The Road to Hong Kong (1962)

Excellent but underrated film

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I think some of our reviewers here are a bit too critical. But on the other hand, others of our critics here are too generous.My take on this -- it was "nice" to see Bing and Bob cavorting again one final time (although they continued on television specials) on the road to...ah, let's see...Hong Kong this time. But to me there were two problems. First, in an urge to be ultra modern at the time (1962), they had to put the boys in a space movie. That didn't really work. And, they exchanged a singer who couldn't sing -- Dorothy Lamour -- for an actress who couldn't act -- Joan Collins. Although in all fairness, it wasn't until later in her career (as in "Dynasty") that Joan Collins learned how to be a really poor actress; earlier in her career (and here) she was "okay". Frankly, I'd much rather have had Dorothy Lamour as the appropriate age love interest here (instead of Bob and Bing at 59 and Collins at half that). But, at least we had the extended cameo with Dorothy Lamour. And speaking of cameos, there are great ones here by Jerry Colonna and Dean Martin with Frank Sinatra. I guess I'd have to say that this is my least favorite road picture, but it's still okay...and a nice family reunion.Incidentally, I watched this on the Olive Films Blu-Ray disc, which was...well, I can't say crisp, because I find many of the Olive Film restorations to be grainy...but it still looked pretty darned good.

After an accident leaves "Chester Babcock" (Bob Hope) with amnesia, his partner "Harry Turner" (Bing Crosby) takes him to a Tibetan lamasery in search of a special herb that will restore his memory. What they don't know is that upon taking this drug certain people develop a photographic memory as well and Chester just happens to be one of them. This comes into great use when Chester is accidentally given a secret formula for rocket fuel which he memorizes prior to Harry haphazardly destroying it. Unfortunately, a secret criminal organization known as the "Third Echelon" desperately wants this formula in their quest for world domination and Chester now becomes their number one target. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I thought that this film served as a rather fitting ending to a very successful comedy series. I especially liked the scene featuring Chester dressed up to look Chinese and Dorothy Lamour as the songstress. Absolutely hilarious. In any case, I enjoyed this movie and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Bosom pals Bing Crosby (as Harry Turner) and Bob Hope (as Chester Babcock) are in India when Mr. Hope loses his memory; no thanks for that. Hope is taken to Tibet by Mr. Crosby, where the duo hope to find a cure. At an airport, pretty young spy Joan Collins (as Diane) appears. Also serving as the story's part-time narrator, Ms. Collins thinks Hope and Crosby are secret agents. She joins them on "The Road to Hong Kong". The opening song "Teamwork" is followed by some funny banter. Special effects help an amusing title song. Then, this attempt to revive the "Road " series crashes...The worst part of the film occurs when the Hope and Crosby ape "Modern Times" while shot into space. They are force-fed bananas and get bounced around in fast-motion while strapped in chairs, accompanied by amateurish sound effects and trick photography. Also, the comedy team has zero rapport with Collins, who is uncomfortable and cardboard as their romantic interest. Frankly, Hope and Crosby are too old for Collins, anyway. To make matters worse, their more age appropriate leading lady Dorothy Lamour has a featured cameo and song. Other big name bits are scattered about.*** The Road to Hong Kong (4/27/62) Norman Panama ~ Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Joan Collins, Dorothy Lamour

I have recently re-watched all the Hope & Crosby road pictures and saved this one for last--mostly because it's the hardest to find and because it was their last film. Unfortunately, the decade that separated this and the previous film was too long and the nice momentum from the earlier films was clearly lost. It proves the old saying that 'you can't go back'--as the team probably should have just called it quits after "The Road to Bali".The problems with "The Road to Hong Kong" are many. The most serious of which is the age of the team. While the jokes might have worked okay with the 40-something Hope and Crosby, here they are positively geriatric and seeing them making googly eyes at very young and pretty ladies just seemed creepy. While Crosby was cast as the suave lover in earlier films, here he just conjured up images of a creepy old man...and Hope wasn't much better. Starring them opposite a young and very sexy Joan Collins (instead of perennial co-star Dorothy Lamour) didn't help matters any, as this only seemed to accentuate that they were just past their prime. The other super-serious problem was the script. You'd think after all this time they'd have held out for a GOOD script, but they didn't. The plot manages to be significantly more weird and outlandish than their previous films and the notion of the team battling super-spies and manning a rocket to space just seemed very forced and stupid.I remember back in the 1970s before Bing Crosby died that the two men had talked about doing yet another Road Picture. Thank goodness it never got past the talking stage, as given the direction their careers took in this decade, the results would have been horrid--especially in light of the films Hope made in the twilight years of his career. I know that devoted fans might take exception to this review, but as for me, the whole experience in watching "The Road to Hong Kong" was sad...and almost too painful to watch. Like the last films of Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, this film just reaffirms that in comedy it's best to go out on top.