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)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)
Disc 1: Alias Jesse James WP Disc 2: Boy Do I Have The Wrong Number WP Disc 3: The Facts of Life WP Disc 4: I’ll Take Sweden WS Disc 5: Princess and The Pirate P&S Disc 6: Road to Hong Kong WS Disc 7: They’ve Got Me Covered P&SBob Hope had a gift: He could be lecherous, cowardly, squirrelly, gullible, and dimwitted, yet somehow make it all endearing. At his best, the result was wonderful comedy–at his worst, the result was belabored schtick. The Bob Hope MGM Movie Legends Collection has a little of both ends of the spectrum. The most “classic” Bob Hope picture in this set is Alias Jesse James, in which Hope plays an insurance salesman who, after selling an expensive policy to the famous outlaw, then has to go West and protect him so his beneficiary can’t collect. The hapless fool rises to heroic heights by accident and mistaken identity; it’s Hope’s favorite storyline and he clearly enjoys himself. A host of Western stars–from James Arness (Gunsmoke) to Gary Cooper (High Noon) make cameo appearances. The Road to Hong Kong is the last Hope & Crosby Road to movie, and while the formula (preposterous plot, good-looking gal, and lots of jokes about being in a movie) is wearing thin, there are still plenty of pleasures to be had. The duo play con men who find themselves in possession of a secret rocket fuel formula after Hope loses his memory, which leads them into the clutches of James-Bond-style megalomaniac (Robert Morley, The Loved One). Dorothy Lamour appears, but it’s pretty much an extended cameo; a young Joan Collins provides most of the eye-candy. The mid-60s sex farce Boy, Did I Get Wrong Number! doesn’t have much to offer. Elke Sommer plays a starlet weary of always being naked in a bubble bath (naturally, this movie misses no opportunity to put her naked in a bubble bath); when she runs away, she crosses the path of flop real estate agent Hope, who ends up accused of her murder. Hope puts hardly a smidge of effort into his usual stream of one-liners; most of the movie’s energy comes from Phyllis Diller, who approaches her gags like a heavyweight boxer, putting her full body into every one. I’ll Take Sweden is a pleasant surprise; what initially seems like a typical teen exploitation movie starring Frankie Avalon and Tuesday Weld, with Hope along as Weld’s befuddled father, turns into a sly cross-culture satire when Hope takes his daughter to Sweden so she won’t marry Avalon–only to discover the European morals may pose a greater threat to her virtue than bohemian hijinx. The result is like a pop version of Henry James, peppered with zippy musical numbers. But the true gem of this collection is The Facts of Life. Hope and Lucille Ball are married to other people; they’ve known each other a long time and never liked each other, but when a trip to Mexico forces them together, they fall in love. This middle-aged love story is a comedy, but shot through with a bittersweet awareness of the compromises of life. Hope and Ball are both superb, giving their comic skills an yearning melancholy that perfectly expresses the Academy-Award-nominated screenplay. Not to be missed. –Bret Fetzer
Rating:  List Price: $ 39.98 Price: $ 20.05
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(out of 21 reviews)
Review by Harry Brewer for 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)
Rating:
This is a pretty good collection at a great price. There are seven movies on individual discs which are They Got Me Covered, The Princess and the Pirate, Alias Jesse James, The Facts of Life, I’ll Take Sweden, The Road to Hong Kong & Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number.
By far, the two standouts are The Princess and the Pirate & They Got Me Covered. Alias Jesse James is available for the first time on DVD, it’s his last comedy-western & a pretty good one. After this it’s a drop off in quality. The Road to Hong Kong is the weakest of the Road movies & pretty lame, to boot. The Facts of Life co-stars Lucille Ball & is good, as all the Hope-Ball pairings. The Facts of Life & I’ll Take Sweden are Hope vehicles that aim at getting a younger audience & are mixed bags. The former co-stars Frankie Avalon & Annette Funicello, the latter has Elke Sommer (eye candy). Boy, Did I Get a Wrong number has Hope’s first pairing with Phyllis Diller that’s not among his best.
This set concentrates more on Hope’s later period (early to mid sixties) which is past his prime as to the quality of the movies. It’s the other three movies that really make this set worthwhile. Here’s how I would rate these movies on an individual basis:
1) The Princess and the Pirate*****
2) They Got Me Covered****
3) Alias Jesse James***
4) The Facts of Life**
5) I’ll Take Sweden**
6) Boy,Did I Get the Wrong Number**
7) The Road to Hong Kong*
These discs are high quality but there aren’t any bonus features. The price is what makes this set the good deal that it is.
Review by Jennifer Starks for 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)
Rating:
The quality was great. I thought it might be grainy ~ but it wasn’t. They’re great movies with wonderful memories. The quick wit humor without the worry of somebody dropping the F bomb or nudity is fantastic. To be able to watch clever dialog with your kids ~ especially when they are advancing from cartoons. Definately a worth while investment!
