorous counter-agent whom Peanuts woos.

Peanuts is persuaded by American federal agents to pose as international spy Eric Augustine, whom Peanuts resembles, and gets seized by foreign agents who make him go to Tangiers in a chase after mysterious all-important million-dollar microfilm. In exotic Tangiers, he encounters Lily, an old friend of Augustine who is now dealing with his arch-enemy, Karl Brubaker. What’s happened to the real Eric?

Hope is still on great form here, while Francis L Sullivan as oily spy Karl Brubaker, Arnold Moss as Tasso and Mike Mazurki as Monkara help with the gags. An effective Keystone Cops-style chase finishes the film with a slapstick climax bang.

Lamarr’s songs, ‘I Wind Up Taking a Fall’ (lyrics by Johnny Mercer) and ‘Just a Moment More’ (lyrics by Ray Evans), are dubbed. The story is by Edmund Beloin, Lou Breslow, who also write the screenplay with Edmund L Hartmann, Jack Sher and Hal Kanter.

How’s this for a publicity stunt? The world premiere of the film took place in Bellaire, Ohio, in the living room of housewife Anne Kuchinka. She won a letter writing contest sponsored by Hope’s radio show in which participants gave reasons why the premiere should be held in their home.

The original title was Passage to Cairo, with Peanuts conceived as a schoolteacher who, while impersonating a recently deceased gangster, is sent to Cairo to gather information.

Hope’s other Favorites are Dorothy Lamour in My Favorite Brunette (1947) and Madeleine Carroll in My Favorite Blonde (1942).

http://derekwinnert.com/my-favourite-brunette-1947-bob-hope-dorothy-lamour-peter-lorre-classic-movie-review-1277/

http://derekwinnert.com/my-favorite-blonde-1942-bob-hope-madeleine-carroll-classic-movie-review-1276/

Hope lived to be 100 on May 29 2003, but he wasn’t well enough to keep his booked-in show date at the London Palladium that night and he died on July 27 2003.

(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1278

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/