Bob Hope plays a bad performer who is looking for a job in the New World. On the way there, the boat he's on is attacked by pirates and taken. Their prize is a runaway princess (Virginia Mayo). Although a thorough coward, Bob musters up the courage to help her escape. Now a pirate (Victor McLaglen) and corrupt governor (Walter Slezak) are out to find the girl and kill Hope. Can the pair manage to escape and avoid a horrid fate? Well, perhaps with the help of a crazy old coot (Walter Brennan) they can find a way.
I am a history teacher and seeing a movie with me can either be informative or annoying depending on your perspective. When I see films that are historically inaccurate, I tend to grumble and complain. When I see films that are completely ridiculous historically, I tend to REALLY complain and annoying people around me! As for "The Princess and the Pirate" I did NOT expect the film to be like a PBS documentary, but the film seems to bear absolutely no semblance to any pirates I ever read about and was a really silly little trifle. So, if you are historically-minded, DON'T watch this film--it will drive you crazy.
Now, if you can look past the historical inaccuracies and anachronisms, is the film worth seeing? Well,...maybe. If you adore Bob Hope and love anything he's in, then of course you should see the film. If you are looking for a comedy, well, this film suffers from one minor problem...it's not funny. It IS full of pretty costumes and very bright and garish colors but funny it ain't. Instead, it's as if they simply brought out the costumes and told Hope to 'just wing it'--doing his typical stand-up act filled with hit and miss (mostly miss) quips. And, as for Brennan, they told him to cackle insanely throughout the course of the film.
By the way, get a load of Slezak's skin-head wig. It's pretty bad...and in keeping with the rest of the film. And, after looking at the rest of the reviews I am apparently in the distinct minority and consider this to be among Hope's worst films...though it is pretty (when the DVD print is in focus--which was a problem now and again).
I am a history teacher and seeing a movie with me can either be informative or annoying depending on your perspective. When I see films that are historically inaccurate, I tend to grumble and complain. When I see films that are completely ridiculous historically, I tend to REALLY complain and annoying people around me! As for "The Princess and the Pirate" I did NOT expect the film to be like a PBS documentary, but the film seems to bear absolutely no semblance to any pirates I ever read about and was a really silly little trifle. So, if you are historically-minded, DON'T watch this film--it will drive you crazy.
Now, if you can look past the historical inaccuracies and anachronisms, is the film worth seeing? Well,...maybe. If you adore Bob Hope and love anything he's in, then of course you should see the film. If you are looking for a comedy, well, this film suffers from one minor problem...it's not funny. It IS full of pretty costumes and very bright and garish colors but funny it ain't. Instead, it's as if they simply brought out the costumes and told Hope to 'just wing it'--doing his typical stand-up act filled with hit and miss (mostly miss) quips. And, as for Brennan, they told him to cackle insanely throughout the course of the film.
By the way, get a load of Slezak's skin-head wig. It's pretty bad...and in keeping with the rest of the film. And, after looking at the rest of the reviews I am apparently in the distinct minority and consider this to be among Hope's worst films...though it is pretty (when the DVD print is in focus--which was a problem now and again).