Review by R. L. Johnson for 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)
Rating:
What more can I say, It’s Bob Hope! These classic movies are a must have for anyone that enjoys classics. From the 50′s western stars doing cameos in Alias Jesse James to Phyllis Diller in Boy, did I get a wrong number Bob is just that….Bob!
Review by manwithnoname for 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)
Rating:
I bought this set because a previous reviewer raved that all but 2 of the films were anamorphic widescreen. Baloney. Once again, FOX has taken old MGM transfers and repackaged them on “I’ll Take Sweden” and “The Road to Hong Kong” both of which are NON amamorphic letterboxed. Worse, FOX is deceptive in simply stating “widescreen” on the box and disc cases whether the film is anamorphic or not. Adding to the annoyance is that the three anamorphic discs are flipper discs with full screen versions on the other side. Therefore, you really don’t know what you are getting. They did the same thing with their recent 4 disc Elvis set with some anamorphic and some not but all saying simply “widescreen” with repackaged MGM transfers. BLECCH.
Review by Gord Wilson for 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)
Rating:
I sprang at the chance to get this box set and bought it for far more than Amazon’s dirt cheap price from a leading electronics retailer. I’d never heard of most of these films, and for good reason: they’ve never been on video before. I always find Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide helpful, and so it proved in this case. However, as regards Bob Hope, while both of us are big fans, my sensibilities somewhat differ from his on some of these films. Therefore, I’m listing the seven films, giving Maltin’s view when available, and my own view. My overall sense is simply of gratitude that Bob Hope’s films have finally made it to DVD. I can’t wait to watch them all, and will be reviewing more of them as they are released. I also cannot forget what Bob Hope did for the troops before it was trendy to do so, and how greatly his shows on video contrast with the vulgar comedy and musical groups that now are foisted on the troops. Thanks for the memories, Bob, and thanks that, finally on DVD, Hope springs eternal. Seven discs in individual cases in a slip case with brief notes.
The Road to Hong Kong was the last “Road” picture. A DVD guide I read said they made one too many, and ought to have left this one off. However, this has always been one of my favorites. Leonard Maltin gives it 2.5 stars and says, “while fun, it lacks the carefree spirit of its predecessors”. One sided disc, widescreen, 92 minutes, black and white, 1962.
Boy Did I Get a Wrong Number. Leonard Maltin calls this a BOMB, his lowest rating. I agree, although one may want to watch it once anyway. Double sided disc: full screen on one side, widescreen on the other. 99 minutes, color, 1996.
Alias Jesse James. Leonard Maltin gives it three stars and calls it “one of Hope’s funniest”. The Western theme didn’t hold me and I found it a big snooze. Double sided disc: full screen and widescreen. 92 minutes, color, 1959.
The Facts of Life. Leonard Maltin gives it three stars and calls it a “sophisticated comedy”. Bob Hope co-stars with Lucille Ball in one of her semi-dramatic roles. Maltin says “The two stars make a good team worth watching”. I agree. I’ll watch Lucy in anything, and that rather goes for Hope as well. Here’s one of those “almost an affair” movies, full of subtle innuendo, before the late ‘sixties brought out such bilge as Myra Brekinridge and the so-called sexual revolution which, after failing in society, was later shoehorned into popular culture to shore up the declining quality in TV and movies. Double sided disc: full screen and widescreen. 104 minutes, black and white, 1960.
They Got Me Covered. Leonard Maltin gives it two stars and says it “was topical at the time, awkward now; not up to Hope standards.” Here we diverge. I found this spy yarn the most enjoyable film in the set. The writing is almost as scintillating as in My Favorite Brunette. Bob Hope plays a broadly comic, but vulnerable and flawed character, somewhat out of his usual ouvre. One sided, full frame disc. 94 minutes, black and white, 1942.
I’ll Take Sweden. Leonard Maltin gives it two stars, calling it a “pseudo-sexy Hope vehicle” with “witless proceedings”. Since it’s from 1965, it had to be conflicted about relationships, but as with Doris Day’s films, it’s a comedy by Shakespeare’s definition, which means it ends in marriage. A chance to see Tuesday Weld, Frankie Avalon, up and coming stars of the ’60s, along with Hope and Dina Merrill, stars of the ’50s. Lavish animated titles. One sided disc. 97 minutes, color, 1965.
The Princess and the Pirate. Leonard Maltin gives it three stars and calls it “one of Bob’s wackiest”. This is the sort of ’40s “something for everyone” box office smash that I can’t get into. Virginia Mayo is, nonetheless, outstanding. Maltin likes the younger Walter Brennan in this film, in which he plays a pirate; I like the older Brennan much better in The Gnome Mobile and The Real McCoys. One sided disc, full frame. 94 minutes, color, 1944.