My Favorite Blonde (1942)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Sidney Lanfield

Writers:

Melvin Frank (story) and
Norman Panama (story) ...

Release Date:

8 March 1943 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Karen Bentley, an English secret agent, links up with Larry Haines and his star penguin Percy in an attempt to outwit German spies.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Penguin | Los Angeles | Vaudeville | German

Cast

Bob Hope	...	Larry Haines
Madeleine Carroll	...	Karen Bentley
Gale Sondergaard	...	Madame Stephanie Runick
George Zucco	...	Dr. Hugo Streger
Lionel Royce	...	Karl
Walter Kingsford	...	Dr. Wallace Faber
Victor Varconi	...	Miller
Otto Reichow	...	Lanz
Esther Howard	...	Mrs. Topley
Edward Gargan	...	Mulrooney
James Burke	...	Union Secretary
Charles Cane	...	Turk O'Flaherty
Crane Whitley	...	Ulrich - Henchman
Dooley Wilson	...	Porter
Milton Parsons	...	Mortician

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #7985) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Some cast members in studio records/casting call lists did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): William Irving (Waiter), Mike Lally (Chicago Taxi Driver). 'Frank Marlowe' (Chicago Taxi Driver) and William Lally (Telegraph Operator).

Quotes:

Larry Haines: Let's get out of here before my knees beat themselves to death.

Movie Connections:

Followed by My Favorite Spy (1951)

Soundtrack:

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Hope Springs Eternal

This early wartime Bob Hope comedy is one of his best, and is from a time in the comedian's career when his movies hadn't become routine, and when his was a bit less buffoonish and incompetent than in his later efforts. Aided by the lovely Madeline Carroll, Bob is up to his neck in Nazi spies in this satire of Hitchcock-type thrillers, and the "straight" scenes are menacing enough to give the story real bite. The supporting cast is lively and eclectic, and includes George Zucco and Dooley Wilson. Gale Sondergaard is on hand, and as was so often the case in the forties she seems to be doing a send-up of Judith Anderson's malevolent Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca. She does it very well, but one wonders why this beautiful woman was never cast as a female lead. My Favorite Blonde is fast-paced and has some good lines from Hope regulars Frank Butler and Don Hartman. Watching this movie always makes me wonder why Hope's later films, which also tend to be spoofs, are so sloppy, since he is so much funnier and more effective in early vehicles like this one, which are played at least half-straight, and far better for it.