Starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, and Robert Benchley
Directed by Hal Walker
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Johnny Burke
Let's take a trip to the frozen north with our three favorite Road travelers. This Road movie is unique in a few respects. It's the only one not set in a warm climate and then-contemporary times, to be told as a flashback, and to not feature Bing and Bob's "patty cake" routine. In other ways, this is one of the most typical movies in the entire series. How typical, you ask? Well, why don't we begin with Robert Benchley explaining what we're about to see and why Paramount wants him to translate what's going on and find out...
The Story: We learn in flashback when an elderly Duke Johnson (Crosby) returns to visit his friends Sal (Lamour) and Chester Hooten (Hope) how the trio ended up on a trip across Alaska in search of gold. Duke and Chester were originally vaudevillians and con men whose act in San Francisco was ruined when the police came in, chasing criminals Sperry (Robert Barrat) and McGurk (Nestor Pavia). Duke decides that Alaska is Utopia, the promised land, and tricks Chester into joining him there. Unfortunately, they lose the money and tickets and end up working their way across.
After the duo find a map in Sperry's jacket that leads to a gold mine, they take their clothes and pose as them to get off the boat. Turns out they're notorious in the Klondike for murdering the father of "Skagway" Sal Van Hoyden (Lamour) to get the map. Sal, who is also searching for the map, was hired by saloon owner Ace Larson (Douglass Dumbrille) to seduce it out of Duke and Chester. When that doesn't work, the two men rip the map into two pieces and take a slow dog sled out of town. Sal and Ace's nasty girlfriend Kate (Hillary Brooke) are hot on their trail. Chester and Duke have to dodge Sal's advances, Ace's goons, and the local wildlife if they want to live to find that mine and really enjoy this 'promised land."
The Song and Dance: The setting and Alaskan gold rush story makes this one of the more interesting and action-packed Road movies. I have no idea why Benchley claims in the beginning that he's there to make the story easier to follow. If anything, this is one of the stronger plots in a series not known for them. Dumbrille, who specialized in obnoxious or evil businessmen and nobles, is at his menacing best as the saloon owner who will literally kill in order to get that gold. Lamour has more to do than usual, too, especially when she's trying to figure out which guy has the map. Great production, too, with gorgeous period gowns for Brooke and Lamour and enough fake snow to bury the Paramount lot for two years.
Favorite Number: Our first song once we get into the flashback sequence is "Goodtime Charlie," Bob and Bing's hat-and-cane number before they start their "Ghost-o" act. Bing's solo is "It's Anybody's Spring," which he performs during a talent show on the ship in order to win the money to get ashore. His big ballad is "Welcome to My Dreams,' sung to Sal when she's attempting to seduce him at the saloon. He sounds so dreamy, she ends up in love with him for real. Bing and Bob's buddy duet is "Put 'Er There, Pal" as they ride across the frosty Alaskan landscape on their dog sled. Lamour gets her own ballad in "Would You?" as she literally steams up Chester's lap outside the cabin where they stay with the ladies.
The hit here also went to Lamour. She sang the jaunty "Personality," on what really attracts a guy to a girl, at the saloon. The boys are so entranced by her saucey delivery (and voluptuous body encased in a glittering gown), they fall for her on the spot.
Trivia: Paramount originally finished filming this in 1943. No one knows why it was held from release for three years. Lamour thought Paramount didn't want to hurt Bing's chances of winning an Oscar in Going My Way. By the time it finally hit theaters, Benchley had been dead for three months.
What I Don't Like: Speaking of Benchley...what in the heck is he doing here? Yes, he does get some funny lines, especially at Hope and Crosby's expense, but the movie hardly needs plot clarification. In fact, some of his asides slow down the pacing. And usual Road movie warning about Bob and Bing's many then-topical references. If you aren't into the time period and don't know much about the two or Paramount, you may miss a lot of the jokes and one-liners.
The Big Finale: One of the better Road movies is well worth watching with your best pal on a snowy day when you just need some laughs.
Home Media: Easily found in all formats.
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