Amazon.com

Bob Hope is in top form in this Technicolor parody of pirate pictures, doing his best vaudeville shtick as an inept performer trying to save princess Virginia Mayo from the evil clutches of governor Walter Slezak and pirate Victor McLaglen. It's all ridiculous fun, of course, but if you're a fan of Hope, you never tire of his self-effacing gags and double-entendres. His out-of-place show biz jabs were always clever, and they're all the funnier in this period setting--particularly the Bing Crosby jokes. But Walter Brennan nearly steals the film as a wacky pirate scheming to steal buried treasure, and tattooing the map on Hope's chest. Yet the two best routines are when Hope tries to conceal his chest while taking a bath with Slezak, and when he tries to impersonate McLaglen as "the Hook." --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Bob Hope as the classic cowardly pirate
"The Princess and the Pirate" is one of my favourite Bob Hope comedies right up there with "My Favourite Blonde" and "The Ghost Breakers". During the war years escapism was high on peoples wish list and the period saw an influx of top grade pirate adventures set in far off lands on screen such as "The Sea Hawk", and "The Black Swan". Bob Hope, ever quick to pick up on the latest popular trends created his own mini classic here in "The Princess and the Pirate", with a roushing send up of the whole Pirate genre that suited his comic talents to a tee.

This film has it all, from cut throat pirates to beautiful maidens in distress, fantastic galleons filled with treasure, beautiful technicolour, swashbuckling sword play and at the centre the comic Hope in one of his famous coward roles filled with hilarious one liners. Of course no Hope film would be complete without a few Bing Crosby jokes and they are laid on in abundance here. Even San Goldwyn who produced this film comes in for a comic slaying! Bob Hope playsSylvester the Great a second rate performing act who unknowingly gets involved with a group of cut throat pirates headed bythe notorious "The Hook' played superbly by Victor Mclaglen. In a plot too convoluted to lay out here Hope unknowingly gets a rare treasure map tatooed onto his chest and thus becomes the target for the greedy pirates bent on retreiving the treasure. Along the way Sylvester becomes involved with the Princess Margaret (played by the lovely Virginia Mayo)who is being held as a captive by the pirates and who in a surprise twist at the finale, after romancing Hope throughout the entire film suddenly runs into the arms of a well known rival of Hope's whos name I wont mention here!!

The film is full of wonderful scenes and performances. Walter Brennan in a distinct change of pace literally steals the show as the wacky featherhead, the giggling pirate who tattoes the map onto Hope's chest. Bob Hope's quip upon hearing him giggling to "hurry up and lay that egg" is probably one of the funniest lines in the whole film. Virginia Mayo while perhaps not the best leading lady that Bob Hope had in his films is cooly beautiful as Princess Margaret but does perhaps lack a bit of the fire that a Maureen O'Hara type would have brought to the role. Bob Hope I feel has one of his very best roles here. Whether he is playing the wisecracking Sylvester ducking from cut throat killers or dressed as a cackling old gypsy womanto avoid detection on the pirate ship, romancing the Princess or deceiving the dreaded Hook and the govenor, he is in fine form full of the lovable quips and Crosby insults that were his stock in trade. Hilarious scenes abound throughout "The Princess and the Pirate". Stand outs are the priceless scene where Hope and the princess arrive at the boarding house in port to find a room for the night and find that the previous occupant had mysteriously "checked out" while leaving all his clothes! and the absolute rib tickler where Bob ends up sharing a bath with the corrupt governer La Roche (Walter Slezak in another funny performance) and tries to hide the tattoo of the treasure map from him, that one is guaranteed to have you laughing till you drop!.

The overall look of this production is lavish and no expenses was ever spared on Bob Hope films around this time. The colour is beautiful and the costumes, sets, and period flavour are top notch. For a fun filled, hour and a half of pure mayhem and Hope madness "The Princess and the Pirate", is unsurpassed. If you are a Hope fan like I am you cannot miss this one to see him at the absolute peak of his abilities and comic timing. Enjoy a rousing time on the high seas with Bob Hope at his cowardly best!!

a great and beautiful film!
This film is very good, so entertaining and colorful.It's packed, with glamoour, romance, comedy, and adventure.A little of everything.Virginia Mayo is wonderful in it and so is Bob Hope.

Classic Gut-buster
My siblings and I caught this movie on Sunday afternoon TV once, and laughed until we cried.Very silly gags interspersed with hilarious one-liners make this oldie stay fresh.I'm not someone who generally likes classic comedy, and I LOVE this movie!

