Road to... Collection

Bing Crosby

Dorothy Lamour

Bob Hope

Charles Coburn

Judith Barrett

Anthony Quinn

Jerry Colonna

Elvia Allman

Johnny Arthur

Bobby Barber

Monte Blue

Harry C. Bradley

Don Brodie

Arthur Q. Bryan

James Conaty

Carmen D'Antonio

Paula DeCardo

James Dime

Devi Dja

Gloria Franklin

Edward Gargan

Greta Granstedt

Roger Gray

Grace Hayle

Benny Inocencio

Claire James

Dorothy Jarnac

Payne B. Johnson

Richard Keene

John Kelly

Kitty Kelly

Laura Knight

Helen Lynd

Fred Malatesta

Miles Mander

Louis Mercier

Harold Miller

Belle Mitchell

Edmund Mortimer

Charles Morton

Henry Norton

Bob O'Connor

Marguerita Padula

Steve Pendleton

Jack Pepper

Esther Pressman

Pedro Regas

Cyril Ring

Ronald R. Rondell

Robert St. Angelo

Larry Steers

Jack Stoney

Richard Tucker

Russell Wade

Fred Walburn

Pierre Watkin

Barney Dean

Harry Hervey

Victor Schertzinger

Victor Young

William LeBaron

Frank Butler

Don Hartman

Robert Odell

Paul Weatherwax

Hans Dreier

Edith Head

Harlan Thompson

John Cope

Earl S. Hayman

William C. Mellor

Comedy

Music

Romance

Road to Singapore

Paramount Pictures

United States of America

So it begins. 

Bob Hope & Bing Crosby team up here for what was the start of a musical comedy franchise that would yield seven movies in total. Six of which would also feature Dorothy Lamour as the leading lady. This first outing finds the boys and Dorothy on the island of Kaigoon, where the lads are escaping from scandal and romantic entanglements and she tied to an abusive partner played by Anthony Quinn. With no money and trouble coming thick and fast, the three of them will do well to survive the week together, especially since love is once again in the air.

It's probably (in a good way) the simplicity of the plotting's that made it such a popular franchise. For the "Road" movies are in truth simple frameworks on which to hang the charming comedy contrasts of Hope & Crosby. Though Crosby is not the straight man as such, he's the more reserved part of the duo, his mannered delivery of the lines and his casual approach to the scrapes they get in blends delightfully with Hope's more crash bang characterisations. And of course they are aided by Lamour who acts as not just as a catalyst for some play off shenanigans, but also as the rose between two spiky hormonal thorns.

Road To Singapore is far from the best of the series and far from being the worst, but it holds up very well and harks back to a time when harmless innuendo, breezy pacing and a willingness to let the actors ad lib situations made for good wholesome comedy. Good songs dot themselves throughout the piece too, with the stand out being "Too Romantic" performed by Crosby & Lamour.

A lovely little piece that serves as a foundation for a much loved series. 6.5/10

English

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Road To Singapore (1940) Official Trailer - Bing Crosby, Bob Hope Movie HD