I'd seen this sequel a few times and many years before seeing the original film and to me they always seemed as good as one another: to me they both hold up very well as entertaining family friendly films. And great as bookends.
In this Bob Hope plays the son of Paleface Potter - who seems to have attained an unwarranted mythological status whilst Junior was growing up – and who arrives in his old Pa's town to the baying delight of the debt collecting populace. He immediately clashes with secret goodie Roy Rogers (even with Trigger) and wishes he could clash with secret baddie Jane Russell for whom he carries A Torch, and of whom Rogers is on the trail. Junior was so mean he hated himself as he rolled his r's. It's a wingding of a film full of witty dialogue and fast talk - not least the quick brown fox jumped over the last dog - and with many hilarious scenes (even slapstick with Trigger chasing Hope through the local hotel). Wonder what bourbon on your toothpaste tastes like? And prepare to bust your britches with Hope's Cottontalk, see. Russell was a likable enough gal, but judging by some of the outlandish non-sexy costumes she was presumably requested to wear and similar to most of us, she looked better fully dressed. The plot not involving Hope veered from Lone Star standard to a frantic climax which reprised Hold That Ghost.
I've always loved Hope's Golden Age films and have enjoyed this one repeatedly over the decades; if you don't like Hope, westerns or musicals there's no hope for you in here.
In this Bob Hope plays the son of Paleface Potter - who seems to have attained an unwarranted mythological status whilst Junior was growing up – and who arrives in his old Pa's town to the baying delight of the debt collecting populace. He immediately clashes with secret goodie Roy Rogers (even with Trigger) and wishes he could clash with secret baddie Jane Russell for whom he carries A Torch, and of whom Rogers is on the trail. Junior was so mean he hated himself as he rolled his r's. It's a wingding of a film full of witty dialogue and fast talk - not least the quick brown fox jumped over the last dog - and with many hilarious scenes (even slapstick with Trigger chasing Hope through the local hotel). Wonder what bourbon on your toothpaste tastes like? And prepare to bust your britches with Hope's Cottontalk, see. Russell was a likable enough gal, but judging by some of the outlandish non-sexy costumes she was presumably requested to wear and similar to most of us, she looked better fully dressed. The plot not involving Hope veered from Lone Star standard to a frantic climax which reprised Hold That Ghost.
I've always loved Hope's Golden Age films and have enjoyed this one repeatedly over the decades; if you don't like Hope, westerns or musicals there's no hope for you in here.