The Road to Hong Kong

source: The Road to Hong Kong

After a break of ten years, this was to be the last entry into the long - running and extremely popular series of "Road" movies. Space rockets and international intrigue provide the backdrop on this occasion as Hope and Crosby are kidnapped by the leaders of a mysterious and thoroughly evil interplanetary organization known as the "Third Echelon" who force them to become unwilling astronauts in order to take over the world. The two stars were in their late fifties by the time this one came along and were obviously due to retire from their familiar, high energy roles as roustabout con men / adventurers. But, even though they may have been slowing down, just a touch, the generally snappy pace and witty banter of earlier outings remained intact. Made in England and shot in black and white, this quirky , low budget offering must have been a visual disappointment for audiences after the color escapades of its immediate predecessor - 1952's "Road to Bali". Although Dorothy Lamour makes a brief appearance she had been largely replaced as the love interest by the younger British sex symbol, Joan Collins .The rest of the supporting cast, headed up by Robert Morley,is excellent and the playful cameos by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin just before the curtain falls added a topical touch to the proceedings as Sinatra's "Rat Pack" was constantly in the news during the early '60s. As usual, there are a couple of good songs, the best of which, "Team Work", opens the picture. Despite its somewhat bargain basement look "The Road to Hong Kong" still manages to provide a fun finale to the series.

I know this one has not much of a reputation, but I really, really enjoyed it. A big improvement, too, from the two prior ones. It's not a masterpiece. The feeding scene, stolen from Chaplin's "Modern Times", is a pale imitation (as was Woody Allen's later imitation of it in "Bananas"); Joan Collins, as has been said before, has no flair for comedy whatsoever; the "special effects" running gag is kind of feeble; and Robert Morley is not dark enough a presence for the heavy. (It's also extremely non-p.c., but that's not a fault in my book.) On the upside, there is an air of utter silliness about it that's very appealing, which their ages actually add to -- it's really fun to see them as middle-aged guys doing the exact same nonsense they did when they were younger, it makes it all sort of "meta". And their timing and chemistry are absolutely spectacular -- as good as they've ever been. Maybe better. And the script is genuinely funny. And the cameos add a lot. A couple of good songs, too. Very funny, particularly the earlier scenes. And probably the last movie Hope made that isn't utterly embarrassing.

The Road to Hong Kong is the seventh and final film in the "Road To" series of films starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. It's directed by Norman Panama and Panama co-writes the screenplay with Melvin Frank. Music is by Robert Farnon and cinematography is by Jack Hildyard. Plot pitches Hope and Crosby in the middle of a mistaken identity scenario and thus mixed up with an organisation intent on world domination via the moon! There had been a ten year gap since The Road to Bali was released in 1952, but such was the success and popularity of the series the boys were once again trundled out for one last "Road To" hurrah. Behind the scenes squabbles and stipulations tainted it some what, most notably the shunting out of the way of the series' previously leading lady Dorothy Lamour (who ends up making an extended cameo), who was replaced by a youthful Joan Collins. So with some scratchy back history and a word of mouth reputation as the worst of the series, with claims of the dynamic duo being too old and long past their best, The Road to Hong Kong must be a stinker then? Right? Actually no. Sure it lacks some of the energised nuttiness of previous instalments, but this definitely isn't a stinker. Yes the boys are a bit long in the tooth, and Collins, whilst no Lamour in screen presence and chemistry value with the duo, is sexy, spunky and grounds some of the more older frayed edges. The sci-fi plot is delightfully bonkers, very much capturing the space age zeitgeist of the 60s, and there's a whole bunch of great gags as usual (my favourite is about an elephant thermometer). Not all the intended humourous scenes work, but most do, while there's even a quite surreal one involving banana feeding machines! Bonus sees a cameo from the great Peter Sellers as his patented Indian Doctor, a scene where you can see Bing and Bob looking on and thinking the torch is being passed, while a strong support cast includes Robert Morley, Walter Gotell and Felix Aylmer. Funky opening credit sequences as well! Worst in the series? Well that's a harsh statement, more like it's a lesser light than the rest it is probably more fairer to say, but it's a fun film that adds weight to what fine entertainment value Bing and Bob were. 6.5/10

