I write this review after having finished a private double feature of Bob Hope films. Being a big fan of Hope, I really wanted to like "Boy Did I Get A Wrong Number!" His 1960s films are generally considered by most cinephiles to be his weakest but I enjoyed "Bachelor in Paradise"(1961), "The Road to Hong Kong"(1962), "Critic's Choice"and "Call Me Bwana"(both 1963), none of which are regarded as among Hope's better works. Perhaps it's the fact that I watched it just after watching a vastly superior, funnier and well-written Bob Hope comedy called "Caught in the Draft"(1941), but I have to say this would-be attempt at bedroom farce/Hollywood celebrity spoof falls completely flat. What went wrong? Hope and his 2 main female co-stars(Elke Sommer and Phyllis Diller) have great comic ability, and George Marshall had previously directed top-notch Hope laughfests "Fancy Pants"(1950) and "Monsieur Beaucaire"(1950), but no amount of talent in the actors or director can make up for a leaden script which plays like a 98 minute extended rerun of "Three's Company." The comic timing which is so necessary for a film of this type to work is completely off. The funniest thing in the picture is Marjorie Lord's humongous hairdo and I don't think that was the intent of either her or the filmmakers. Even Hope's immediate predecessor film, the so-so "I'll Take Sweden"(1965) was more entertaining.
Hope fans should skip this one and watch a "Road" film or any of the above mentioned Hope films instead while Elke Sommer fans should watch "A Shot in the Dark"(1964) or "The Prize"(1963) in lieu of "Wrong Number!".
Bottom line: 3 of 10 with 1 point for each of the 3 leads only.