Good, simple pic
Everytime Bob Hope made a picture in a costume, people would cringe.It doesn't have to be that way, as this movie is heads and tails above "Cassanova's Big Night".This is a fun, silly pirate movie that I loved as a kid, and still love now as a twenty-something unemployed male unable to graduate from a state college.

Good, simple pic
Everytime Bob Hope made a picture in a costume, people would cringe.It doesn't have to be that way, as this movie is heads and tails above "Cassanova's Big Night".This is a fun, silly pirate movie that I loved as a kid, and still love now as a twenty-something unemployed male unable to graduate from a state college. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Carole Lombardo's final movie and Jack Benny's best
"To Be or Not to Be" has the distinction of being the last movie starring Carole Lombard before her tragic death in an airplane crash in 1942 and is also remembered as having Jack Benny's finest film performance. But beyond the qualities of the stars Ernst Lubitsch's film deserves to be singled out for its anti-Nazis position, a distinction shared with Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" and few other films. Keep in mind that the film was released on February 15, 1942, not only a month after Lombard's death but only two months after Pearl Harbor, which means it was in the works before the United States entered World War II.

Lubitsch and Melchior Lengyel came up with the story, which was turned into a screenplay by Edwin Justus Mayer. The story of "To Be or Not to Be" is of a Polish theatrical company that is in Warsaw preparing to perform an anti-Nazi melodrama on the eve of World War II. In the leading roles are the husband and wife team of Maria (Lombard) and Joseph Tura (Benny), who are trained in Shakespeare. However, the production is canceled by the Polish government because they are afraid Germany will attack the country is a play critical of the Nazis goes on (you know how touchy Hitler can be). So the Turas put on "Hamlet" instead and while Joseph does Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Maria is visited backstage by Lieutenant Stanislav Sobinski (Robert Stack), a young pilot in the Polish Air Force. Then the war breaks out, Sobinski makes it to London to fight with the RAF, and the Turas remain in occupied Warsaw.

While in London Sobinski meets with Professor Siletsky (Stanley Ridges), a Nazi agent posing as a Polish patriot, who gets the names of friends and relatives from the pilots. Sobinski becomes suspicious and is sent to Warsaw to recover the list from Siletsky before he gives it to the Nazis. In Warsaw Maria helps Sobinski, but then she is arrested by the Gestapo as Siletsky tries to get her to join the Third Reich. To rescue his wife Joseph and the other actors masquerade as Nazi soldiers and end up with one of them (Tom Duggan) dressing up as Hitler to help in the great escape.

This is a comedy, but it is not a broad comedy in which the whole thing descends into slapstick, otherwise the overt attempts at anti-Nazi propaganda would not work. There is a similarity between "To Be or Not to Be" and the television situation comedy "Hogan's Heroes," in terms of presenting the Nazis as incompetent buffoons, personified by Sig Ruman as Colonel Ehrhardt. The difference is that Lubitsch still manages to work in the idea that the Nazis are also killer clowns. However, the biggest joke is that these actors, less than inspiring on the stage in Shakespeare, are so convincing playing Nazis. Meanwhile, Joseph cannot quite bring himself to belief that Maria is actually cheating on him.

Keep in mind that when this film was made "concentration camps" did not mean what they mean today; the terms was used by the United States to describe the camps in which Japanese-Americans were interred during the war. But then when you see Jack Benny walk in as a Nazi you know this is a different time and place. The humor is pretty coarse for a film from the early Forties (e.g., Ehrhardt recalls Joseph's performance of "Hamlet" and declares, "What he did to Shakespeare we are doing to Poland"), but then keep in mind who is being made fun of here and you have to admire the bite that they put into some of these bits. Benny is pretty much perfect for this part and Lombard sparkles throughout. As is usually the case, the original is much better than the 1983 remake with the husband and wife team of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft.

World famous in my eyes!
Too bad this movie isn't better known than the weak Mel Brooks remake of the same name. Jack Benny as that great, great stage actor, Josef Tura (world famous throughout Poland!), and Carole Lombard are hilarious. Aside from the first couple of minutes, the whole movie is a laugh riot. Amazing how well the script and performances have stood the test of time. Truly one of the greatest comedies of the 40s! Best lines: "So they call me Concentration Camp Airhart, eh?" and "What he did to Shakespeare, we are now doing to Poland." and "To be or not to be ..." Rent it, borrow it, buy it -- whatever you do, watch it. You'll love it.

Time to produce a DVD version with commentary track.

Extremely funny.
I was on a tour in Europe, when this movie was put in. Instead of a much needed rest, I got a great laugh fo an hour or so. Its a classic. Worth the purchase price and a lot more!

