Customer Reviews

I'll Take Sweden

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

 

 

In this movie Bob Hope portrays a father who dislike's his daughter's(Tuesday Weld) boyfriend(Frankie Avalon) so he transfers to Sweden to help her forget.With great musical scores throughout,it's a little known unconventional Bob Hope movie that's very well worth watching!!

This is a superb 60's comedy starring Bob Hope,Tuesday Weld and Frankie Avalon filmed mostly in beautiful Sweden.It's a must see!!!!!!!!

Tapping into the youth culture of the mid-1960's, I'LL TAKE SWEDEN (1967) showcased Bob Hope as the harrassed father of a beautiful blonde teen, whose decision to take a business re-posting in Sweden opens an even bigger can of worms...

Bob Holcomb (Bob Hope) is severely worried about the future wellbeing of his teenage daughter JoJo (Tuesday Weld), when she announces her plans to marry unemployed "trailer-rat" Kenny Klinger (Frankie Avalon). On the spur of the moment, Bob arranges to relocate his business base to Sweden, and drags JoJo along for her own protection from randy American lads. In Sweden, the land of IKEA, teeny-tiny cars and...*gasp* even looser morals concerning sex...Bob once again faces the unthinkable when JoJo is keenly pursued by one of his young business associates, Erik (Jeremy Slate). In desperation, Bob calls Kenny over from the States...

It takes a while to gather steam, but I'LL TAKE SWEDEN is a charming romantic comedy. Dina Merrill co-stars as Karin Granstedt, Bob's new Swedish love interest, and adds a great deal of elegance and dignity to the proceedings. It would have been marvellous had the producers managed to snag someone like Ingrid Bergman for the role, but I think Ms Merrill does just fine. She also shares a delightful chemistry with Hope.

Frankie Avalon and Tuesday Weld, two of the hottest "teen idol" talents of the day, are fresh and appealing; Avalon sings the title song along with several other musical numbers that give the movie something of a "Beach Party" flavour. A fun way to spend 90 minutes.

TECHNICAL DETAILS:
Widescreen 1:66:1 (non-anamorphic)
soundtracks: English mono
subtitles: English, French, Spanish
closed-captioned
extra features: trailer
Disc format: DVD-5 (single-sided single-layer)

Bob Hope is at his best comedy in this movie.Frankie Avalon plays Bob Hope's character's daughter's boyfriend Kenny.Frankie Avalon sings 3 songs in the movie and one of the best scenes is with Frankie Avalon playing the role of Kenny tells Bob Hope that most daughters think their fathers are L7.Bob Hope asks what is L7 and Frankie asks Bob Hope if you put L and 7 together what do you get? Bob Hope asks a square? Frankie Avalon tells Bob Hope that is right square.Jimmy Cross (who was a semi regular in the 1950's syndicated "How To Marry A Millionaire" with Barbara Eden) is in the movie in a uncredited role.Eleanor Audley who guest starred in many shows like "How To Marry A Millionaire" is in the movie also.Character Actress Maudie Prickett also has a role in the movie.

While it would never be considered anywhere near the best comedy Bob Hope ever made "I'll Take Sweden", has it's own quaint charm coming as it does from a much more innocent age in movie making. The "sexy" goings on in the storyline, probably considered 'risque", back in 1963 now of course seem positively tame by today's standards which in my belief gives this film it's antique appeal. The film was in many ways a wise career move for veteran comedian Bob Hope as here he succeeded in moving with the times, placing himself right in among the supposed "hip" movie going crowd of the mid 1960's who would have gone to see this film mainly because of it's two young and extremely popular costars in the beautiful Tuesday weld and singing sensation turned movie actor Frankie Avalon.

Bob Hope is a father trying to keep his daughter from growing up too fast, in I'll Take Sweden (1965) a romantic comedy that explores both the sexual morality of different generations, as well as different cultures.

