Along with being one of Paramount's top comedy stars of the 1940's, Bob Hope had an equally successful career as a radio personality. While on the radio show he apparently rhapsodized about classy and glamorous English actress Madeleine Carroll week after week. Sort of a pretend infatuation I guess. Well maybe?
Someone got the bright idea to put Carroll and Hope together in a comedy. The end result was one of Paramount's most successful films when it released. Surprisingly Hope's comedic persona played off extremely well with the elegant Carroll.
The 1940's is kind of Bob Hope at the peak his career. His comedic timing is so good that he can even play off scenes with a penguin and still get the laughs. Madeleine Carroll is usually considered the first of Alfred Hitchcock's "cool blonde actresses." She personified his idea of the sexy heroine. The surprise in this film is that she is also very funny.
The plot which has British secret agent Carroll fighting off a German spy cell with the help of Bob Hope playing a vaudeville performer whose partner just happens to be a penguin. This is just an excuse to watch these two performers deliver the comedic goods. The film isn't rolling down bust your gut funny but it is amusing. Frankly they could have used more scenes with Hope and the penguin.
The film had comedy writers who were associated with Bob Hope on and off throughout his career, Don Hartman, Frank Butler, Melvin Frank and Norman Panama. The running time is 78 minutes.
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