'The Road To Singapore' ( 1940 ) starred Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. It was a winning team - Hope provided the gags, Crosby the singing, and Lamour the glamour. Five more pictures in similar vein followed. With 'The Road To Bali' ( 1952 ), it looked like the end for the musical comedy series, but a decade later it returned for an encore, which was filmed in England despite the title! 'Hong Kong' has Bob and Bing as 'Chester Babcock' and 'Harry Turner', con men trying to sell a flying device that looks like the one Woody Allen used to escape security guards in 'Sleeper' ( 1973 ). During a demonstration, Chester loses his memory. Harry takes him first to an Indian doctor ( an uncredited Peter Sellers reprising his 'Milionairess' role in all but name ) and then to a Tibetan monastery. Chester is cured but then accidentally memorises a formula for space navigation, and agents of a mysterious organisation known as 'The Third Echelon' are after both of them. Luckily, one such agent is 'Diane' ( Joan Collins )... When I first saw this on television many moons ago, I assumed that Hope and Crosby were spoofing 'James Bond'. The S.P.E.C.T.R.E.-like 'The Third Echelon' hides out in an underground lair ( beneath sea level ) accessible through a secret entrance, employs agents in black, roll-neck jumpers ( worn by at least every spy at some point in the '60's ) and is led by a 'Blofeld'-like megalomaniac ( Robert Morley ). Their plan for world domination involves space rockets ( also the premise of 'Dr.No', the first Bond movie ). I was surprised to learn that 'Hong Kong' actually came out before 007's debut, meaning that Norman Panama and Melvin Frank beat all those spy spoofs to the punch by a few years. The titles were designed by Maurice Binder, by the way! Dorothy Lamour is unfairly relegated to a small role ( she's on screen for no more than five minutes ) while the main female role is given to Joan Collins, despite her having virtually no flair for comedy. Still it was good to see 'Dottie' again with the boys. The gags come thick and fast. One is 'borrowed' from Chaplin's 'Modern Times' - Bob and Bing are flying around in a space capsule and a machine feeds them bananas and milk ( the ship was originally intended to house monkeys ). The Hong Kong setting allows for racial stereotyping which probably would not be allowed now, but the most interesting scene is Chester and Harry's encounter with Sellers. It is the old guard of comedy handing over the baton to the new. Allegedly they tried to delete it as they felt the ex-Goon to be upstaging them. Loads of British faces on view - Dave King ( as a Chinese restaurant owner ), Roger Delgado ( later to play 'The Master' in 'Dr.Who' ), Walter Gotell ( 'General Gogol' of the Bond movies ), Felix Aylmer, and a fleeting appearance from David Niven! The ending has our heroes stranded on an alien planet, where they bump into Rat Packers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin! Not one of the best 'Road' films by a long chalk, but Bob and Bing are always watchable. Too old? Well, they were in their sixties, but it would only have been a problem if they had been playing young men. They weren't. In 1977, Bob and Bing planned to make 'The Road To The Fountain Of Youth' but the latter's death made the project impossible. For better or worse, 'Hong Kong' was the end of the pair's long journey.

I love The Road to Hong Kong. It's my favorite Road picture. I don't know why so many people dislike it. So Bing and Bob are older than they used to be. Who isn't? My favorite scene is the boys' Fly-It-Yourself scam. The "native pilot" is a no-show (can't blame him) so, of course, Bing bamboozles Bob into taking over and nearly getting himself killed. I love the bit of dialogue when Bing is helping Bob into his ridiculous flying gear. It goes something like: ------------------------------------------------------------ Bob: Why do I always have to do the dangerous stuff? Bing: It's the nature of the relationship. Just like one of us is brawn and the other is flab. Bob: Have you got a program? So far I don't recognize anyone. Bing: Well, don't get sore at me. It's just a plot point. ------------------------------------------------------------ I've always been a Bing Crosby fan, but I've never thought he was particularly attractive. However, I think he's really quite cute in his silly love scene with Joan Collins. He could warble a love song at me, anytime. Although I enjoyed the earlier Road films, The Road to Hong Kong is the only one I've bought on DVD. It was that good. I've watched it umpteen times and it always makes me laugh. Oh, and yeah, and then there's Bob Hope's perfectly timed line after Robert Morley delivers an impassioned I'll-take-over-the-world-speech: "I think he rolls his own."