Let It Be
There were plenty of his contemporaries, George Burns and Johnny Carson among them, who thought Jack Benny was the best American comedian of the 20th century. This film does nothing to detract from his reputaion; it just confirms it. Benny is utterly superb here in a wonderful and difficult project by the German-Jewish director Ernst Lubitsch. He effortlessly dominates a great cast in every scene and his timing, for which he was already famous on stage and in radio, is equally flawless. The film about the invasion of Poland was produced before the full extent of the anti-Semitic atrocities committed in Europe were known, and the great Lubitsch took a somewhat more diplomatic approach than more heavy-handed directors like Mel Brooks would today, but this artistic detachment certainly made a better movie. There are some flat-out riotous lines. When a Gestapo agent leeringly tells Carole Lombard he would like to launch a romantic blitzkrieg her way, she responds: "I'd prefer a slow encirclement." Movie comedy doesn't get much more sophisticated.

A gem, Lombard at her most lovely and Benny at his funniest
I'm so surprised that this classic is not revived more often or is not better known. It really is one of the most superb films turned out during the war years and is significant for a number of diverse reasons. One is that Carole Lombard, the stunning comedienne par excellence of the 30's and wife of Clark Gable was killed in a plane crash on a war bond selling tour soon after completing her role in it and secondly that Jack Benny, normally regarded as a radio personality, has the film role of a lifetime in this classic and has never been better.

The film has so many wonderful moments and features that it is hard to know where to begin. Carole Lombard, one of my favourite actresses of the 1930's has never been better than in this role and it is a melancoly experience watching her so radiant, so beautiful and full of life in this her last film prior to her death. The role of Maria Tura is at once street smart, sexy and totally up to taking on the Nazi's in the script. This performance stands up there with all her classic performances in "Twentieth Century" "My Man Godfrey" "Hands Across The Tabe" "In Name Only" and "Vigil In The Night".

Jack Benny, famous for his radio performances and later television work shines in the role of her husband Joseph Tura your typical egocentric actor who is known for putting the "ham" in Hamlet once and for all !!! The supporting cast is first rate with Robert Stack shining in one of his earliest roles as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski, Maria's lover who always exits the front row of the theatre as Joseph Tura the hammest actor in all of Warsaw launches into his "To be or not to be........ speech and has his big moment ruined night after night!! The fact that Stack and the rest of the cast neither look or sound Polish in no way detracts from the magic of this film as we are sent on a rollicking satire about the Nazi takeover of Warsaw which of course was very topical at this time. Indeed the subject matter was considered very daring at this time and "To Be Or Not To Be" was one of the first films along with "The Mortal Storm" to attack Nazism at a time when the outcome of the war was still very uncertain.

The film has the rare distinction of successfully combining humour with a strong depiction of the terror inflicted on countless people by the Nazis. It maintains its own personal dignity throughout and the credit for that must be laid at the feet of Ernst Lubitsch who here combines his own rich European experience with the crack - crack volleys of a fast moving Americam satire. The superb end result (which was not a big success upon release, but has been redeemed with the passing of time) has much to do with his confident and sure handling of potentially very risky material for that time.

The wonderful humour of this piece comes from the great characterisations by all the cast and the storyline which has them as a Polish theatrical troupe which is pulled into working as resistance workers to aid a Polish Lieutenant find safety from the Nazis. What ensures is a hilarious series of events that is both clever and witty while succeeding in jogging our thoughts about man's inhumanity to man.

If you are an admirer of the sure Lubitsch touch in film or are just a fan of sharp, fast moving satires with plenty of dark humour thrown in for good measure "To Be Or Not To Be" is not to be missed. For me I enjoy it as a fitting farewell performance for the beautiful Carole Lombard. It makes you wonder about all the great roles she would have undoubtedly played in the 1940's had she lived. Alas that's something we are doomed never to find out about. Enjoy this classic over a number of screenings as you will need that many to fully appreciate all the charm and wit of this great classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the truly oddball artifacts of the early talkie era, either acockeyed fluke or a surrealist masterpiece. Producer-director Roland West hadalready done a silent film version of The Bat (1926), Mary RobertsRinehart and Avery Hopwood's creaky stage melodrama about a fiendish criminalhaunting a lonely Long Island mansion. The coming of sound cued a remake--nowThe Bat could whisper as well as skulk. And in a stroke of genius worthy of hismad mastermind, West added yet another dimension: The Bat Whispers wouldbe one of a handful of 1930 features shot in widescreen, with a compositionalemphasis on forced perspective and inky shadow play.

