This movie is an exercise in wasted talent. Bob Hope, who was so funny in the 40s and early 50s, sleepwalks through this film. He once used to toss off wisecracks and one-liners with body posture, facial expression, and voice intonation all adding to the impact. In this film, he seems encased in cement and bored. Another misfire: Lilo Pulver, the gorgeous, hilarious, sexy secretary (to James Cagney) in "One, Two, Three." is wasted. She was given a drab wig and mousy dress and mainly used to give Hope an opportunity to tell her that the USA is superior to the USSR. The rest of the cast shows no sparkle; the gags are old and performed with no verve. To bring this down to rock bottom, there are saccharine drenched parts.
This should be shown in screen writing classes to demonstrate how a comedy can be made to be insufferable.
This should be shown in screen writing classes to demonstrate how a comedy can be made to be insufferable.