Where There’s Life …There’s Hope (1947)

Bob Hope is not illegitimate, he is simply the secret son of the king of Barovia, one of those imaginary European kingdoms, which is in the process of running its first election ever.

The thrilling story is vaguely reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s The Mad King, though I suspect this sort of storyline is something which was once terribly popular but has fallen a bit out of favor, despite the Coming To America films dabbling in the theme.

An assassination attempt leaves the king’s life hanging from a thread and King’s agents must go to America and get Hope, who is a late night D.J. and who is also unaware of his royal blood.

In the meantime, the secret organization of hooded assassins have figure out his existence and are also after him.

The rest of the story is strictly set in America as the two groups struggle to hold and transport him or assassinate him.

This is the classic Bop Hope period without Crosby where he is already established as being cowardly (which makes him funnier than being heroic.)

While Hope is engaged to be married, he certainly does not mind chasing and even catching other females, which is odd in my eyes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with his fiancé and were he to leave her for another woman due to no fault of her own seems awfully unfair.

With Signe Hasso, William Bendix, George Coulouris, Vera Marshe & George Zucco.

Very funny stuff.