Main Cast: Bob Hope, Signe Hasso, William Bendix, George Coulouris, Vera Marshe
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 75 minutes
Plot
Bearing traces of such earlier hits as My Favorite Blonde and The Ghost Breakers, Where There's Life is one of the best of Bob Hope's postwar vehicles. The inimitable Mr. Hope is cast as New York radio personality Michael Valentine, who's poised to marry his long-time fiancee Hazel O'Brien (Vera Marshe). But destiny takes a hand when, in the far-off kingdom of Barovia, King Hubertus II (William Edmunds) is felled by an assassin's bullet. To avoid a revolution, the King's cabinet hurriedly searches for Hubertus' sole heir -- who, according to all reliable sources, is one Michael Valentine. Gorgeous General Katrina Grimovich (Signe Hasso) is dispatched to New York to bring Valentine back to Barovia, while a group of insurrectionists, headed by Krivoc (George Coulouris) and Stertorius (George Zucco), conspire to kill Valentine before he can ever leave American soil. When Valentine is apprised of his royal lineage, he assumes that he's the victim of a practical joke perpetrated by his announcer Joe Snyder (George Zucco). Once he's convinced that it's no joke, Valentine and Katrina scurry about the streets of Manhattan, dodging potential assassins at every turn -- not to mention keeping out of the way of Hazel's muscle-bound policeman brother Victor (William Bendix), who assumes that Valentine is merely trying to weasel out of his wedding. Full of bright dialogue and hilarious gag situations, Where There's Life is vintage Bob Hope. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
As with so many Bob Hope films, a viewer's reaction to Where There's Life will likely depend upon his/her fondness for the star. Certainly there's little new here in terms of the script. Once again, Hope is placed into a situation rife with misunderstandings and supposed danger, creating a fish-out-of-water scenario that plays up the comedian's likable coward persona. Some of the gags are good on their own, some depend upon Hope's timing and delivery, and some fall flat despite the star's best efforts -- but most are good enough for a chuckle at least, and some provoke guffaws from all but the most ardent Hope-naysayers. Director Sidney Lanfield directs with the knowledge that his star is the show, and plays up the comedian's assets. He keeps the plot jumping, makes sure the jokes have a chance to land and never lets the pace lag. Hope is supported by the ever-dependable William Bendix, playing the kind of not-so-bright character at which he excelled. Bendix's natural stubbornness is also valuable in keeping certain aspects of the plot on track. Signe Hasso is appropriately easy on the eyes, if no great shakes as an actress. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Hans Dreier - Art Director, Earl Hedrick - Art Director, Edith Head - Costume Designer, Sidney Lanfield - Director, Archie Marshek - Editor, Irvin Talbot - Composer (Music Score), Irvin Talbot - Musical Direction/Supervision, Charles B. Lang - Cinematographer, Paul Jones - Producer, Sam Comer - Set Designer, Sydney Moore - Set Designer, Gordon Jennings - Special Effects, Allen Boretz - Screenwriter, Melville Shavelson - Screenwriter
Where There's Life is a 1947comedy film starring Bob Hope as an American radio announcer who finds out he is the new king of "Moravia", although a secret society called the Mordia, which assassinated the previous ruler, has other ideas.
