Cancel My Reservation (1972)

Bob Hope is a stressed out talk show host who is sent on a vacation to Arizona on doctor's orders and has to play Sherlock Holmes with his wife, the lovely Eva Marie Saint, to solve a series of murders that has Bob as the prime suspect.

Director:

Paul Bogart

Writers:

Bob Fisher (as Robert Fisher), Louis L'Amour (novel)

Stars:

Bob Hope, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Bellamy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Hope	...	Dan Bartlett
Eva Marie Saint	...	Sheila Bartlett
Ralph Bellamy	...	John Ed
Forrest Tucker	...	Reese
Anne Archer	...	Crazy Hollister
Keenan Wynn	...	Sheriff 'Houndtooth' Riley
Henry Darrow	...	Joe Little Cloud
Chief Dan George	...	Old Bear
Doodles Weaver	...	Cactus, Deputy Sheriff
Betty Ann Carr	...	Mary Little Cloud
Herb Vigran	...	Roscoe Snagby
Pat Morita	...	Yamamoto
Gordon Oliver	...	Mr. Willie Sparker
Isabella Hoopes	...	Elderly Lady
Buster Shavers	...	Doc Morton

Storyline

Dan, a TV talk show host from New York is told by doctor to take a break. So he goes to Arizona and as he arrives, the press who were expecting a politician to arrive from Washington hound him and when a reporter asks his opinion about the Indians he empathizes with them. That's when an Indian girl approaches him and asks him if they can talk. He says yes go to his place and when he arrives he finds the girl dead. He tries to call the police but when they arrive the body is not there. Later he goes driving and the Sheriff stops him and finds the body in his car. He's arrested but a wealthy rancher shows up and tells the Sheriff to release him which he does. And he later finds a girl staying in his house and she says she's the rancher's daughter. Later Dan's wife shows up, it seems like their marriage is going through a rough patch but she's more concerned with trying to prove bis innocence. So they start bu talking the dead girl's uncle who doesn't know much but tells them of a wise ...

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Plot Keywords:

murder | husband wife relationship | television host | on the run | framed for murder | 

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Taglines:

When his doctor suggested a rest...how did it come out arrest?

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Ferien des Mr. Bartlett

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Naho Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The final film to be screened on a daily basis at New York City's Radio City Music Hall.

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Goofs

At 54.20 Eva Marie Saint is talking on the phone and carries it out of the bedroom. But when she enters and crosses the living room there's no cord.

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Quotes

[Riding on the back of a motorcycle.]
Dan Bartlett: We can pick up my stomach on the way back!

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Soundtracks

Cancel My Reservation
Music by Dominic Frontiere
Lyrics by Bobby Hart

User Reviews

Definitely not Hope-less

I, like many other viewers have stated, got an opportunity to see this as a youngster on TV...probably late one night back when television stations would play movies like this into the wee hours of the evening/morning. I didn't remember much. Of course there was Bob Hope. I remembered Keenan Wynn for some reason and knew it was about murder in the desert. Well, I finally acquired a copy and was pleasantly surprised. Yes, Bob Hope's game is off. He is 69 or so here(looks absolutely incredible for his age). He turns out a one liner almost every minute he is on screen - which is almost every minute for the film. Most fail, but after awhile I was laughing at some of them - some because they were pretty good and others because he was trying SO terribly hard. Hope glides through the film with his typical Hope persona. Enjoyable but nothing great to be sure. The supporting cast is also equally enjoyable. Keenan Wynn playing a crusty sheriff with his usual flair for such roles. Ralph Bellamy and Forrest Tucker as a local rancher and his henchman. Bellamy is wheelchair-bound and as always quite good with dialog. Tucker looks tired though. Eve Marie saint plays Hope's wife. She is okay but has a dazzling set of legs which she shows off quite a bit. This is Anne Archer's first major film role and she is stunning - a buffet for the eyes and also quite good in her role. The plot is something out of the 40s with a body, then a missing body, and that kind of stuff. Nothing great but watching established pros work with inferior material makes it rise to a level no-talents could not achieve. There is a dream sequence with cameos by John Wayne, Johnny Carson, Flip Wilson, and old Bing Crosby himself. It is pretty brief but nice nonetheless. So this stroll down memory lane was enjoyable. Scenes I saw decades ago started to come back to me, and I will most definitely watch the film again soon as well as check out some more Bob Hope films. Honestly, I miss this stuff. Nothing today, though there is awesome television and good filmmaking abounding, creates the same kind of feel for me as that stuff I watched as a kid. Guess that is how it will be for young people today too.