Road to Morocco (1942)

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

Frank Butler (original screenplay) and
Don Hartman (original screenplay)

Release Date:

22 April 1943 (Australia)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Romance

Tagline:

You'll Shriek At These Shieks! . . . trying the double - Oh! on Sheikess Dorothy Lamour!

Plot:

Two carefree castaways on a desert shore find an Arabian Nights city, where they compete for the luscious Princess Shalmar.

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Desert | Castaway | Rescue | Camel

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Jeff Peters
Bob Hope	...	Orville 'Turkey' Jackson / Aunt Lucy
Dorothy Lamour	...	Princess Shalmar
Anthony Quinn	...	Mullay Kasim
Dona Drake	...	Mihirmah
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	Hyder Khan
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Ahmed Fey
George Givot	...	Neb Jolla

Runtime:

82 min (DVD) | 81 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #8255) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:U | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Imperial County, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Orville says that he was born on September 13, 1913, a Friday. That date was actually a Saturday.

Quotes:

Jeff Peters: First chance we get, we better dash for the nearest exit.
Turkey Jackson: Yeah, but how about that guy's knife? We're gonna look silly stumbling outta here on a set of stumps.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Married Life (2007)

Soundtrack:

(We're Off on the) Road to Morocco

One of the best I've seen in a while

Talking camels that manifest falsehood in moments of battle. Best friend rivalry over a beautiful princess in another distant time, in another exotic setting. Unconvincing sets of desert and sea make viewing a bit of an eyesore for those wary of its artificial conception. However, the interiors are done with just the right touch incapable for MGM to create with over doing the sets entirely without a hint of Ziegfeld. Nor is anyone overdressed inappropriately.

Even better, "Morocco" has a hilarious and brilliant script directed by a Paramount director that obviously has an important asset essential for the trademark mix of these films, a sense of humour. Some of the most memorable scenes from any of the "Road" films occur in "Road to Morocco". And they certainly couldn't belong anywhere else.

Perhaps today the third film of the series is unjustly best remembered for some of the hit songs it spawned, "Moonlight Becomes You" and the title song. However, other songs featured in the score should not be forgotten, despite the loveliness and catchiness of the other two.

However, this film has something brilliant going for it that is sometimes missing in other screwball or highly comic films of the era. There is no Cary Grant, and no Carole Lombard. Yet all the actors manage successfully with zany screwball antics typically capable of the above at the highest of standards. The best thing the film has is Bing, Bob and Dottie and the teaming of the trio should not be forgotten as possibly one of the best in comedies.

What this film must have done to wartime morale is amazing in a solemn era difficult to forget post Depression era. Yet today it remains as fresh as ever and anything else featuring Crosby, Hope and Lamour should not be passed over. It was certainly an unexpected gem of a surprise, and probably one of the few movies where the same jokes can get away with working twice.

Whatever its flaws, "Morocco" is one of my twenty favourite films of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and the fact it's got a short time is even a greater bonus.

Yet once the all too rare movie magic of the film sets in, you never want the road to end.

Rating: 10/10