The plot is lunacy, but there are images here that seem to have escaped from thecollective unconscious. Some of the miniature work, like a plunge down askyscraper that then tilts and cuts "subliminally" into a real-life streetscene, is easy to spot, yet chances are you'll find yourself enchanted all thesame. And there's a chase during which the widescreen angles suddenly drop thefloor right out from under one character, and you feel it in the pit of yourstomach.

Like 1930's other pre-CinemaScope experiments , The Bat Whispers was shot in two versions--the 65mm Magnifilm production and one in the conventional "square" 35mm format. Deprived of the widescreen's radicallyunsettling asymmetry, West's movie became just another old-dark-house picture.You can see both on the DVD, and compare the standard version against the lustrous widescreen restoration by the UCLA Film and Television Archive (different cameramen, different setups, and occasionally different rhythm and action). On the other hand, why not just click on the realmovie and prepare to go batty? --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Bat Whispers...will you listen?
Take a trip to yesteryear with me and enjoy a thrilling ride from a time when sound was just making its' way onto the silver screen, adding a whole new dimension to the entertainment we now take for granted. In this remake of his 1926 silent film The Bat, director Roland West gives his characters voices in The Bat Whispers (1930), which is based on a novel by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Not having seen the silent original version, I am unable to provide a comparison of the two films, but I found much to like in this 'talkie' version.

The movie opens on a lovely miniature of Gotham at night, with a lush matte paining backdrop. A slow pan down a large building leads us to policemen waiting outside the front of the building, and then we move inside through a lighted window. The cinematography is quite exquisite here, worth watching more than once. Inside the room is a man reading a letter, one written by The Bat, a criminal who claims he will steal a valuable necklace at 12 midnight, and dares the man to be alone in the room. With police just outside the door and surrounding the building, The Bat manages to pull off an impossible caper in a unique and interesting way.

Soon we cut to a darkened bank, and someone opening the large safe, and making a hasty departure. The fellow is followed to a large house, one occupied by an older woman, her maid, and a creepy caretaker. The man who robbed the bank makes his way into the house, and is soon followed by a great number of characters.

First of all, let me just say this is one of the crazier plots in a movie I've seen in while. Throughout the entire first half of the film, there were characters coming and going in the great, spooky house with secret passages, moving paintings, hidden rooms, and lights that fail almost on cue. Some characters had formal introductions, some didn't, and confusion ran rampant. It was like every five minutes or so, I found myself asking, "Now who the heck is that?" Eventually everyone is made known, some not until the end of the film, as the plot threads untangle themselves. This is basically a crime/mystery/thriller with a dash of horror (the house is supposed to be haunted) and touches of comedy. You see, there is a large amount of money hidden in the house, and various characters are trying to locate it, each for reasons of their own. Not only that, but throw in a police detective, a private detective, a suspicious gardener, a man with amnesia, and arch criminal The Bat, and you've got quite the stew. The red herrings certainly do begin to fly fast and furious as the plot barrels along to its' final act, to which I was highly satisfied as all was finally revealed.

In a nice touch, after the story ends, the film doesn't, as the audience is asked not to reveal the identity of The Bat, first as a plea, and then as an ominous warning, that if you do spill the beans to your friends, The Bat will haunt you up good. While the acting in the film may never win anyone awards and such, it does fit with the characters and the story. The under lit sets are wonderful, along with the cinematography, adding the moody atmosphere, playing with the light and darkness to create spooky shadows that serve well to send a chilling tingle up your spine. And throw in the occasional thunder and flash of lighting and you've got all the makings of a suitably hair-raising thriller from an age long ago.

Available here are two versions of the film, one in the standard full screen 35 mm print, and another in a 65 mm 'Magnifilm' format, providing a rare wide screen presentation of a pre-1950's film. The wide screen format we are used to seeing nowadays wasn't really utilized throughout until the early to mid 1950's. Both versions look really great, despite the fact that the film is 70 plus years old, and do suffer speckling and slight deterioration due to age. The sound is a bit soft, but, again, given the age, one has to be somewhat generous in not being overly critical. Along with basically two versions of the film, also included is extensive liner notes on the fold out cardboard cover of the DVD case. The product information page here lists deleted scenes and alternative endings also available, but I didn't see those features. Could be that I missed them, but the menu options on the disc are limited to choice of which format you want to watch and chapter stops. I wouldn't recommend this film to anyone, but if you like old films and have the patience to hang in there, you will be rewarded at the end.

