Product: My Favorite Brunette [VHS] (1947)
Rating: 5.0
Classic Bob Hope comedy
In this crackpot comedy from 1947, Bob Hope plays a baby photographer who dreams of becoming a detective. When an exotic brunette by the name of Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour) mistakes him for a detective, he decides to throw caution to the wind and handle her case himself. A detective only needs smarts, courage, and a gun, and he has a gun; he has even invented a camera that takes pictures through keyholes. Carlotta says her husband is missing, although she later changes her story to say it is her uncle. When Jackson comes out to the house, he meets the missing uncle and starts to believe Carlotta is rowing upstream without a paddle, but Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) is not one to leave a gorgeous brunette in distress. To him, being a detective basically involves making time with beautiful female clients. Soon, as there really are all sorts of thug-induced shenanigans going on, Jackson is in over his head, eventually finding himself framed for a murder he didn't commit.My Favorite Brunette features vintage Bob Hope comedy. He has one-liners for even the darkest of occasions; he even complains jokingly about his last meal when he is locked up in the hoosegow awaiting execution. Dorothy Lamour's character remains serious and reserved throughout, but this doesn't slow Bob Hope down, as he quite easily carries the movie's load of comedy single-handedly. As always with Hope, the comedy comes out in so many ways, particularly in the facial expressions; I don't think the man could ever have been not funny if he tried. The ending of this movie screams deus ex machina, but it really doesn't matter. My Favorite Brunette features an hour and a half of Bob Hope comedy in its most concentrated and effective form, guaranteeing a ton of laughs for anyone with a funny bone in his/her body. There's even a very special dessert at the end of this comedic buffet, as Bing Crosby puts in a quick but noteworthy appearance.