Customer Reviews

Fancy Pants [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, this is a color movie, not black and white. Not just color, Technicolor, real good clear Technicolor. It was made by Paramount back in the days when the Paramount logo had 24 stars in the circle. Nowadays the logo has 22 stars. This movie is my all-time favorite Bob Hope film even though it is the one film where he is not billed as "Bob." The credit goes to "Mr. Robert Hope." The best joke in this film takes place 45 minutes into the story. It is "Three Against a Thousand." It is a four minute routine that shows Bob at his best.If you've seen it you know what I mean. If not, it is worth the price of the video. When this movie came out Lucy was about one year away from TV history with her "I Love Lucy" series. Old timers will like it and it is probably a film that young kids would also enjoy. Some of the vaudeville routines still work well today, especially Hope lighting someone's cigarette and pouring tea. Good western scenery. One good song "Home Cookin'." All songs written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. They wrote tunes like "Mona Lisa," "To Each His Own" and "The Bonanza Theme." They just didn't write any great songs for this film. Bob and Lucy are in great physical shape here. Tom Willett

Reunited for the first time since their box-office success in "Sorrowful Jones" (1949), 1950's FANCY PANTS (a musical remake of "Ruggles of Red Gap" by Harry Leon Wilson) cast Bob Hope as a phoney British butler, with Lucille Ball as his hell-raising, tomboyish employer.

Engaged in a British touring theatrical troupe, struggling actor Arthur Tyler (Bob Hope) literally lands the role of a lifetime when New Mexico millionairess Effie Floud (Lea Penman) drags him back home as the new butler, in the hopes he'll also be a calming influence for her unruly daughter Agatha (Lucille Ball). Aggie, in the meanwhile, decides to use "Humphrey" (as he's now known) to create some sparks of jealousy with her cowboy squeeze (Bruce Cabot). And when the rest of the townsfolk mistakenly start to believe that "Humphrey" is the Earl of Brimstead, all hell breaks loose!

Bob Hope and Lucille Ball were always great value when paired together, but FANCY PANTS might well be their best co-starring vehicle. This is an energetic, high-octane musical version of "Ruggles of Red Gap" (previously filmed in 1935 with Charles Laughton and Mary Boland in the leads). Lucy glows in Technicolor (her singing was dubbed by Annette Warren). The cast also boasts Jack Kirkwood, Norma Varden, Eric Blore and John Alexander.

The DVD has a brilliant restored Technicolor print, but sadly no extras. (Single-sided, single-layer disc).

Bob Hope and Lucille Ball made several movies together, but this is by far their best. The comedic timing they bring to every role is unsurpassed and together they always had a nice screen chemistry. How can you possibly go wrong with two of the greatest comedians in screen history together in one movie?

The highlight is the arrival of President Theodore Roosevelt who goes on an hilarious fox hunt with Bob, pretending to be a snooty, upper crust Englishman. Full of laughs!

Fancy Pants reunites the stars of the hit Sorrowful Jones but this time in living color. This would be a full five years before Lucy would become a television icon.

Bob Hope plays a hapless actor, Arthur Tyler who is hired to play a butler to impress a neuvo riche American girl, Agatha Floud (Lucille Ball) and her mother Effie by an impoverish British Earl.

The Earl doesn't get the girl but Effie gets the butler. Effie wants to flaunt her new found culture in the culture wasteland known as Big Squaw, New Mexico. All arrive home and a misunderstanding happens when Agatha's father think that Humphrey, the Butler is the Earl of Brimstead.

Arthur takes to his new role with flare. Maybe a little too much flare. This makes Agatha's "beau" jealous. To add to the plot twists, President Teddy Roosevelt finds out about the Earl's visit and comes to meet him. This leads to an all out over the top finish.

Bob Hope had pretty well perfected his screen persona by this film but Lucy was still years from creating hers. This film was a bridge from what MGM tried to make her and what I Love Lucy would make her. Hope and Ball made a great comic team and this is one of the most outlandish collaboration.

This is just a plain sit down and laugh out loud comedy. Enjoy!

DVD EXTRAS: None

A remake with songs of "Ruggles of Red Gap", "Mr.Robert Hope" plays an English Valet going to work for Lucille Ball's nouveau riche family in the Wild West. For fans of Hope and Lucy, this is a delight. They're in top form in "Fancy Pants"...the name given Hope by tomboy Lucy. Good supporting cast helps enliven this spoof, but it's Hope and Lucy who really pull it off. They're a great team. Lucy sings "Fancy Pants" and there are other songs and lots of slapstick and beautiful Technicolor filming that helps explain why Lucy was once known in Hollywood as "Tessie Technicolor". She's gorgeous here. "Fancy Pants" is good, clean, fun family fare and, sadly, another example of the kind of film "they just don't make anymore". And yes, you can see Lucy Ricardo emerging in this film. For historical value alone "Fancy Pants" is worth watching and owning.

This movie was absolutely hilarious from beginning to end. I thought the storyline could have been stronger, but still laughed like crazy at Lucy's antics, as usual. :)

This was a very funny and pleasant movie! Watch closely and you will see the emergence of Lucy Ricardo ..not a surprise as this was the last movie our beloved Lucy made before hitting the television airways as the beloved Mrs Ricardo..with her good pal and co star Mr Bob Hope this movie is a winner all the way around...Comic genius from two of the businesses best entertainers/comedians..Thoroughly enjoyable entertainment for the whole family!

Absolutely love this movie. A true classic, great acting, and wonderful music. Lucille Ball and Bob Hope were truely the best comic teams of their time.

Bob Hope (1903-2003) and Lucille Ball (1911-1989) join forces in a remake of Ruggles of read Gap and let loose a stampade of Laughs . Wisecracking Bob is a teddibly,teddibly British valet brought to the Old West to teach Old World charm to a certain readheded tomboy . Of course , Bobs not realy a valet . Hes an out-of work actor whos stumbled across the role of his life. Its tea at 4:00 p.m and dont fan your soup with your hat , but will proper etiquette protect Bob from Lucys jilted beau ! . A truly hilaourious funny movie with much laughs . Transfer in H-D Quality . Recommended

My all time favorite movie joke, "Three Against a Thousand" is told beautifully by Bob Hope in this 1950 western. He has several very nice vaudeville scenes especially near the beginning of the movie.

When he becomes a tough cowboy talking down to tough cowboys he is great. Most of the film is average and Lucy shows promise just shortly before she became TV's biggest star in the 50s.

I recommend it for fans of vaudeville schtick, and Hope and Lucy fans will enjoy it also.