Cookieman108

The Inspiration For Batman.
THE BAT WHISPERS is Roland West's 1930 sound remake of his 1926 version of Mary Roberts Rhinehart's long running comedy/mystery play THE BAT. While the earlier version had the benefit of a better all around cast including Jack Pickford and Louise Fazenda, this version was shot in an early widescreen process called Magnavision (65mm) which allowed director West the opportunity to employ a startling array of visual tricks that still have the power to impress today. Chester Morris gives a strong performance as the detective who holds the key to the mystery. Una Merkel plays the heroine in one of her earliest roles and William Bakewell (the twin monarchs in Douglas Fairbanks' THE IRON MASK) acquits himself nicely in the thankless role of the wrongly accused fiance'. The story of a masked killer on the loose in an old dark house was already old hat by the time this film was made. The performances are deliberately over the top in accordance with the creakiness of the story which only adds to the fun. There is even a plea at the end to not reveal the killer's identity to future patrons. What makes THE BAT WHISPERS so remarkable is its stunning cinematography, its expressionistic use of light and shadow and its innovative use of sound. The bat costume, though not as striking as in the 1926 version, is said to have been the inspiration for Bob Kane when he came to create BATMAN over 10 years later. Roland West was a premiere visual stylist and quite an innovator for his time. He was forced to give up directing in 1935 after the high profile death of his girlfriend actress Thelma Todd for which he is now believed responsible. The DVD from Image Entertainment contains both the 65mm and 35mm versions shot by different cameramen as well as outakes, deleted scenes, etc. If you enjoy old movies and want to see a little pop culture history as well then you can't afford to pass this one up. If you like this one then check out Roland West's other available film ALIBI. For 1929 it's truly amazing and it also stsrs Chester Morris.

odd macabre thriller
THE BAT WHISPERS is an odd macabre thriller, with enjoyable performances and is very good.

Starring Chester Morris, Una Merkel, Maude Eburne, DeWitt Jennings and Chance Ward, THE BAT WHISPERS was filmed in 70mm widescreen (very odd since widescreen wasn't patented until the 1950's), an experimental move that works to the film's advantage.

The story of the search for a demonic, depraved killer known as The Bat is a wonderfully entertaining piece of whimsy, with Merkel and Eburne in top form.

Directed by Roland West.

Excellent!!!
Everyone else has said it all. So here is my 2 cents worth. Get the movie if you like 30's films and in particular old house and mystery films. The video quality is very good but i agree, the sound is a little low but hey, its great to have it. Now, this got me thinking, I like Chester Morris and wish i could find some Boston Blackie movies.

Interesting movie, but...
I am a huge fan of 1930's films, so it was with great anticipation that I sat down to watch this DVD. Unfortunately it was not the exciting film I had expected. Firstly the good points: The picture quality for a film over 70 years old is amazingly good. The 65mm widescreen print is fairly speckled but boasts superb sharpness and contrast. The full frame version is less speckled but not quite as sharp. Nevertheless I was very impressed by the print quality for both versions. There is also frequent use of highly imaginative model shots and camera work throughout the movie. Now the bad points: Whilst the picture quality is terrific, this is another Image Entertainment DVD that suffers from lower than usual sound level - so be prepared to turn up the volume on your TV. The film itself contains some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Chester Morris gives a laughable performance and the rest of the cast aren't much better. As for the plot - what plot? We spend at least an hour watching various people climbing in and out of windows, opening and closing doors, shouting, crying, screaming, dying - leaving the viewer totally bemused as to what is supposed to be going on. Perhaps this was director Roland West's intention, but I think the audience would have been better served by fewer aimless characters and a stronger storyline. I take my hat off to Image Entertainment and other video companies for releasing these vintage films for everyone to enjoy. 'The Bat Whispers' is a very interesting piece of film history which has sadly dated quite badly. This movie is a film buff's dream but others may feel less enthusiastic. So if you want to watch strange goings on at an old dark house I recommend you check out Universal Picture's 'The Old Dark House' instead. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent adaptation by no-name cast.
The thing about this adaptation of Li'l Abner is that it manages to capture the light-hearted feel of the strip at the time. Unencumbered by any political or social leanings (in either direction) it gives a sense of Al Capp at his finest. When Li'l Abner and the citizens of Dogpatch were celebrated heroes of America.

