Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!

CinemaSerf6/10

Sep 2, 2024

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It probably isn't really very fair to watch this 55 years after it was made and offer any kind of meaningful critique. To underestimate the popularity at the time of Bob Hope would be an error - he was amongst the greatest entertainment stars the world has ever known. Does that make this a good film? Well, no - sadly it doesn't, but what it does do it provide him with a vehicle for his pithy quips that frequently involve a fair (and enjoyable) degree of sarcasm and double entendre, illustrative of his style of quick-witted humour. The thickly accented Elke Sommer ("Didi") features here too, as a rather ditzy actress who ends up bringing some well scripted chaos to his life as realtor ("Meade") and there is his long suffering wife "Martha" (Marjorie Lord) with her astonishing wigs, and finally Phyllis Diller frequently stealing the show as their housekeeper "Lily". There is a plot, but that's merely a template for the continuous barrage of comedy from Hope, which though dated - and certainly political incorrect at times, just about manages to steer this through for a seemingly long 100 minutes. There are some wonderfully cheap and cheerful sets (that is so clearly a painting behind their living room window) and it's an assemble edit that most kids could probably now do on their phones. Essentially, it's only a film for Hope fans.