Road to Singapore (1940)

· by · in 1940. ·

Synopsis:

Shipmates Josh (Bing Crosby, White Christmas) and Ace (Bob Hope, The Facts of Life) decide to runaway from their problems by relocating to Singapore, where they both fall in love with a local dancer (Dorothy Lamour, The Greatest Show on Earth).

Reaction & Thoughts:

“Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can…”

I was recently talking to a friend about great movie comedians. We talked about W. C. Fields, Jerry Lewis, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, and Richard Pryor. Bob Hope’s name came up, and I was embarrassed to admit that I’m not terribly familiar with his filmography. My friend suggested that I should watch one of the classic Crosby-Hope Road movies, and I quickly decided to follow his recommendation.

I have, of course, heard of the “Road to…” movies, produced by Paramount Pictures and starring Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour, but for whatever reason, I’ve never seen any of the movies in the long-running franchise — that’s until now. I’m glad I took the dive because this is a delightful and very funny musical-comedy.

Breezily directed by Victor Schertzinger (One Night of Love) from a script by Frank Butler (Going My Way) and Don Hartman (Wonder Man), Road to Singapore is the first entry in the movie series, and it’s a pretty good product launch. It has a well-constructed storyline, and the characters are endearing. And, to my utter surprise, the film has emotional depth despite its emphasis on zany humor.

Hope and Crosby have insanely good chemistry, which is strange because they do have contrasting personalities. Hope is clownish, while Crosby is deliciously sarcastic, yet both men are equally funny. I also liked that the boys aren’t afraid to show affection for each other — it’s a great bromance! Lamour is the perfect third wheel.

Anyhow, the film makes good use of the trio’s enormous talents. Highlights include Lamour’s wild dance number with a very young Anthony Quinn (Zorba the Greek), Hope and Crosby’s fist-fight aboard a luxurious yacht, and a wacky wedding ceremony. And the whole “Pat-A-Cake” business gave me the giggles.

Conclusions & Final Thoughts:

Genuinely funny and surprisingly charming, Road to Singapore is always entertaining despite its sudden tonal shifts. Sometimes it is very silly, and sometimes it is so sweet it hurts your teeth. Overall, this is a witty comedy with winsome musical interludes that has, in my opinion, stood the test of time. B&W, 85 minutes, Not Rated.

This is my contribution to The Mismatched Couples Blogathon, hosted by Realweegiemidget Reviews and Cinematic Catharsis.

Theatrical Trailer:

26 responses to “Road to Singapore (1940)”

  2. Hey Binford – another great article–I used to love the Road movies as a kid; the chemistry and cameraderie between Hope and Crosby was very real–ironically the two were not super close friends in real life even though they enjoyed working together and did so often. But the magic is there on the screen.

    -Chris

    Liked by 2 people

    • Yes, I’ve read that Hope and Crosby weren’t besties. Interestingly, Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor weren’t buddies either. Fred Astaire wasn’t a big fan of Ginger Rogers, and vice versa. Hollywood is indeed an illusion. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      • I admired the comedic chemistry between Pryor and Wilder in Silver Streak. It’s indeed sad what we’re learning about Hollywood these days.

        Liked by 2 people

          • See No Evil, Hear No Evil I liked for a time but no longer. I walked out on Another You. And as much as I appreciate the hilarious glory of Stir Crazy, Silver Streak will always be the favorite Wilder-Pryor movie for me.

            Liked by 2 people

  3. Pingback: NEWS… Its So Long and Farewell to the Mismatched Couples Blogathon – Realweegiemidget Reviews Films TV Books and more·

  5. You can’t help but fall in love with these two, even though some of the jokes are corny. But they have good chemistry and charm, and these movies are a pleasure to watch. (Except for the last movie, but let’s not get into that here.)

    Liked by 2 people

  7. I saw my first Road picture, Road to Morocco, at a campus film series, and after that I embarked on a mission to see them all. You’re absolutely right — Hope and Crosby are the ultimate mismatched couple with great chemistry!

    Liked by 2 people

  8. a sweet and to the point review, eric! I confess I haven’t seen any of the road movies, but your description makes them sound better than I would expect! The next time I see it somewhere, I will give it a chance!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Nice review! Admittedly, I haven’t seen any of the “Road to” movies, but this one would be a good start. Thanks for joining the blogathon!

    Liked by 2 people

Leave a comment