Road to Singapore (1940)
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100% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
69% of users liked it
(3,416 ratings)
The story goes that such stars as Fred MacMurray, Jack Oakie and Burns & Allen had turned down The Road to Singapore before the leading roles went to Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. More conventionally structured than future "Road" efforts, the film casts Crosby as Josh Mallon, the irresponsible… More The story goes that such stars as Fred MacMurray, Jack Oakie and Burns & Allen had turned down The Road to Singapore before the leading roles went to Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. More conventionally structured than future "Road" efforts, the film casts Crosby as Josh Mallon, the irresponsible son of shipping magnate Joshua Mallon IV (Charles Coburn). Though the elder Mallon wants his son to enter the family business and marry longtime fiancee Gloria Wycott (Judith Barrett), Josh would rather pal around with his carefree sailor buddy Ace Lannigan (Bob Hope). On the eve of his wedding, Josh escapes with Ace to Singapore, where the two of them cook up a get-rich-quick scheme involving a highly unreliable spot remover. The boys' friendship is strained when they both fall in love with cabaret dancer Mima (Dorothy Lamour), who is on the lam from her jealous partner Caesar (Anthony Quinn). Hiding out from the authorities, the three protagonists wind up in the midst of a native ceremony, where Ace and Mima rescue Josh from a hasty marriage to a local temptress. When Gloria shows up to drag Josh back to the altar, Mima nobly gives him up, pretending to be in love with Ace. Eventually, however, big-hearted Ace realizes that Mima belongs with Josh, and thus concocts another scheme to lure his pal back to the Far East. Though many of the earmarks of the "Road" series are evident in Road to Singapore (the "patty-cake" bit, the presence of such guest stars as Hope's radio stooge Jerry Colonna, etc.), the film lacks the spontaneous quality of the later Hope-Crosby-Lamour starrers. Even so, it's an awful lot of fun, especially when Bob and Bing team up on the novelty number "Captain Custard" and Dorothy croons her requisite "moon and stars" romantic ballads. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Victor Schertzinger
- Genres
- Classics, Comedy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1940 Wide
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
Critic Reviews
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James Plath, Reel.com
The Road picture that started it all isn't the funniest, but Hope and Crosby are still fun to watch.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
The first 'Road' picture has its undeniable charms, but isn't as wild as the later entries.
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Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Hope and Crosby still a bit rough around the edges.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Bing Crosby
as Josh Mallon
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Dorothy Lamour
as Mima
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Bob Hope
as Ace Lannigan
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Charles Coburn
as Joshua Mallon IV
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Judith Barrett
as Gloria Wycott
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Anthony Quinn
as Caesar
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Jerry Colonna
as Achilles Bombanassa
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Johnny Arthur
as Timothy Willow
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Pierre Watkin
as Morgan Wycott
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Miles Mander
as Sir Malcolm Drake
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Pedro Regas
as Zato
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Kitty Kelly
as Sailor's wife
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Roger Gray
as Father
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Benny Inocencio
as Native Boy
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Gloria Franklin
as Ninky Poo
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Carmen D'Antonio
as Native Girl
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Paula DeCardo
as Native Dancing Girl
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Elvia Allman
as Homely Girl
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Bobby Barber
as Dumb-Looking Little Man
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Monte Blue
as High Priest
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Harry C. Bradley
as Secretary
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Don Brodie
as Fred
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Arthur Q. Bryan
as Bartender
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Edward Gargan
as Bill
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Greta Granstedt
as Babe
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Grace Hayle
as Chaperone
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Richard Keene
as Cameraman
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Helen Lynd
as Society girl
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Fred Malatesta
as Native Policeman
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Belle Mitchell
as Shopkeeper
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Robert E. O'Connor
as Immigration Officer
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Marguerita Padula
as Proprietress
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Gaylord "Steve" Pendleton
as Gordon Wycott
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Cyril Ring
as Ship's officer
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Robert St. Angelo
as Native Policeman
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Richard Tucker
as Ship's Officer
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Claire James
as Girl at Party
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Jack Pepper
as Columnist
