Tronado y destronado

I guess in order to fully appreciate the likes of Bob Hope as a comedian (and admit that he's a funny guy), it all comes down to something of an acquired taste. But, with that said, even after seeing him in a number of films, I still haven't come anywhere near to acquiring that taste of total appreciation for this dude.

To me, Bob Hope, far too often, comes across as being one of the driest, most bland, and most unfunny comics of his era. In fact, there are moments when Hope's screen-persona gives me the creeps, big-time, especially when his character is required (amongst other things) to be a hot-blooded lover-boy type to some semi-smouldering babe.

From my point of view, Hope's apparent male-magnetism and believability as a virile specimen of raw manhood registers (on a scale of 1-10) at about 2. And 2 is also about the very same position where Hope's appeal as an all-round comic seems to sit, as well.

In "Where There's Life", Hope is radio personality, Michael Valentine, on WKDC in New York.

Valentine soon finds out (in a roundabout way) that he is the long-lost heir to the throne of the mythical kingdom of Borovia. This, in turn, makes him a target of spies, kidnapping, and death plots, as well as the desire of not one, but two, very determined women. (You go figure)

The country of Barovia is in a real pickle. A terrorist organization called The Mordia threatens to take over especially after an assassination attempt on the last king, leaves him critically wounded and clinging to life.

The king's only heir; the product of a youthful indiscretion when he was sowing some wild oats in America and guess who that is. General Signe Hasso in her best imitation of Greta Garbo in Ninotchka is sent to bring Hope back to Barovia.

Hope, who's a radio host in New York and engaged to Vera Marshe, is less than enthusiastic about the job of king, especially with the Mordia trying to kill him. But there's Hasso so the situation does have its compensations.

Where There's Life is an odd man out among Rapid Robert's films of the forties when Hope was at the high point of his career. It only runs for 75 minutes, unusually short for an A film. It's funny in a lot of spots, but not nearly as good as others he was doing at this time like Monsieur Beaucaire or The Paleface.

Where There's Life does have some good supporting players for Hope and Hasso with Dennis Hoey, George Coulouris, and George Zucco as various Barovian nationals. And of course it has the incomparable William Bendix.

Bendix, though a supporting actor at Paramount, was a star on radio with The Life of Riley at this time. He plays a New York City police officer and prospective brother-in-law to Hope. Devoted fans of Chester A. Riley will get to hear him utter his favorite radio catchphrase, 'what a revolting development this is.'

Will Barovia get out of a Hopeless situation?

Bob Hope hadn't quite attained top stardom outside the "Road" movies when this B-grade comedy was made, and while he's make occasional worse films later, this mediocrity is very much a routine studio product of its time. He's an NYC radio personality who is suddenly in demand by friends and foes of a fictional nation whose king is dying from an assassination attempt--and Bob is supposedly the unknowing heir to the throne, having been the product of a secret affair with an American long ago. It sounds like fun to put the comic in some Ruritania's political intrigue, but after its prologue, the movie never leaves Manhattan, where our cowardly hero is chased around by various undercover government agents (including Signe Hasso as a supposed general, in a weak stab at "Ninotchka"-type dynamics) and his own would-be assassins. All this keeps him away from planned nuptials with his fiancee and her cop brother (William Bendix), whose subplot is more amusing than the main narrative. But nothing here is very inspired. Hope talks a lot of fast patter as usual, but it's not GOOD patter, and the situations aren't clever or novel enough to make them funnier. It's not a bad movie, just a thoroughly forgettable that doesn't do anyone involved any particular favors.

Fast-paced, entertaining and fairly consistently funny: Hope's absurdist puns have a higher-than-usual hit-to-miss ratio, and Signe Hasso is the perfect straight woman. Good supporting cast as well, including George Zucco as - you guessed it - a baddie. *** out of 4.

Here we find Bob Hope in a quite unusual role, as royalty! (He's been everything else, right?) A glamorous General Grimovich tries to convince Michael Valentine that he is the prince of Barovia and must ascend the throne temporarily until they hold their first democratic election. If he doesn't, an evil organization called the "Mordia" will take over the country. A rather involved plot for a Hope movie, but he still shines bright! Great performance by William Bendix in this one as well.