The cast is mostly unknown. But they bring a sense of excitement to their roles that more than makes up for their lack of experience. That's not to say this is a flawless film. It's cheaply produced and it was sad to see film great Buster Keaton in such a small role. But it is funny (despite Maltin's opinion) and well worth the price. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bob Hope is in top form in this Technicolor parody of pirate pictures, doing his best vaudeville shtick as an inept performer trying to save princess Virginia Mayo from the evil clutches of governor Walter Slezak and pirate Victor McLaglen. It's all ridiculous fun, of course, but if you're a fan of Hope, you never tire of his self-effacing gags and double-entendres. His out-of-place show biz jabs were always clever, and they're all the funnier in this period setting--particularly the Bing Crosby jokes. But Walter Brennan nearly steals the film as a wacky pirate scheming to steal buried treasure, and tattooing the map on Hope's chest. Yet the two best routines are when Hope tries to conceal his chest while taking a bath with Slezak, and when he tries to impersonate McLaglen as "the Hook." Unfortunately, the film element used for this DVD edition shows signs of color fading, but it doesn't detract from Bob Hope's distinct brand of entertainment. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Bob Hope as the classic cowardly pirate
"The Princess and the Pirate" is one of my favourite Bob Hope comedies right up there with "My Favourite Blonde" and "The Ghost Breakers". During the war years escapism was high on peoples wish list and the period saw an influx of top grade pirate adventures set in far off lands on screen such as "The Sea Hawk", and "The Black Swan". Bob Hope, ever quick to pick up on the latest popular trends created his own mini classic here in "The Princess and the Pirate", with a roushing send up of the whole Pirate genre that suited his comic talents to a tee.

This film has it all, from cut throat pirates to beautiful maidens in distress, fantastic galleons filled with treasure, beautiful technicolour, swashbuckling sword play and at the centre the comic Hope in one of his famous coward roles filled with hilarious one liners. Of course no Hope film would be complete without a few Bing Crosby jokes and they are laid on in abundance here. Even San Goldwyn who produced this film comes in for a comic slaying! Bob Hope plays Sylvester the Great a second rate performing act who unknowingly gets involved with a group of cut throat pirates headed by the notorious "The Hook' played superbly by Victor Mclaglen. In a plot too convoluted to lay out here Hope unknowingly gets a rare treasure map tatooed onto his chest and thus becomes the target for the greedy pirates bent on retreiving the treasure. Along the way Sylvester becomes involved with the Princess Margaret (played by the lovely Virginia Mayo)who is being held as a captive by the pirates and who in a surprise twist at the finale, after romancing Hope throughout the entire film suddenly runs into the arms of a well known rival of Hope's whos name I wont mention here!!

The film is full of wonderful scenes and performances. Walter Brennan in a distinct change of pace literally steals the show as the wacky featherhead, the giggling pirate who tattoes the map onto Hope's chest. Bob Hope's quip upon hearing him giggling to "hurry up and lay that egg" is probably one of the funniest lines in the whole film. Virginia Mayo while perhaps not the best leading lady that Bob Hope had in his films is cooly beautiful as Princess Margaret but does perhaps lack a bit of the fire that a Maureen O'Hara type would have brought to the role. Bob Hope I feel has one of his very best roles here. Whether he is playing the wisecracking Sylvester ducking from cut throat killers or dressed as a cackling old gypsy woman to avoid detection on the pirate ship, romancing the Princess or deceiving the dreaded Hook and the govenor, he is in fine form full of the lovable quips and Crosby insults that were his stock in trade. Hilarious scenes abound throughout "The Princess and the Pirate". Stand outs are the priceless scene where Hope and the princess arrive at the boarding house in port to find a room for the night and find that the previous occupant had mysteriously "checked out" while leaving all his clothes! and the absolute rib tickler where Bob ends up sharing a bath with the corrupt governer La Roche (Walter Slezak in another funny performance) and tries to hide the tattoo of the treasure map from him, that one is guaranteed to have you laughing till you drop!.

The overall look of this production is lavish and no expenses was ever spared on Bob Hope films around this time. The colour is beautiful and the costumes, sets, and period flavour are top notch. For a fun filled, hour and a half of pure mayhem and Hope madness "The Princess and the Pirate", is unsurpassed. If you are a Hope fan like I am you cannot miss this one to see him at the absolute peak of his abilities and comic timing. Enjoy a rousing time on the high seas with Bob Hope at his cowardly best!!

a great and beautiful film!
This film is very good, so entertaining and colorful. It's packed, with glamoour, romance, comedy, and adventure. A little of everything. Virginia Mayo is wonderful in it and so is Bob Hope.

Classic Gut-buster
My siblings and I caught this movie on Sunday afternoon TV once, and laughed until we cried. Very silly gags interspersed with hilarious one-liners make this oldie stay fresh. I'm not someone who generally likes classic comedy, and I LOVE this movie!

