The Road to Hong Kong (1962)

Director:

Norman Panama

Writers:

Melvin Frank
Norman Panama

Release Date:

22 May 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Mistaken identity and the acquisition of a rare Tibetan herb put two buffoonish con men on the wrong side of a secret organization geared toward world domination.

Plot Keywords:

Herbs | Rocket | Photographic Memory | Lama | Monastery

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Harry Turner
Bob Hope	...	Chester Babcock
Joan Collins	...	Diane
Robert Morley	...	Leader of the 3rd Echelon
Walter Gotell	...	Dr. Zorbb
Felix Aylmer	...	Grand Lama
Alan Gifford	...	American official
Michele Mok	...	Mr. Ahso
Katya Douglas	...	3rd Echelon receptionist
Roger Delgado	...	Jhinnah
Robert Ayres	...	American official
Mei Ling	...	Ming Toy
Jacqueline Jones	...	Blonde at airport
Yvonne Shima	...	Poon Soon
Dorothy Lamour	...	Dorothy Lamour
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zsa Zsa Gabor	...	Cameo Appearance (scenes deleted)
Irving Allan	...	Nubian at Lamasary (uncredited)
April Ashley	...	(uncredited)
Harry Baird	...	Nubian at Lamasary (uncredited)
Camilla Brockman	...	(uncredited)
Victor Brooks	...	Leader's Man (uncredited)
Edwina Carroll	...	(uncredited)
Jerry Colonna	...	Man Looking for a Match (uncredited)
John Dearth	...	Leader's Man (uncredited)
Rosendo Fortes	...	Joan Collins' hotel doorman (uncredited)
Robin Hughes	...	American Official (uncredited)
Lier Hwang	...	(uncredited)
Dave King	...	Chinese Restaurant Owner (uncredited)
Jacqueline Leigh	...	(uncredited)
Simon Levy	...	Servant (uncredited)
Peter Madden	...	Lama (Slim) (uncredited)
Lena Margo	...	(uncredited)
Dean Martin	...	The 'Grape' on Plutomium (uncredited)
John McCarthy	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Bill Nagy	...	Agent (uncredited)
David Niven	...	Lama, remembering Lady Chatterly's Lover (uncredited)
Roy Patrick	...	Leader's Man (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	...	Man (uncredited)
David Randall	...	Leader's Man (uncredited)
Peter Sellers	...	Indian Neurologist (uncredited)
Julian Sherrier	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Sein Short	...	(uncredited)
Bob Simmons	...	Astronaut (uncredited)
Frank Sinatra	...	The 'Twig' on Plutomium (uncredited)
Guy Standeven	...	Photographer at Calcutta Airport (uncredited)
Diane C. Valentine	...	(uncredited)
Sheree Winton	...	(uncredited)
Michael Wynne	...	Leader's Man (uncredited)
Zoe Zephyr	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Panama

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Melvin Frank
Norman Panama

Produced by
Melvin Frank	....	producer
William Kirby	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Robert Farnon

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard

Film Editing by
Alan Osbiston
John C. Smith
John Victor-Smith

Casting by
Sally Nicholl		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Roger K. Furse

Art Direction by
Syd Cain
William Hutchinson

Set Decoration by
Maurice Fowler

Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
David Aylott	....	makeup artist
Eric Allwright	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Joyce James	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Joan White	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bluey Hill	....	assistant director
Edward Dorian	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Gordon Gilbert	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Ken Softley	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Brian Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Sidney Braham	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Robert Cartwright	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Ted Clements	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Ted Clements	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Peter Dukelow	....	construction manager (uncredited)
Basil Mannin	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Terry Parr	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Harry Phipps	....	construction manager (uncredited)
James Sawyer	....	set designer (uncredited)
Joel Schiller	....	assistant production designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Buster Ambler	....	sound recordist
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Bob Jones	....	sound
Red Law	....	sound recordist
Lee Doig	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jimmy Dooley	....	sound (uncredited)
Peter Dukelow	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jimmy Harris	....	special effects
Garth Inns	....	special effects
Curly Nelhams	....	special effects
Ted Samuels	....	special effects
Wally Veevers	....	special effects

Stunts
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerry Fisher	....	camera operator
Bobby Murrell	....	gaffer
James Devis	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Frank Howard	....	camera grip (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bob Godfrey	....	animator
Keith Learner	....	animator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ernie Farrer	....	wardrober (uncredited)
Mrs. Fei	....	costumer (uncredited)
May Walding	....	wardrober (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joan Morduch	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Ray Thorne	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Farnon	....	musical director
Douglas Gamley	....	music associate
Bill McGuffie	....	music associate
Douglas Gamley	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ted Reed	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Baker	....	choreographer
Maurice Binder	....	title designer
Pamela Davies	....	continuity
Sheila Meyers	....	choreographer
Inez Easton	....	location manager (uncredited)
Angela Martelli	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jilda Smith	....	secretary to Mr Panama (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Melnor Films

Distributors

• United Artists (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1964) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• United Artists Corporation (1962) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Biographic Cartoon Films  animation

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #20116) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

Melnor Films

Trivia:

The long nonsense word that Peter Sellers says during his scene is actually the name of a Welsh town, known for being the longest place name anywhere: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Harry loads Chester's shirt with a couple dozen live fish, but as they turn and run, Chester's shirt is neither bulky, squirming nor wet.

Quotes:

Diane:At least you can die like heroes.
Chester Babcock:Nah, but we're to old to die.

Movie Connections:

References South Pacific (1958)

Soundtrack:

Teamwork

OK - but the other "Road to" films were better

Chester and Harry are con-men working their way around Asia. When an accident puts Chester in hospital with memory loss, the two contact a doctor who advises them of a ancient herb that will bring back all his memories. The herb also gives him the ability to memorise anything he reads.

A mix-up at the airport with an agent of a cult puts Chester in possession of formulae for a space rocket which the cult plan to use to put weapons on the moon and take control of the earth. The cult pursue the two leading to a range of crazy situations on earth.......and beyond!

That's the plot and, to quote Dorothy Lamor in this film "That's the plot so far? I'd better hide you.....from the critics!". The plot is, as always, a flimsy excuse for banter between Hope and Crosby. However in other "Road to...." movies the plot has been a little less silly. Here it's daft and too complicated to be totally forgotten about. And unfortunately the banter feels a little tired between the two, the other road movies felt fresher.

And it feels like they know it too - there's lots of tired routines, "special effects!" for one, and they have too many self-deprecating jokes. They're quite funny but after a while you realise that they're just saying it before anyone else does. However there still is much to like here - Hope and Crosby are still funny in a bad movie and some of their banter is still great, although the situations that give them the dialogue are daft.

Hope and Crosby play their characters with well rehearsed ease. A young Joan Collins is OK but comes over as a little over earnest. The larger-than-life Robert Morley plays the cult leader with seriousness and Peter Sellers wins the film with his Indian doctor cameo. There are a range of small cameos, some funny some not - Dorothy Lamor returns to the Road series, David Niven turns up for a few silent seconds and Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra take a gentle swipe at their rivals (although it's not very funny -"special effects!").

Overall this is a gentle comedy that you'll enjoy because of Hope and Crosby. The ridiculous plot takes away from it a lot (did they have to make it quite so silly?), and the musical numbers slow it down a bit. But to be honest, there's much better movies in the road series that this one.