Off Limits (1953)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This movie does NOT focus on the military duties so much but focuses on a guy (Mickey Rooney) in the army, who wants to be a prize fighter and a trainer (Bob Hope) who joined the army to watch another fighter but things go wrong and the trainer (Bob Hope) gets stuck in the army and ends up training the new guy (Mickey Rooney). This was my first time seeing this movie. Next to the Lemon Drop Kid, its going to be my favorite movie with Bob Hope. I am thinking about buying it. Bob Hope really outdone himself, we were all laughing out loud, throughout the movie. Like so many Military comedy movies: Kelly Heroes, Major Payne, No Time for Sergeants, Sgt. Bilko, At War With the Army, just a few Military comedy movies; if you liked these; you're going to love this one.

Hollywood made quite a few military films starring the most ridiculous actors. In "Great Guns", a 300-400 pound 49 year0old Oliver Hardy joins up. And, in "Buck Privates", a 46 year-old Bud Abbott also joins the army. So, the notion of a 50 year-old Bob Hope in the army is ridiculous but not without some precedent. My advice is to completely block this out of your mind--as a case of temporary amnesia will definitely make this better viewing.Now some might also laugh at the notion of the very diminutive Mickey Rooney serving as well in this film. However, he WAS not too old to serve (33) and he actually did serve with some distinction during WWII.The film begins with Hope playing the role of a manager-trainer for the newest boxing champ. He's on top of the world...until his fighter is drafted. Oddly, he, too, decides to join up so can follow his client--though if they both did serve, the chances of them staying together would have been negligible. However, it appears that the boxer's draft notice was all part of a ruse to get Hope out of the way and break his contract with the champ. When this champ is ruled psychologically unfit for service (he seems to have faked being crazy), Hope is stuck in the army while this promising boxer gets a new manager with more clout. Hope is irritated but there is nothing he can do....or is there? In the service he meets a game guy (Rooney) who also wants to become a boxer. However Rooney's platinum blonde aunt (Marilyn Maxwell) insists that he will NOT become a boxer--she didn't want to see him become a punch-drunk idiot. And, because Hope has become smitten with her, he is inclined to agree.Later, when their commander (Mayehoff) hears that Rooney wants to box, he arranges some fights--and Hope is unable to stop it. However, inexplicably, Maxwell's insistence that Rooney not box suddenly vanished and Rooeny begins working his way through the professional boxing ranks. And, when the 'big match' occurs, thugs are determined to do anything to stop Hope from helping his protégé. Will Rooney manage to become the next champ? And what about Hope? Overall this is a reasonably pleasant film with one serious problem--it is well made but not funny. And, considering it's supposed to be a comedy, that is a BIG problem. It's not a bad film--but I never laughed once. So, provided you don't mind its lack of humor, it's a decent enough film. But funny, it ain't.

Not only do Bob Hope and Mickey Rooney deliver enjoyable performances, there is a great character, "Chow Hound" portrayed by Norman Leavitt. Mr.Leavitt is one of those wonderful character actors whose face you have seen a million times but might not remember his name. After watching "Off Limits", you will never forget him. For years I have enjoyed his performances in many "Andy Griffith" and "I Love Lucy" episodes as well as his performance in the feature "The Blue Gardenia" directed by Fritz Lang. Also, he was in one of my all time favorite films, "Harvey" as one of the cab drivers. The cast of "off Limits" should have gone on to make a sequel, it was like watching a charmed ensemble cast movie.

This is a very good Bob Hope movie. He does a wonderful job of playing a military person that really isn't very military minded. His usual pranks to get out of something he doesn't want to do, doesn't let you down, and I love the way he always gets a jab at his old buddy Bing in his solo movies, and he has a very neat way of doing it in this movie. The only thing I don't understand in the movie is that the champ refers to "women" as buffaloes. Does anyone know where or why that term was used in those days. This is the only movie I've ever heard them refered to as.