Good, simple pic
Everytime Bob Hope made a picture in a costume, people would cringe. It doesn't have to be that way, as this movie is heads and tails above "Cassanova's Big Night". This is a fun, silly pirate movie that I loved as a kid, and still love now as a twenty-something unemployed male unable to graduate from a state college.

Total Brilliance!
This, in my opinion, is by far the best Bob Hope film I've seen. I have watched it repeatedly, and it never fails to make me laugh hysterically. I just love this film and would recommend it to anyone of any age. Just brilliant! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fun slice of pre-code Hollywood
Another fun offering from the Roan Group.

"Lonely Wives" is listed as Raon's "Pre-Code Hollywood #4; the Risque Years". The movie is not really all that spicy, certainly from today's standards. But there are lots of rapid-fire quips and innuendo that keep the viewer watching (and laughing!).

Based on a popular stage play, the 1931 picture tells the story of a man who is an uptight, all-business lawyer by day, but who "blooms" once the clock strikes eight. Richard 'Dickie' Smith likes to go out to the clubs and dally with the ladies while his wife is away on vacation. His bossy mother-in-law tries to keep him on the straight and narrow, but he has other plans.

A famous stage impersonator named Felix, "the Great Zero", wants to do a stage act featuring his parody of the famous lawyer. He shows Dickie his make-up, and the two connive to switch places for the evening. When Dickie's wife comes home unexpectedly, havoc ensues! To make matters worse, Dickie is out at The Whoopee Club with a girl who turns out to be Zero's wife!

Edward Everett Horton plays both Dickie and Zero. The split-screen effect is almost flawless when the two are shown together. The dialog between the two characters really sells the act, with no hesitation or delays caused by split-screen editing. Very impressive for 1931.

Horton will be instantly recognizable. Even if you don't know his face, you WILL know his voice. Most famous for narrating the "Fractured Fairy Tales" segment of "The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show", Horton worked as a character actor for years in radio and television. He starred in such famous films as "Arsenic and Old Lace", "Pocketful of Miracles", "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", "Sex and the Single Girl", and "Springtime in the Rockies". He also starred in "Shall We Dance?", "The Gay Divorcee", and "Top Hat", all with Fred Astaire.

While by today's standards "Lonely Wives" isn't anything new, at the time it must have been scandalous fun. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

For what its worth...
I actually think there is a lot to like about this collection of 2 Fay Wray classics, especially if you know what you are getting from the start. What you are getting are 2 films, mastered from some pretty tired source material, on one DVD. The digital mastering is rather "so so" for these films, with some only a few minor artifacts not eminating from the original film source (lines, pixlation, etc). With these techinical weaknesses in mind, I think most veiwers will find a lot to enjoy here.

I first saw "The Vampire Bat" when I was 9 years old on TV. It certainly made an impression on me. What starts out to be a creepy, standard vampire flick, actually turns into a diverting murder mystery. Fay Wray is naturally luminous and Melvyn Douglas is at his leading man sexiest. Sure, there are some formulaic elements to the film: the squeemish spinster, the vengeful townfolk, lots of talk about vampire and werewolf lore (and even a wasted appearance by Dwight Frye, who seems lost in his Renfield role from DRACULA 2 years before). All these formulaic elements add up to a great hour of entertainment. This particular print of the THE VAMPIRE BAT is weak, but certainly not awful.

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME is an exciting predcesor to THE VAMPIRE BAT on this disc. A popular short story turned into movie, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME is an intelligently written and wonderfully atmospheric film. Joel McRae is oh so macho as a man washed ashore from a sunken ship onto an island where he is not alone. An eecentric millionaire snare wayfaring travelers to his island, only to hunt them down for sport. This ghastly concept has not lost a bit of its punch. Fay Wray is actually given a role with some substance and plays it with lots of conviction. The beautfiul photography makes this a visual feast. Unfortunately, the print for this film has a very soft image almost throughout. This takes a little getting used to at first, but soon you are so caught up in the story, you forget.

If you are looking for pristine images of these films, this is not the disc for you. But considering the age of the films and the nominal price, you will not be disappointed. Criterion Collection has released THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME on one of their deluxe editions. For a little less you get an ok copy, plus the wonderful THE VAMPIRE BAT added on on this two-on-one DVD from Slingshot (a better value in my mind).

Good movies, but substandard quality
Both movies are a very good addition to any classic or horror movie collection. This disk, however, is not! The video transfer is supposedly "restored", but you would never know it. The Most Dangerous Game was watchable, but certain scenes were very washed out with lots of dirt and scratches. I had even worse success with The Vampire Bat. The movie started ok, but my DVD player actually had trouble reading the disk about mid-way through. It got so bad, that I had to stop watching the movie. If your main interest in this disk is, The Most Dangerous Game (by far the superior of the two films), then I suggest the Criterion release.

