Road to Utopia (1946)

100% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(2,557 ratings)

The first "Road" picture in three years (the last was The Road to Morocco), Road to Utopia is set during the Alaskan gold rush. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby play a pair of third-rate San Francisco entertainers, Chester Hooton and Duke Johnson, who are obliged to skip town in a hurry. They book passage… More The first "Road" picture in three years (the last was The Road to Morocco), Road to Utopia is set during the Alaskan gold rush. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby play a pair of third-rate San Francisco entertainers, Chester Hooton and Duke Johnson, who are obliged to skip town in a hurry. They book passage on a ship to Alaska, where they run afoul of escaped murderers Sperry (Robert H. Barrat) and McGurk (Nestor Paiva). Through a fluke, Chester and Duke overpower the killers, then get off the ship in Skagway disguised as Sperry and McGurk so that they themselves can evade the authorities. The boys can't understand why everyone is so afraid of them, nor why saloon owner Ace Larson (Douglas Dumbrille) and Larson's moll Kate (Hillary Brooke) are so chummy. It turns out that Sperry and McGurk had stolen a deed to a valuable gold mine before escaping to Alaska. Sal Van Hoyden (Dorothy Lamour) is the rightful owner of that deed, thus she too shows up in Skagway, hoping to extract the document from Chester and Duke. Whenever the plot threatens to become too difficult to follow, narrator Robert Benchley shows up to explain things -- which of course only adds to the confusion. At any rate, the whole affair ends up with Chester, Duke, and Sal running through the snowy wastes, with the villains in hot pursuit. Duke nobly stays behind to fight off the bad guys himself, handing the deed to Chester and Sal and wishing them Godspeed. Flash-forward to 1945: Chester and Sal, both old and wealthy, are reunited with their equally aged pal Duke, who wasn't killed after all. Sal tells Duke that Chester has been a wonderful husband and father. Yes, father...and wait till you see who plays their child ("We adopted him!"). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Hal Walker
Written By: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1945 Wide
On DVD: Mar 5, 2002
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
My choice as the funniest of Hope and Crosby's Road pictures. It is definitely the zaniest.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Has plenty of quips.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Bing and Bob off on another road, in the fourth -- and many say funniest -- of their famous 'Road' series. If nothing else, it may be their wildest.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This is my absolute favourite of the Road series, it was the second I saw (I've seen them all now.), and it's the funniest if you ask me.
Byron B

My first Hope and Crosby Road picture. Robert Benchley was funny as the narrator. Crosby and Hope were both charming as expected. They are vaudeville showmen who come across an Alaskan gold rush map and head off to make a fortune with thugs on their heels. They compete for the… More
My first Hope and Crosby Road picture. Robert Benchley was funny as the narrator. Crosby and Hope were both charming as expected. They are vaudeville showmen who come across an Alaskan gold rush map and head off to make a fortune with thugs on their heels. They compete for the affections of Dorothy Lamour who may be working for a gangster who is after the gold. Some good laughs. Not as many musical numbers as I expected (or as catchy). It was interesting the way Bob Hope broke the forth wall to comment to the audience, sometimes even admitting that the jokes weren't that great.
Anthony V

One of the best of the Crosby/Hope road movies. Very funny.
Christopher B

The only "Road to..." movie I've seen due to a glowing recommendation from the classic book Cult Pics and Trash Flicks, this is an amazingly funny film filled with a surprising amount of black humour. Highly recommended.

Cast

            Bing Crosby as Duke Johnson

            Bob Hope as Chester Hooton

            Dorothy Lamour as Sal Van Hoyden

            Robert Benchley as Narrator

            Hillary Brooke as Kate

            Douglas Dumbrille as Ace Larson

            Jack LaRue as Le Bec

            Nestor Paiva as McGurk

            George Anderson as Townsman

            Stanley Andrews as Official at boat

            Bobby Barber as Bartender

            Robert H. Barrat as Sperry

            William Benedict as Newsboy

            Al Bridge as Boat captain

            Romaine Callender as Top Hat

            Larry Daniels as Ringleader

            Edgar Dearing as Official

            Jimmie Dundee as Ringleader of henchmen

            Edward Emerson as Master of Ceremonies

            Al Ferguson as Policeman

            Art Foster as Husky Sailor

            Donald Gallagher as Man at Zambini's

            Charles Gemora as Bear

            Brandon Hurst as Man at Zambini's

            Ethan Laidlaw as Saloon extra

            Arthur Loft as Purser

            James Lono as Eskimo

            George McKay as Waiter

            Frank Moran as Bartender

            Ferdinand Munier as Santa Claus

            Paul Newlan as Tough ship's purser

            Allen Pomeroy as Henchman

            Jack Rutherford as Man

            Lee Shumway as Cop

            Jim Thorpe as Passenger

            Pat West as Bartender

            Charles C. Wilson as Official Cop

            Will Wright as Mr. Latimer

            Maxine Fife as Girl

            Claire James as Girl

            Jack Stoney as Henchman

            Ronnie Rondell as Hotel Manager
See full cast