The Road to Hong Kong (1962)

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.

Director:

Norman Panama

Writers:

Melvin Frank, Norman Panama

Stars:

Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Joan Collins

Cast

Cast overview:
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
Michel Mok	...	Undetermined Role (as Michele Mok)
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

Storyline

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby return as con men Chester Babcock and Harry Turner, in the last of their road movies. When Chester accidentally memorizes and destroys the only copy of a secret Russian formula for a new and improved rocket fuel, they are thrust into international intrigue, trying to stay alive while keeping the formula out of enemy hands.

---

Plot Keywords:

sea | monk | underwater installation | herbs | rocket | 

---

Taglines:

The last of the red hot Lamas!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 May 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

A caminho de Hong Kong

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Melnor Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Released a year after Yuri Gagarin's successful journey in the outer space aboard Vostok and seven years before Neil Armstrong's famous moon landing.

---

Goofs

As Harry and Chester are going into the basement of the head spy, Chester's hat is lifted off his head by a very visible wire.

---

Quotes

Diane: Trust me and you'll come to no harm.
Chester Babcock: Trust me and I make no promises.

---

Connections

References Quick Draw McGraw (1959)

---

Soundtracks

Let's Not Be Sensible
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by Bing Crosby and Joan Collins

User Reviews

Amusing, occasionally inspired "spy-fi"

At its most inspired when it breaks the fourth wall ("That's the plot of the movie? Come on, I must hide you" -"From the killers?" -"No, from the critics"!). Of special interest to James Bond fans, as it was released the same year as the first official Bond movie ("Dr.No"), so it got the pulse of the era early, and the outlandish plot could actually be considered a precursor to "Moonraker"! Other plusses include an excellent villain in Robert Morley, the ravishing young Joan Collins and the equally ravishing not-so-young Dorothy Lamour, and a series of funny cameos which I, for one, will not spoil. **1/2 out of 4.