Road to Morocco (1942)

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

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

Release Date:

22 April 1943 (Australia)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical | 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:

Desert | Princess | Camel | Rescue | Castaway

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Barron	...	Giant Bearded Arab (uncredited)
Leon Belasco	...	Yusef - Undertaker (uncredited)
Sara Berner	...	Mabel - Lady Camel (voice) (uncredited)
Abner Biberman	...	Man (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Monte Blue	...	Kasim's Aide (uncredited)
Dick Botiller	...	Warrior (uncredited)
Rita Christiani	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Warrior (uncredited)
Yvonne De Carlo	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Theo De Voe	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
The Debonnaires	...	Quartet Dancers (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
James Dime	...	Kasim's Muscular Slave (uncredited)
Devi Dja	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Edward Emerson	...	Bystander (uncredited)
Brooke Evans	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Vic Groves	...	Knife Dancer (uncredited)
Jamiel Hasson	...	Kasim's Aide (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	English Announcer (uncredited)
Joe Jewett	...	Knife Dancer (uncredited)
Pete G. Katchenaro	...	Filipino Announcer (uncredited)
Cy Kendall	...	Fruit Vendor (uncredited)
Louise La Planche	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
George Lloyd	...	Guard (uncredited)
Richard Loo	...	Chinese Announcer (uncredited)
Patsy Mace	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Pottery Vendor (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard	...	Leader of Arab Horsemen (uncredited)
Leo Mostovoy	...	Russian Announcer (uncredited)
Sylvia Opert	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva	...	Sausage Vendor (uncredited)
Stanley Price	...	Idiot (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Kent Rogers	...	Male Camel (voice) (uncredited)
Cy Schindell	...	Arab Waiter (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	One of Jolla's Warriors (uncredited)
Dan Seymour	...	Slave Buyer (uncredited)
Nick Shaid	...	Arab Guard (uncredited)
Sammy Stein	...	Guard (uncredited)
Andrew Tombes	...	Oso Bucco (uncredited)
Blanca Vischer	...	Girl on Camel (uncredited)
Blue Washington	...	Nubian Slave (uncredited)
Poppy Wilde	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Harry Woods	...	Man (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Directed by
David Butler

Writing credits
Frank Butler		(original screenplay) and
Don Hartman		(original screenplay)
Erik Charell		contributor to treatment (uncredited)
Barney Dean		contributor to dialogue (uncredited)
Arthur Phillips		contributor to dialogue (uncredited)

Produced by
Paul Jones	....	associate producer
Buddy G. DeSylva	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Victor Young		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
William C. Mellor

Film Editing by
Irene Morra

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Robert Usher

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sidney Street	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Sydney Streeter	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cullen Tate	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Hal Walker	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Earl S. Hayman	....	sound recordist (as Earl Hayman)
Walter Oberst	....	sound recordist
Loren L. Ryder	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Ted Wells	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Arthur Franklin	....	music advisor
Victor Young	....	musical director
Charles Bradshaw	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Paul Weston	....	music arranger (uncredited)

Other crew
Paul Oscard	....	dances stager
Jamiel Hasson	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (as Paramount Pictures Inc.)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• M.P.E.A. (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Bob Hope: Thanks for the Memories Collection)

Also Known As:

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) | Australia:PG | Spain:13 | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:U | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Imperial County, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The scene where the camel spits in Turkey's (Bob Hope's) face wasn't planned. The camel did it of its own accord while the cameras were rolling, and Hope's recoil and Bing Crosby's reaction were so funny that it was left in the final cut of the film.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Turkey Jackson:We're going to get married on... . uh... . when is the big day, Dream Thing?
Princess Shalmar:When the moon, in its last quarter, silvers the blossoms of the almond tree. That's Tuesday night, about nine.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jack Benny Program: The Bob Hope Show (#13.10)" (1962)

Soundtrack:

Constantly

Don't Take It Seriously

The Road to Morocco is the best of Crosby/Hope road movies, in my humble opinion. Yes, the plot is paper thin, but the comedy and self-deprecating humor is there. Much of the comedy is slapstick, but this is a movie that's not afraid to say "It's just a movie, don't take it seriously." In the first song, Crosby and Hope allude to it being just another road movie. Naturally they'll meet Dorothy Lamour, and they have nothing to fear, because Paramount will protect them. This is not a movie to have a serious, philosophical discussion about. This is a movie to pop into the VCR on a Saturday night and forget about your worries.