DVD Review: Bob Hope in Paris Holiday

Kino Lorber has released, on blu ray, the Bob Hope feature “Paris Holiday,” which Hope produced and wrote the original story. By the time he made “Paris Holiday” in 1958, Bob Hope was a living legend in comedy. Having conquered Broadway, motion pictures, radio, and television, he had reach the absolute height of stardom.

Fernandel was a French comic who was the top star in that country. A standout performance in “Around The World in Eighty Days” (1956) led him to be cast opposite Hope in “Paris Holiday.” Hope wanted Alec Guinness but Fernandel ended up with the part.

The film was promoted as featuring “the comedy team of the century.” Hope’s and Fernandel’s billing flashed on the screen during the opening credits with Bob’s name first, and then his French co-star given top billing, jockeying for top position throughout. With a cast rounded out by Martha Hyer, and Anita Ekberg, it looked like a surefire hit. Add to that, music by such songwriters as Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn. There is even a rare on-screen performance by writer-director Preston Sturges (his last acting role and only one for which he receives credit).

The director of this film, Gerd Oswald, had worked as an assistant on Hope’s 1947 comedy “Where There’s Life,” but his own work as a director was limited by the time he took this project. He has little to do as a filmmaker other than follow the actors and maintain the narrative.

In his book “I Owe Russia 1200 Dollars,” Hope discusses his troubles as a producer for this film, indicating that despite not being able to speak English, Fernandel was careful to count how many speeches he had in the script vs. how many Hope had. As a co-star, he expected things to be even, and could otherwise be troublesome. Hope admired his talent and arranged that he had his own comic set pieces.

At it's best, “Paris Holiday” works ok as a Bob Hope picture of the 1950s, with Hope older, more laid back, but just as dry and sardonic, with an abundance of funny dialog. Fernandel’s scenes seem to be distractions, and barely reach the level of being mildly amusing. Perhaps whatever it is he had is no longer as relevant.

Hope plays an extension of himself, a noted American star, and his ego his as strong as his success. He is headed to France to secure the rights to a play he wants to film in America, but gets mixed up with a counterfeiting ring, a diplomat, and an international spy. As with any of the comedies in his career, Hope is all wisecracks and worries, getting him in and out of dangerous situations. There are some visual gags (a Great Dane leashed to a compact car starts running and pulling the vehicle along when he sees another dog), but most of the comedy stems from the situations and is punctuated by Hope’s continued asides. It is mildly amusing, but not one of the comedian's better movies. Even in scenes that are otherwise serious and promise danger in context, Hope’s lighter reaction, his constant jokes, are what most effectively sustain the narrative.

Kino Lorber’s blu ray allows the viewer to be impressed with cinematographer Roger Hubert’s long and medium shots, with colorful negative space framing the central action. Every shot looks like a painting, especially the location photography.

The blu ray is available for purchase here.