Product Details

• Actors: Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Jr. Lon Chaney, Peter Lorre, Jack Clifford
• Directors: Elliot Nugent
• Format: Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: A2ZCDS.com
• DVD Release Date: May 23, 2005
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009RS0D8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,186 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Review

If, perchance, you should note a strong resemblance between Bob Hope's new comedy, "My Favorite Brunette," and his previous display of tomfoolery vis-a-vis the fairer sex, "My Favorite Blonde," don't think it isn't intentional. And don't let it trouble you a bit. Paramount knows a good thing when it sees one, especially when it earns a pile of bucks. And it also knows that there is magic in the juxtaposition of Mr. Hope and a dame any dame this side of Woodlawn and a preposterously turbulent plot. That's why the Paramount's new picture, the aforementioned "My Favorite Brunette," which candidly observes these criteria, is a commendably funny film.

Granted that its particular to-do about a skittish photographer who aspires to become an ace detective and finally gets his chance follows the same general pattern as that former "Favorite" film, which plunged a 'fraid-cat vaudevillian into a turmoil with a dame and Nazi spies. Granted that it repeats the concept of Mr. Hope as a self-inflated mouse and that it rings in Bing Crosby for a sight gag such as has become a standard fixture in Hopeful films. It has faith in the long-proved popularity of swift, unrelenting burlesque, and it has Mr. Hope. As for clarity, what would it want with such as that?

For this is a wild and reckless rat-race in which Bob, the Boy Detective, becomes involved with a lady pursued by silky villains who seek a valuable map which she holds. And, in the course of his fearful endeavor to stand between her and them and, at times, to reverse those positions Mr. Hope gets into some screaming jams. He follows his nose (quite a project!) into a dark and mysterious country home, he gets trapped in a millionaire nut-hatch and he chases clues in a Washington hotel. Toward the end he is tagged for a murder (which, of course, he didn't commit) and is saved from execution by the skin of his oft-exposed teeth.

All of this fumbling, tumbling slapstick moves at a magnifying pace, thanks to Elliott Nugent's direction and to the plot contrivances of Jack Rose and Eddie Beloin. And, of course, it is generously lubricated by the gags which Mr. Hope lets slide out of the side of his mouth as he moves swiftly from frying pans into fires. Popping eyes, fluttering fingers and occasional tentative utterances of the wolf, gurgled in more heroic moments, are distinctions by which he is known.

As the lady who leans upon his succor (and frequently falls upon her face) Dorothy Lamour also does very nicely, having had plenty of chances to learn how. And Charles Dingle, Peter Lorre, Lon Chancy Jr. and a gentleman whom Paramount calls John Hoyt, but who is really the eminent pub satirist, John Hoysradt, act mean as high-class thugs. Altogether they feed the ancient fodder of farce situation to Mr. Hope and he, being a ravenous comic artist, very neatly and quickly gobbles it up.

On the stage at the Paramount are Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, Pat Henning, Lyn Shirley and Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five. --The New York Times

Product Description

Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) tells the press a tragic tale just before his scheduled execution for murder. He wanted nothing more than to be a private detective like his charismatic office partner Sam McCloud (Alan Ladd in a cameo) whom he impersonates when dazzlingly beautiful Baroness Carlotta Montey (Dorothy Lamour) walks in to seek help. She tells an intriguing tale of greed and subterfuge revolving around Baron Montay (Frank Puglia) whose relationship with her seems to range from uncle to husband. At the center of an elaborate plot appears to be a geological map that is later revealed to lead to an invaluable source of raw uranium.

In on the game are the bewilderingly multifaceted Asian Kismet (Peter Lorre) , Major Simon Montague (Charles Dingle) and bouncer Willie (Lon Chaney). The stage is set for an ingenious and hilariously confused scheme. Given to believe that the beautiful Carlotta is in fact a raving schizophrenic, Ronnie tries to edge out of the commission to safeguard the map and protect her, but matters have gone beyond his volition. His bumbling efforts to do his job take both him and the Baroness to a mental asylum, the aristocratic dining room of the Poulet D or and Washington s Pilgrim Hotel. The way is littered with detective action of the kind that would have Raymond Chandler spinning in his grave.

Ronnie s efforts to untangle the situation do little but complicate it further. He is philosophically resigned to getting gassed to death for a murder he didn t commit. End of the story? Find out for yourself, if you haven t died laughing by then....

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie, Terrible Transfer, December 22, 1999

By 

InSearchOfTheRedButton (Lostin, OH) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Favorite Brunette (DVD)

This review refers to the Madacy release.

Ten stars for the movie, minus eight stars for the transfer equals two stars for the DVD.

As great as this movie is, the transfer to DVD is pathetic; I suggest turning it down. The beginning of the movie is the worst part, full of scratches and sound so poor it's difficult to understand the dialog. Unbelievably, it's not even presented in full frame. The left side of the credits (and presumably, the rest of the movie) are cut off.

I suppose that in any industry or technology, there will be people in it just to make a buck. Movies such as this are a national treasure that deserves to be treated and immortalized as an art form. This is just the "make a buck" version.
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I think this should be Madacy's tagline: "If it's from Madacy, you will be MAD when you SEE what you paid for."

Before transferring a movie to video, these people would put a pristine print through a blender just to make sure their standards don't deviate.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Remastered?", December 12, 2005

By 

Shaun333 - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Favorite Brunette (1947) [Remastered Edition] (DVD)

It always amuses me when you see a product (that is not a big studio, mind you) that advertises a movie as being "remastered". Well, folks, I've got news for you, it's not. Perhaps they meant that it was remastered in a mysterious basement somewhere taken from a print that can't count itself higher than 8mm. It really is too bad, given that this is one of my favorite movies. A film that makes a comedy out of being a Private Eye, puts Bob Hope in the role of a baby photographer that takes the place of his P.I. friend when he goes out of town for a couple of days. Bob Hope is quick and funny and it's not campy, but quite witty and an enjoyable watch. There are no good transfers out yet that I've seen of this film and I jumped at this when I saw "remastered" in the title. The transfer here is completely average, not great, but watchable with some skipping of audio throughout as well. The studio for this DVD review is A2ZCDS. The price isn't exactly low either, that's why I figured that it was legit. I should have jumped back instead.

Movie-5 Stars
Transfer-2.5 stars

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Above Average Bob Hope Movie - LOUSY DVD!, May 2, 2004

By 

Erik Rupp (Southern California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Favorite Brunette (DVD)

This review refers to the Alpha (Gotham Distribution, as listed on Amazon) version of this movie on DVD. The print used for this DVD is absolutely horrible. The opening credits are barely readable, and the movie itself looks murky and has tons of scratches and dust. It's a shame that Alpha couldn't find a better print, but from some of the reviews I've read it seems that some other companies have had the same problem. It would be better not to release it at all than to use such a bad print. This is a really fun movie, and it deserves a lot better than this. Wait for a cleaner copy to surface - one will eventually.