Here Come the Girls

Unlike the typical Bob Hope film, "Here Come the Girls" is a musical--with only a bit of comedy here and there. So, for me the film was a bit of a disappointment--mostly because I was expecting laughs, not song and dance numbers.

Hope plays a not particularly talented member of the chorus. His prospects to move beyond that are nil--mostly because he's not all that good. However, when a homicidal maniac begins stalking the lead in the play (Arlene Dahl), the cops and theater owners get the bright idea of putting Hope in the lead--that way, if Hope is killed due to the psycho's jealousy, at least he's easy to replace! While a normal guy would soon suspect something, Hope's character is his typical fat-headed guy who soon begins believing it when everyone begins trying to convince him he's brilliant in the part--and he is truly terrible. Rosemary Clooney's character cares about Hope and tries her best to convince him of the truth--but he's just too self-absorbed to believe her.

Throughout this clever idea for a plot, there are LOTS of musical numbers--LOTS! None of the music is particularly memorable and I felt it all bogged down the film--making the comedy come to a grinding halt again and again. Not a terrible film...just not a particularly enjoyable one.

To those reviewers who said that this is a lesser Hope entry (one saying that it was the start of his decline) I say, nay...Hope put enough into the likable egotistical fool Snodgrass to carry it off just fine. And plenty of 'ham' in his Stanley character, enough to supply all the fixings (with plenty of left-overs) for the Attila the Hun and his Horde's annual May Day, or should I say Mayhem, picnic.

And to those who said that there were to many forgettable songs, I say...too many sure, but I'm glad that they were 'new' and not the same-o same-o...new is good sometimes.

And since I'm being so contrary, I'll apply a little of that to myself...after decades of watching Hope (too many decades my tired, old body cries), I was sure I had seen all of his films. Wrong! This was my first viewing, and I was thankful that I finally stumbled upon it. Enough smiles, enough laughs and enough of my contrarian views...'hey Attila baby, pass the ham'...

A light piece of fluff, but enjoyable fluff! Watch out for the last scene with the great chase - some fantastic and hilarious acrobatics done there. Bob Hope fans, you can't miss this one. Non-fans, give it a go anyway, it's so silly that you'll laugh!

Here Come the Girls is directed by Claude Binyon and written by Edmund L. Hartmann. It stars Bob Hope, Arlene Dahl, Tony Martin, Rosemary Clooney, Millard Mitchell, William Demarest, Fred Clark and Robert Strauss. Music is by Lyn Murray and cinematography by Lionel Lyndon.

Hope is inept "chorus boy" Stanley Snodgrass, who after getting fired from the revue of Here Comes the Girls, gets a second chance. Unbeknown to him, though, he is being used as bait to lure serial killer Jack the Slasher out into the open.

Hearty and frothy and lush with Technicolor pleasures, Here Come the Girls is everything a committed Bob Hope fan could want. He gets to bound about with his usual energy, sing, crack sharp one-liners and flirt with a sexy woman; or two! The turn of the century setting is most appealing, the costuming equally so, and while the musical numbers are average fare, they serve good framework for Hope's goofery.

How middle class!

Around Hope, though, it's a mixed bag of performances, where it's Clark who shines brightest as the show's grouchy impresario who is literally willing the Slasher (Strauss having a great time of it) to rid him of Snodgrass! Dahl is socko sexy (check out that hour glass figure in an eye scorching purple frock), and Clooney's legs are a sight for sore eyes.

His fling is flang.

Better songs and a better director would have lifted it to greater heights, but Hope on form was usually enough to keep a comedy in credit, which is the case here. With characters called Bang Crosby and Jack the Slasher you know where the picture is at, while we also get the world's scariest clown to keep things on the black comedy simmer. 7/10

1900. Bob Hope plays Stanley Snodgrass, the world's oldest chorus boy, who can do nothing right.

Fired by his manager (the always watchable Fred Clark) he's hired back in a hurry because a mad slasher (a menacing Robert Strauss) is after his star. Stanley, thinking he's the new star because of his talent, will be an unwittingly decoy.

In future movies Strauss would often have a perfect blend of menace and humor. Here, he's all threat.

You won't find many laughs in this light-weight vehicle, but it's not dreary. It has some good songs and for Hope fans his personality is pleasant. If you don't like Hope's persona you won't enjoy this.

Besides Clark and Strauss, a standout is William Demarest as a cop playing as Stanley's put-upon valet.

The show may look peculiar but it's more a Zeigfield-type presentation that would mix song-and-dance, comedy acts and sketches.