Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4937 in VHS
• Released on: 1997-05-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 92 minutes

Customer Reviews

Hope on the Range
"Alias Jesse James" (1959) is the last and least of Bob Hope's Western spoofs. Even with director Norman Z. McLeod at the helm, this Technicolor farce lacks the sharp pacing of the comedian's better efforts. Luckily, the film improves as it moseys along - climaxed by a hilarious star-studded shootout. In the words of a famous crooner, Old Ski Nose "needs all the help he can get." The cameos save the movie, yet Hope's cinematic decline began shortly thereafter.

Classic Bob Hope Comedy!!Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Hope!!
Bob Hope stars as an inept insurance salesman who sells the outlaw Jesse James a 100,000 dollar life insurance policy with hilarious results.This is a classic Bob Hope Comedy along with a great cast.By the way ,Happy 100th Birthday,Mr. Hope and thanks for the memories,we all love you!!

Before State Farm, AFLAC and Prudential, there was Milford Farnsworth!
There's just something so inherently likable about Bob Hope. Maybe it's the quick wit and comedic timing. Maybe it's the self-effacing "just one of the guys" mannerisms. Maybe it's the basic decency of the man shining thru. I don't know, but he's my favorite film comedian, bar none. Alias Jesse James is just another fine example of Bob exercising his immense comedic talents to their fullest.

Having just been being fired from the Plymouth Rock Insurance Company, bumbling New York insurance agent Milford Farnsworth (Bob Hope) attempts to get back into his company's good graces by selling a life insurance policy worth $100,000 to a T. J. James (Wendell Corey), who is "well known in banking and railroad." His boss, however, is outraged to find out that T. J. James is actually the notorious killer and infamous outlaw Jesse James, and sends Farnsworth scampering out West after James to recover the policy. But until he gets that policy safe in his own hands, Farnsworth must do all he can to ensure that the gunslinging varmint comes to no harm. While he's at it, Farnsworth might as well go after James' lovely gal - and beneficiary of the life insurance - Cora Lee (Rhonda Fleming).

Bob Hope once again does his patented cowardly hero schtick, and does it to perfection. This time out, he utilizes his contemporary brand of humor and his arsenal of slapstick and sight gags to up-end the western genre riotously on its head. Western spoofs are nothing new for old Ski-nose; he's done it before in The Paleface, Son of Paleface, and Fancy Pants. But it never gets old, as Bob once again pokes fun at Wild West conventions. An example of the Hope witticism: An admiring Indian princess tells Bob, "Your eyes - they should be on a woman." To which, Bob replies, "They usually are."

Even Wendell Corey has a chance to crack a joke: a suspicious Jesse James comes busting in on Farnsworth and Cora Lee with his gun drawn, looks at Farnsworth, and says, "I'm sorry, Milford. I thought I saw a man." Corey effectively plays a savvy Jesse James, cunning and conniving, and someone definitely not to be trifled with. Red-headed Rhonda Fleming is devastatingly gorgeous, sings a good song, and manages to keep a straight face at Bob's shenanigans. The "Buttons and Bows" moment comes when Bob and Rhonda duet with "There's Something Else Entirely on my Mind."

The rousing finale is great for its many cameo appearances of television and film western stars: Hugh O'Brien as Wyatt Earp, Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, Jay Silverheels as Tonto, Roy Rogers as himself, James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke), James Garner as Bret Maverick, and Gary Cooper. Oh yeah, and Bing Crosby ("That boy needs all the help he can get.")

Hopefully, whenever the dvd version comes out, the powers that be will make it worth the wait in terms of transfer quality and bonus features. But for now, we still have the VHS tape and the occasional showing on cable tv. They'll have to do.