Product Description

Bob and Bing are friends who travel to the furthest point they can find on a map-- Singapore, where they discover a lovely dancer, and both fall for her.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: NR
Release Date: 1-APR-2003
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33224 in DVD
• Brand: HOPE,BOG/CROSBY,BI
• Released on: 2002-03-05
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds
• Running time: 85 minutes

Amazon.com
Here's the first trip in what would become one of Paramount Pictures' most profitable film series of the '40s. When this comedy was released in 1940, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope had separately achieved stardom, though Crosby was an established power and Hope still a hot comedian new to movies. In fact, Hope is billed third in Road to Singapore, below Der Bingle and Dorothy Lamour. The script establishes what would be a constant in the Road series: a ramshackle plot, a handful of songs, and plenty of irreverent banter between the two boys. Crosby plays Josh Mallon, scion of a wealthy family, who prefers the vagabond life to his stuffy family; his pal Ace Lannigan (Hope) is only too happy to escape. They end up sharing a waterfront shack in Singapore and vying for the affections of a sarong-clad local (Lamour), amidst stabs at conning the natives with a dubious elixir variously known as "Spot-O" (stain remover) and "Scram-O" (cockroach killer). Singapore isn't as loose as some of the wacky subsequent entries in the series, but it already shows Crosby and Hope grooving to each other's perfectly timed burlesque rhythms in scenes that clearly depart from the script. They specialized in muttered asides, show-biz in-jokes, and gratuitous insults--and this one's got a song and dance number with an ocarina. No wonder it became a franchise. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Good First Road Picture
This is the first of seven road pictures (starring Bing and Bob) and it is a good one. I read where the movie was originally set to star George Burns and Gracie Allen in the two lead roles ... when it was then adapted for Bing and Bob.

Some good acting here. The later road pictures put the zany actics and funny gag lines way up front ... as they should ... for our enjoyment, but The Road to Singapore has more of a credible plot and better acting. Dorothy Lamour is an excellent actress. Her one scene near the end, on the ship deck with Bob, is pretty special.

My rank for this road picture (among the seven) is third or fourth. And it's just fun to see the boys at the beginning of what would become a great series of motion pictures.

TOO ROMANTIC
That's the title of the best-known tune which was introduced in this first entry in the immensely popular ROAD TO.... series. In this one, Josh Mallon, the scion of a straightlaced shipping magnate, and his free-spirited pal, Ace Lannigan, ridicule the institution of marriage. However, Josh's Dad is disgusted with his son's irresponsible antics & commits Josh to an office job and a marriage to socialite Gloria Wycott...The working title of this just-average first outing from the famed duo of Hope & Crosby was FOLLOW THE SUN. Other songs which are heard in the picture are: SWEET POTATO PIPER, KAIGOON, THE MOON AND THE WILLOW TREE & CAPTAIN CUSTARD (!). In 1940, the Ohio Censorship Board demanded that the studio (Paramount) make extensive cuts in the native dancing girl sequence.

On The Road To Classic Comedy
While this first outing may not be the very best of the road pictures (I rate "Morocco" and "Utopia" as better), this is classic comedy, if not a classic film. Hope was new enough on the scene to get third billing (behind Crosby and Lamour), and it was amusing seeing an early Anthony Quinn and Jerry Colonna. The plot is better than some in the "Road" series (a bit of class warfare gets things started), and I always enjoy seeing Bing's "dad" in the film (Charles Coburn).

The rivalry between Hope and Crosby for Lamour's affection has an edge to it, but that makes it just about perfect.

In the extra features we learn that Hope and Lamour were not the first choices for the flick -- would you believe George Burns and Gracie Allen??? BTW, the extra features in all of the new Universal series of DVDs for the "Road" series are well done.

I hadn't seen this in years, and it is much better than my memory had it from years as cut up fodder on commercial television. This one is a keeper.