Propre à rien!

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

Made over fifty years ago and still a treat to watch. A wonderful campy performance by Bob Hope,posing an an english Lord and Lucille Ball as a real tough western cowgirl really make this movie a lot of fun. Not to be missed is Bob as the english Lord describing his army exploits at a party.Bruce Cabot playing his usual bad tough guy keeps the movie on an even keel,but the laughs still come thick and fast mainly through Hope's attempt at an english accent. The one disappointing aspect was the finale,which seemed flat and made me wonder if the writers just couldn't be bothered with coming up with any more good lines. The late'40's and '50's were good film years for Hope and this movie shows why audiences kept coming back for more.

Lucy was one of the most gifted comedians to live: her gift was physical skits that ridiculed herself. Bob was similarly gifted, but his gift was the spoken joke. Neither was particularly well suited for the long form farce, which is what this is.

It is part western, part musical (three numbers) and part romantic comedy. No element of it works. In its day, it was considered a stinker and it still is. Hope's one enjoyable bit was a hide and seek dance with someone who is chasing him. They are back to back but no matter where they look, it is not the right place. I first saw Hope do this in "Star Spangled Rhythm," and I suppose it became something of a trademark over the years.

Lucy at this time was in negotiations for her TeeVee show, which WAS well suited for her talents — and became the most popular show in history.

I'll advise you to stay away from this if you are a Lucy fan. I knew it would be bad, but it is on my list to watch because of the plot device. Bob, an actor, plays a guy who is an actor playing a butler who pretends to be an English lord. All this playing is set in a clearly faux western, and needs to be seen in the context of "Annie Get your Gun" of the same year, which is a western show about a western show.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

"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.

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 !