Never Say Die

This early Bob Hope feature is very funny, and quite charming in its own particular way to boot. Of Hope's more frequent leading ladies in film, I have always found his teamings with Martha Raye to be the most satisfying, possibly because Bob and she seem to feed off each other in a way his other regulars (Paulette Goddard/Lucy/Dottie) didn't. Perhaps it has something to do with their vaudeville background. Anyway, both Bob, and particularly Martha, are far more subdued in their roles here than usual, and Never Say Die benefits enormously as a result. (Perhaps in the case of Hope this is due to the fact that this film comes so early in his screen career, before his on-screen persona of the egocentric and cowardly would-be ladies man was so firmly established). Their characters of John Kidley and Mickey Hawkins here somehow have a human dimension which is usually lacking in the usual Hope or Raye portrayal (no matter how enjoyable), and the warmth of the romantic scenes between the two in this picture is something which in my opinion is unique, never repeated by either of them in any of their other film work again.

There are other aspects of Never Say Die which have always made it one of my favourite Hope pictures...Gale Sondergard as a man hungry widow, Monty Woolley in a small role as an ambitious medico, Andy Devine as Martha's intended, and especially Sig Rumann as Poppa Ingleborg in some hilarious scenes at the hotel. Also Preston Sturges involvement in the script does show. And has already been noted elsewhere, fans of Danny Kaye may be interested in viewing this picture if only to see an earlier (and one must admit less successful) incarnation of the "flagon with the dragon" routine from The Court Jester.

Just watched this early Bob Hope picture made before his established movie personality of a cowardly hero was ingrained in the minds of the public. Here, he's a rich man who believes he's dying due to...well, just watch the picture. Anyway, Martha Raye is also in this. Both of them are engaged to a someone neither wants to marry so they decide to wed each other. Oh, and Andy Devine is also here as someone who really likes Ms. Raye. Let me just stop here and just say that I found the whole thing quite funny and the fact Preston Sturges was one of the writers may have had to do something with it. There's also a game supporting cast involved. So on that note, I highly recommend Never Say Die.

Wealthy hypochondriac Bob Hope is visiting a European spa called Bad Gaswasser, taking the waters and hiding out from gold digging widow Gale Sondergaard. Meanwhile, Martha Raye has been dragged to the same locale by her nouveau riche Texan dad, who wants her to marry prince Alan Mowbray, who is broke and seeks a large dowry. Martha, however, has her heart set on hometown pal Andy Devine, who also shows up….

The script and the cast are very funny in this fast-paced comedy that barely slows down for a couple of really sweet moments between Hope and Raye (who are both excellent). Among the best moments are an opening sequence showing a scientist in a water processing lab mixing and testing the "natural hot mineral springs" water that Bad Gaswasser promotes; poor Sig Ruman as the hotel manager who can't quite figure out what's going on with guests Hope, Raye and Devine; and Raye, blindfolded, mistaking a friendly bear for Andy Devine ("Why, Henry, how dare you take your shirt off!").

Monty Woolley is hilarious in a bit as a doctor who mistakenly receives a dog's test results instead of Hope's and thinks he's discovered a rare case that will make him famous: "With your acidity," he exclaims, "you can digest bones!" Sondergaard is also wildly funny as the former Olympic sharpshooting champion whose husbands tend to die suddenly.

In fact, with this cast of crazies, it's fair (if odd) to say that Hope and Raye essentially play the straight roles in the picture—although both, of course, get in their share of funny moments, too.

It's extremely light and it goes by very fast. Good fun.

Wealthy Bob Hope (Kidley) is a hypochondriac - one of those annoying people who always think there is something wrong with them - and is living in a quiet retreat in Switzerland. However, he is tracked down by husband-collector Gale Sondergaard (Marko). She murders her husbands, collects the money and then moves on to the next. Bob Hope is her new target and she arranges the wedding date for him, which is imminent. As fortune has it, farmer's daughter Martha Raye (Mickey) is due to marry Prince Alan Mowbray (Smirnov) on the same day and Hope and Raye come up with a scheme to help themselves out of their respective messes.

The film is a comedy and it doesn't really make any sense but it is surprisingly entertaining, despite the usually annoying cast members of Hope and Raye. They are actually funny! There is also some funny dialogue! I note that Preston Sturgess was involved in this film, usually a writer of complete drivel, so that is another rare thing, Sturgess actually being funny! We can't be sure, of course that he actually wrote anything funny. The funny lines may well have come from Hope. He definitely brings life and comedy into his interpretation of the dialogue. Everyone does well. Except the annoying butler character.

A surprisingly entertaining film.

No masterpiece, but interesting in its own right. Martha Raye, for once, is playing it straight, and not doing the broad comedy/singing routine that was part of her 1930s Paramount films. (She really didn't show this side of her talent again until she had her regular TV variety show in the 1950s. Bob Hope had not yet become the familiar "Bob Hope", wise-cracking and egotistical; rather, here he plays a light comedy romantic lead rather in the British music hall manner. The love scenes between the two are often rather touching in their sincerity. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Gale Sondergaard, the predatory villianness whose shooting skill, which hangs ominously over Hope's head as she forces him into marriage during the entire film, provides the deus ex machina to resolve the romantic plot in a surprise turnabout. The fact that all other roles are played so broadly helps highlight the relatively subdued Raye and Hope performances. In fact, there are several surprises along the way, including the fact that boy and girl marry at about a third of the way through the movie; then fall in love. Very enjoyable.