The Road to Hong Kong was the last and least of the Hope-Crosby Road pictures but that still made this a funny movie.Hope and Crosby are con men who get involved accidentally with international spies. Some of the humor could be considered "politically incorrect" in this era but the rest is typical Road picture. Joan Collins takes over the Dorothy Lamour role and doesn't quite have the talent for it especially when compared to Ms. Lamour who makes a cameo in the movie. Peter Sellers is not to be missed,however.His cameo as the Indian neurologist is one of the funniest scenes in any movie. I can't strongly recommend this movie,but if you like the other Road pictures or are a Peter Sellers fan you will want to check this out.

Ten years after Road to Bali, Hope and Crosby made a belated farewell with this movie, much like Indy returning in Crystal Skulls I suppose. I ordered this out of perverse curiosity. It starts off badly, with the pair caught up in some space rocket over the moon escapade which makes them men out of their time, a bit like Indy in the last one. It signifies it's the end of an era. Crosby looks old, he has the irascible, slightly scary look he took on in later years - his nonchalant, butter wouldn't melt expression is long gone so when he stitches up Hope it seems a bit sinister. Hope is older too and looks like a right-wing Republican of the Tricky Dicky era. Both could appear in more serious, credible movies (China Syndrome type stuff) as villainous types, you feel. Joan Collins shows up early on to offer up a flashback with her harpy narration. It does get better, however, and for a film released in 1962, the same year as Doctor No, there are plenty of Bond connections. I enjoyed the zany credits and found they were done by one Maurice Binder. Walter Gotell turns up as an evil scientist, one year before his turn as Morzeny in From Russia With Love. Casino Royale's Peter Sellers and David Niven make cameos - Niven's is 10 seconds long, Sellers reprises his Indian doctor to not very humorous effect, save some goonish fun with a snake in a basket. The same year as Dr No we see the villain (played by Robert Morley) has an underwater lair with windows looking out onto sharks, which makes Hope gulp and grab his partner's lapels. Morley ends up with some Hugo Drax-like plan from Moonraker to exterminate 'the unemployed, the great unwashed' from space, a venture one can't help thinking the older, crankier comedians might have some secret sympathy with. The finale is quite mad and risqué, with the pair winding up alone in an unlikely destination with Joan Collins , whom they agree to share carnally in a way that bizarrely anticipates her later roles in The Stud and its sequel, some 10 years later, thankfully the cringeyness is broken by another pair of welcome star cameos. Not the best Road to... film but not really that bad either. Hope's mugging to the camera provides much of the comic energy.

Bosom pals Bing Crosby (as Harry Turner) and Bob Hope (as Chester Babcock) are in India when Mr. Hope loses his memory; no thanks for that. Hope is taken to Tibet by Mr. Crosby, where the duo hope to find a cure. At an airport, pretty young spy Joan Collins (as Diane) appears. Also serving as the story's part-time narrator, Ms. Collins thinks Hope and Crosby are secret agents. She joins them on "The Road to Hong Kong". The opening song "Teamwork" is followed by some funny banter. Special effects help an amusing title song. Then, this attempt to revive the "Road " series crashes... The worst part of the film occurs when the Hope and Crosby ape "Modern Times" while shot into space. They are force-fed bananas and get bounced around in fast-motion while strapped in chairs, accompanied by amateurish sound effects and trick photography. Also, the comedy team has zero rapport with Collins, who is uncomfortable and cardboard as their romantic interest. Frankly, Hope and Crosby are too old for Collins, anyway. To make matters worse, their more age appropriate leading lady Dorothy Lamour has a featured cameo and song. Other big name bits are scattered about. *** The Road to Hong Kong (4/27/62) Norman Panama ~ Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Joan Collins, Dorothy Lamour

One of my favourite of the road movies. The Peter Sellers "Indian Doctor" cameo is worth seeing all by itself. And then Hope and Crosby still had wonderful chemistry. Joan Collins is as beautiful as Elizabeth Taylor in her prime. The sequence -stolen from Chaplin's Modern Times- with the feeding matching is hilarious. It's just unfortunate that Bing's brother Norm could not have been more a part of this wonderful production. Bing's son Harry was cast briefly in the roll of a small baby camel but due to budget restrictions the part went to Trunk Davis. By the way the shots of Hong Kong early 1960s? Compared to now are shocking!