Single parent, and oil company exec Bob Holcomb (Hope), returns home from a business trip and discovers that his daughter JoJo (Tuesday Weld) intends to marry Kenny Klinger (Frankie Avalon), a guy who lives in a trailer, and who's primary talents appear to be singing, and riding a motorcycle. Looking to put an end to the romance, Holcomb takes an assignment in Sweden, and brings his daughter along.

JoJo's depressed spirits are lifted when she meets Erik Stenson (Jeremy Slate), a handsome playboy type who works at her father's firm. While Holcomb was looking to cool things in the romance department, the liberal atmosphere in Sweden seems to have the opposite effect on both daughter and father, as Bob finds himself smitten with Karin Grandstedt (Dina Merrill), an interior designer who is redecorating Holcomb's residence.

Morality has a double standard, in this sex comedy directed by Fred DeCordova (The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson). We observe that love is not very predictable, no matter how much a father meddles. Upset that Erik plans to take JoJo away on a tryst, Bob has Kenny hop on a Lufthansa Air flight to Sweden, so he can try to win JoJo back. But this does not go as planned either. After forbidding his daughter from running off, Bob and Karin slip away to a resort, the same place that Erik and JoJo have also sneaked off to, setting the stage for the film's comedic conclusion.

I'll Take Sweden is mostly a light fun romp that has an agitated Holcomb trying hard, but not succeeding in managing the situation. Tuesday Weld (Looking for Mr. Goodbar [VHS], Pretty Poison) is very solid, as is Jeremy Slate as the amorous Swede. Dina Merrill is a good match with Hope, though her Swedish accent isn't always convincing. Frankie Avalon provides a teen appeal, but his musical numbers while certainly energetic, do not have the greatest lyrics. The film is included in the Bob Hope MGM Movie Legends Collection, providing an alternate way to acquire the film.

My wife and I are long time Bob Hope fans so naturally we sought out all of his movies. It's unfortunate that Mr. Hope consented to play this role because this movie is the absolute bottom of the barrel for Bob Hope. The whole movie revolves around finding someone to have sex with and the comedy is just poorly written. It's sad to say that long time Bob Hope fans should never see this one. Just pass it up and go back to the old classics like The Princess and The Pirate.

This DVD was exceptionally reasonably priced, arrived promptly and was in great condition. Can't ask for more than that.

This DVD version of "I'll Take Sweden" is only available new or used through sellers, however, the movie IS available brand new from Amazon as part of this Bob Hope movie collection:

Bob Hope MGM Movie Legends Collection (Alias Jesse James/Boy, Did I Get the Wrong Number/The Facts of Life/I'll Take Sweden/The Princess and the Pirate/The Road to Hong Kong/They've Got Me Covered)

So if you perfer to buy directly from Amazon, I highly recommend buying the MGM movies collection instead.

The Bob Hope character never really aged but the body and film parts did. Here he plays the single father of a teen-aged daughter who, in the traditional way, was having trouble adjusting. The problem for the viewer in 2010 is pretty much the same as the problem one would have watching (or reading about) Marjorie Morningstar deliberating as to whether she should surrender her sacred virginity before marriage. Happily, no writers for Bob Hope would dare slip in a serious three minutes, perhaps they would be allowed one, if there were a big laugh punch line following it. Of course, these are not kids abusing illegal substances, living in communal cesspools, or being hassled by the police for a variety of "out of their mind" deviances. They are kids who are doing early rock and roll and some of the fun dances of the day. Who could accuse the Frankie Avalon and Tuesday Weld of this film of anything worse than....well, perhaps it was the fate worse than death. At any rate, the film is very light fun with Dina Merrill looking beautiful, Tuesday Weld being a model upper middle class teen-ager in love with the next good looking guy who comes her way, and Bob Hope, being the bewildered, funny, father who still gets his girl as well. A few bouncy tunes liven up the proceedings and we know throughout that every one will find the right mate for life by the end of the film.