Starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, and Una Merkel
Directed by Victor Schertzinger
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Johnny Burke
Once again, this was never intended to be a sequel or to feature Bing and Bob. It began life as a jungle drama about two men trekking through the jungles of Madagascar, seeking a lost Colonel. After the studio decided it was too close to the MGM drama Stanley and Livingstone that had been released two years before, so they turned the story over to the writers of Road to Singapore instead. The adventure drama became a goofy semi-musical jungle spoof, bringing back Bing, Bob, and Dorothy and adding Una Merkel as Dorothy's fellow con-woman. How goofy is it? Let's begin with Bing over the credits singing "You Lucky People You," as he introduces us to what we're about to see...a human cannonball...and find out...
The Story: The human cannonball is "Fearless" Hubert Frazier (Hope), Chuck Reardon's (Crosby) buddy whom he talks into doing dangerous stunts for money. This one ends with a burning dummy flying into a circus tent, setting it on fire. They flee across Africa as the stunts get progressively wilder and damaging to Fearless. He's ready to pack it in when they end up broke in Kenya. Chuck buys a map to a diamond mine off a seemingly harmless wealthy older man (Eric Blore), but he turns out to be an eccentric who'll sign anything, including fake diamond mine maps. Fearless sells the map, but the men he sold it to wants him and Chuck to help them find the mine, which sends them fleeing again.
After arriving in the interior of Africa, Chuck insists they help Julia Quimby (Merkel) keep her friend Donna LaTour (Lamour) from being sold at a slave auction. Turns out they're also con-artists who use the money to keep from starving until Donna can marry her wealthy boyfriend. When the boys set off on a safari across Africa to find that mine, the girls go with them. Chuck and Fearless think Donna is interested in them, but she and Julia are really going to see her wealthy lover. The duo aren't going to take this lying down...especially when Fearless has to fight a fearsome gorilla!
The Song and Dance: This is where the Road To series as most people know it really takes shape. Not only are Bing and Bob con-men from the outset this time, but so is Dorothy...and she and Una Merkel might be even better at it. There's some great gags here, especially in the first twenty minutes or so with the increasingly outrageous stunts Chuck talks Fearless into and them ending up onstage with those ladies in feathers! This is also the first time they really acknowledge the camera and play with this being "just a movie," in this case Chuck explaining to Donna why the playback pops up during his "It's Always You" number in the boat.
Favorite Number: Chuck's "You Lucky People You" in the credits turns out to have double meaning, as we fade from him singing for the viewers to his performance for an audience that's right in front of him. Donna sings "You're Dangerous" to a smitten Fearless...but she turns out to be the one who's dangerous when she reveals why she really wants to go on safari. Chuck and the African natives who help them with their safari perform the title song and "African Etude" as they track across the jungle. Chuck and Donna are carried in litters, but Fearless and Julia don't get such preferential treatment. Bing's big ballad turns into a spoof of ballads as he sings "It's Always You" while revealing to Donna how such numbers are done in the movies during a boat ride in the jungle.
Trivia: In 1964, the island of Zanzibar joined the mainland African country Tanganyika to become present-day Tanzania.
What I Don't Like: First of all, like most African-set movies released during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the natives come off as little more than stereotypes who exist to either attack the white people or haul them around. Second, I wish the movie had a stronger ending. Not a whole lot happens after the guys encounter that gorilla. They just kind of wander out of the jungle, make money, and find the girls again. The songs aren't among the most memorable in the series either, other than the "Always You" boat number.
The Big Finale: I'm going to say your interest in this one will depend on how well you can handle the dated African jungle gags. Like Singapore, this one is probably best for fans of Hope, Crosby, Lamour, or the series in general.
Home Media: Same deal here - can be found solo on streaming and disc or as part of several DVD collections.
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