The Paleface (1948)

100% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
64% of users liked it
(2,550 ratings)

Bob Hope's Technicolor western spoof The Paleface was one of the comedian's biggest box-office hits. Hope plays Painless Potter, a hopelessly inept dentist who heads west to seek his fortune. Meanwhile, buxom female outlaw Calamity Jane (Jane Russell) is engaged in undercover work on behalf of the… More Bob Hope's Technicolor western spoof The Paleface was one of the comedian's biggest box-office hits. Hope plays Painless Potter, a hopelessly inept dentist who heads west to seek his fortune. Meanwhile, buxom female outlaw Calamity Jane (Jane Russell) is engaged in undercover work on behalf of the government, in the hopes of earning a pardon for her past crimes. Jane is on the lookout for notorious gun-runner Robert Armstrong. To put up an innocent front, Jane marries the befuddled Potter, then keeps the criminals at bay by convincing everyone that Potter is a rootin'-tootin' gunslinger (actually, it's Jane who's been doing all the shooting). Armstrong, who has been selling guns to the Indians, arranges for Jane to be captured by the scalp-hungry tribesmen, but Potter comes to the rescue. Somewhere along the way, Bob Hope and Jane Russell get to sing the Oscar-winning Jay Livingston/Ray Evans tune "Buttons and Bows". There are many hilarious moments in The Paleface, but screenwriter Frank Tashlin felt that director Norman Z. McLeod failed to get the full comic value out of his material. To prove his point, Tashlin directed the side-splitting sequel, Son of Paleface (1952), which once more teamed Hope and Russell. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Norman Z. McLeod
Genres: Western, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 24, 1948 Wide
On DVD: Mar 5, 2002

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The plot is slender and silly, but Bob Hope and Jane Russell have some good moments in a comedy that was very popualar and led to an equally popular sequel.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Funny Hope western farce, but inferior to its sequel "Son of Paleface."
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Hope at his peak; Russell in top form; a winner.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
This Technicolor western spoof is probably Bob Hope's finest film role.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Hope at his best, but he went it one better with SON OF PALEFACE

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Featured Audience Ratings

Barry L

Alright I know I know but you just have to love theses schmooltsy wannabe westerns.....The singing was great and Russell was a seriously gorgeous laydee....

Cast

            Bob Hope as Painless Peter Potter

            Jane Russell as Calamity Jane

            Robert Armstrong as Terris

            Iris Adrian as Pepper

            Robert "Bobby" Watson as Toby Preston

            Jackie Searl as Jasper Martin

            Joseph Vitale as Indian Scout

            Charles Trowbridge as Gov.Johnson

            Clem Bevans as Hank Billings

            Jeff York as Big Joe

            Stanley Andrews as Commissioner Emerson

            Wade Crosby as Jeb

            Iron Eyes Cody as Chief Iron Eyes

            John Maxwell as Village Gossip

            Tom Kennedy as Bartender

            Henry Brandon as Wapato Medicine Man

            Francis McDonald as Lance

            Frank S. Hagney as Greg

            Skelton Knaggs as Pete

            Olin Howland as Undertaker

            George Chandler as First Patient

            Nestor Paiva as Patient

            Eric Alden as Bob

            Carl Andre
            
            Trevor Bardette
            
            Oliver Blake as Spectator

            Stanley Blystone as Spectator

            Al Bridge as Horseman

            Paul E. Burns as Justice of the Peace

            Lane Chandler as Tough-Looking Galoot

            Charles Cooley as Mr X

            Edgar Dearing as Sheriff

            Dick Elliott as Mayor

            Billy Engle
            
            Margaret Field
            
            Jo Gilbert as Woman in Bath House

            Dorothy Granger as Bath House Attendant

            Harry Harvey as Justice of the Peace

            Al Hill as Pioneer

            Earl Hodgins as Clem

            Bob Kortman as Spectator

            Ethan Laidlaw as Henchman

            Babe London as Woman on Wagon Train

            Ted Mapes
            
            Kermit Maynard as Horseman

            Sharon McManus as Girl

            John Miller as Bellhop

            Sid Saylor as Cowboy

            Arthur Space as Zach

            Houseley Stevenson Sr.
            
            Maria Tavares
            
            Loyal Underwood as Bearded Character

            Duke York
            
            Chief Yowlachie as Chief Yellow Feather

            Hall Bartlett as Handsome Cowboy

            Charmienne Harker
            
            Marilyn Gladstone
            
            June Glory as B-Girl

            Betty Hannon
            
See full cast