Fancy Pants

Lucille Ball and Bob Hope are two icons of classic cinema, and I must admit, I was completely unaware that they shared the screen in a film together. Upon watching, it became clear why this collaboration might have slipped under the radar. Much of the humor that was once celebrated in 1950 now feels outdated and inappropriate, particularly the racial jokes that would have elicited hearty laughter back in the day but are now considered offensive. Lucille's beauty shines through, and it's a pity she didn't receive more substantial roles in films. When she did, they often leaned heavily into slapstick, much like this one. It's striking how poorly this film has aged over time.

The opening credits state "starring Mr. Robert Hope and Miss Lucille Ball"... hope actually interrupts, and says a few words to the audience. Seems to be a period piece, a warped story on the history of new mexico. This was a ten years before critic's choice and facts of life, which they also made together. And just before I love lucy! Keep an eye out for the awesome eric blore, from all the fred astaire films. Also norma varden, mrs. Piggy, from gentlemen prefer blondes. Even ida moore, the mascot from desk set. The story is just silly, complicated, and disjointed, but it's all about the jokes along the way. Hope pretends to be a butler to help a hilbilly family appear upper class. Hijinx ensue! It's all interesting, mostly for the great comediens involved. Some fun special effects for 1950, the hairdo humphrey gives miss agatha, and the tower of pisa in the picture hanging on the wall. Miss agatha even sings a couple songs, which are clearly dubbed. Directed by george marshall; he had started in short, silent films. And kept right on directing until until 1972, ending up in television series. Fun for the fans of bob hope and lucy !

Fancy Pants is directed by George Marshall and adapted from the Harry Leon Wilson story by Edmund L. Hartmann & Robert O'Brien. It stars Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Bruce Cabot, Jack Kirkwood and Lea Penman. A Technicolor production, it's scored by Van Cleave and cinematography is by Charles Lang. Plot is a reworking of Ruggles of Red Gap, which was made into a successful film in 1935, directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Laughton. This take finds Bob Hope as a low grade American stage actor who gets hired by a Western family in the hope that his refined manner will rub off on the more rough and tumble members of the family. Finds start to spiral out of control when the town mistake him for a noble lord, bringing the attention of one president Teddy Roosevelt, who plans a visit to the family home. Not only that, but Hope has to contend with town bully Bruce Cabot, who is convinced that Hope is trying to steal his girl, Lucille Ball.

Bright and bubbly comedy musical fare, played purely for laughs and given a good quality production. Hope and Ball featured together in a total of five film's, their chemistry a winning formula, even if the material wasn't always that beneficial to their respective comedy leanings. Fancy Pants is one of the better ones, but it's bookended by indifference. The start is laborious, and not really setting the standard for what is to come, but once we land in the Wild West it not only lets Hope shine, but also it brings into play Kirkwood and Cabot (excellent). Then it's a case of letting Hope ponce about as a noble butler/Lord, while Ball and Kirkwood plot to have his nuisance self sent packing back to England. It's during this meaty middle section that we get some genuine laugh out loud moments, briskly constructed by Marshall and scripted as sharp as a razor. We even have time for a couple of tunes, with the quite wonderful "Home Cookin" the stand out. Sadly the ending lacks impact and comes all too quickly, which is doubly disappointing since the big build up was great fun.

A good but not great Bob Hope film as a whole, but when it's good it's very good and therefore easily recommended to the comedy classic fan. 6.5/10

Bob Hope and Lucille Ball were at the top of their careers when they made "Fancy Pants" in 1950. Both would stay at the top for three more decades. In this film, the two are joined by a supporting cast of several long-time performers for what appears to be a rollicking fun time with the process.

Hope plays an actor (Arthur Tyler) who plays a butler (Humphrey) who plays an English nobleman (the Earl of Brinstead). Ball plays Agie Floud, a wealthy young American Westerner. Joining the fun are Bruce Cabot as Cart Belknap, Jack Kirkwood as Mike Floud, Lea Penman as Effie Floud, Eric Blore as Sir Wimbley, and John Alexander as Teddy Roosevelt.

The movie is a hoot as the plot moves from a theater stage in London, to a train across America, to the Floud's hometown in the American Southwest. This comedy has a nice mix of funny lines, slapstick accidents, and silly to hilarious situations. It's a light piece of entertainment that the whole family should enjoy.

"Fancy Pants" is a reworking of the story from "Ruggles of Red Gap", though I strongly advise you to try to find this film (particularly the version starring Charles Laughton) instead. In no way is this film the equal to "Ruggles".

When the film begins, Bob Hope is an American actor who specialized in playing Butlers in British plays. Well, some Americans from the west convince him to return with them to Wyoming and be their classy Gentleman's Gentleman. Not wanting to disappoint the nouveaux rich (after all, they do have money), the follows. However, later the locals think that he's an Earl and suddenly he's no longer the hired help but the special house guest of this family. Soon, the President himself is traveling their way...and he, too, would love to meet the Earl.

The film is just okay...and in every way the earlier films are better. Instead of being sweet, this Hope film is kooky and a bit silly...but nothing more.

By the way, this film represents the biggest waste of Eric Blore in film history. See the picture...you'll see what I mean.