Good Films. Nice Price. So What's The Catch ?
Well, if there is a catch, it's the picture quality. Althoughthe DVD states that the films have been 'digitally remastered fromsources provided by National Film Museum', all that really proves is that the prints held by National Film Museum aren't that good. They picture quality is what you might charitably describe as 'mediocre' - not awful, not great, merely OK. The print for 'The Most Dangerous Game' is a bit grainy with slightly too much contrast and on-screen motion appears blurred instead of crisp. 'The Vampire Bat' is shown in a sort of greyish / light blue tint. As this is the first version I've seen, I can't say if it's supposed to be like this. What I do know is that my Leonard Maltin Movie Guide bills 'The Vampire Bat' as lasting 71 minutes with the warning 'beware of shorter prints'. Guess what folks? This version only lasts 61 minutes...so I assume this is one of the shorter prints Leonard Maltin refers to.

So why have I given the DVD three stars? Well, despite the shortcomings and a lack of special features, this is still over two hours worth of the wonderful Fay Wray. Both films provide cracking entertainment - especially 'The Most Dangerous Game' - at a fairly reasonable price. The sound quality is fine and like I say, the picture quality is not completely terrible.

Finally, in case you didn't already know, 'The Most Dangerous Game' is also available on the 'Criterion' range of DVDs. For a few dollars more you'll find a much better print of the film and their DVD also features a movie commentary. So, if you're only interested in 'The Most Dangerous Game', I strongly recommend you check out the Criterion DVD instead.

Substandard Materials Make for the Worst-Looking DVD Yet!
These two golden age horror films are done a gross disservice by E-Biz's DVD pressing. Ostensibly struck from 35mm original elements from The National Museum (whoever they are!), what we are given in reality is a scratchy, overly-bright and, most unforgiveably, OUT OF FOCUS, copy of "Most Dangerous Game"! My public domain Beta copy from 15 years ago looks better than this! The soundtrack is equally poor, filled with loud hiss. "The Vampire Bat" fares slightly better; this copy looks no worse than the old pd-videotape copies. At least it's in focus throughout. But this print is NOT complete. My old tape copy runs almost three-minutes longer. My advice is to avoid this disc. "Game" is also available on Criterion, so that's the one to buy. This is "Bat's" DVD debut, so stick with any of the numerous acceptable tape copies until somebody gets it right on DVD.

Fay Wray double feature on DVD
If you like Fay Wray then you will like these. The 1st film "Most dangerous game" is not bad. A madman hunts people down like animals on his Island and Fay Wray becomes one of the hunted. The only bad thing is that the picture quality is not the best but probobly due to the orig print. Also, the madman (hunter) character is a little campy. The 2nd movie i actually enjoyed more. The story is not as strong but the actors are good. The Vampire Bat!! This movie is complete with decent atmosphere and the townsfolk running scared of so called Vampires or something. It turns out its Lionel Atwill playing a mad doctor taking the blood of the people for his experiments. Fay Wray is in typical good form as always. The picture quality is clearer in this movie but it has some junk in the picture but that was expected since these are 1930's films. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

VINTAGE SWANSON CURIO.
In this early talkie from 1931 - in which everyone does their best in an essentially mediocre film - a 32 year-old Gloria Swanson plays a lady with a past. Gloria, who is involved with a writer (Ben Lyon) discovers that Lyon's sister has her old flame as her new fiancee... With good reason, Swanson had misgivings about this film which is weak both plot-wise and musically: her fears unfortunately proved right. Leo McCarey, the director, was promised his "big break" with this film and Ben Lyon was - rather unbelievably - considered a major coup for a leading man, therefore, Swanson agreed to do it for United Artists. Perhaps the most capable performer is Arthur "Dagwood" Lake as Buster Collins. Swanson had just priorly turned down Paramount's offer of a guaranteed 1 million-dollar-a-year contract (!).

Good Movie, but DO'NT buy DVD "Madacy" copy!!!
The movie itself is good. But the "Madacy" Company copied a lousy, badly worn, faded, repaired 16mm copy on to the DVD and is miserable to watch! The film must have been shown 100's of times. It is so badly spliced, in some scenes you can't even understand the dialog! The whole last half of the movie, the sound is extremely garbled! Very poor visual quality. You would expect a DVD to be higher in quality - not this one. Record the movie off of TV! ... Read more