Rating: Summary: Ghost of a Good Time Review: I bought this movie because I love "Ghostbusters," "Ghost," and any other movie with a genuine ghost theme that's not meant to terrify but to entertain and challenge our belief in the ghostly world. I had heretofore not seen a Bob Hope movie--only knew he was a great entertainer. He is such in this--his quip re Democrats is hysterical! He's youthful and vital and warm and funny in this always entertaining and sometimes just-scarey-enough movie. Paulette Goddard holds her own with Hope and is gorgeous, coming close to the 1940s pin-up girls in her slip-dress scene at the hotel, wearing a necklace with pendant that should be reintroduced by some jewelery designer! "Isn't it exciting!" she glows as she flings open the hotel window to the thunderstorm that starts Lawrence Lawrence's (his parents had no imagination) and her exciting, scarey, and funny ghostbreaking vacation to discover if the ghosts in her recently inherited haunted mansion really are the bad guys! (It took me several viewings to sort out all the bad guys!) Bonus: A young, handsome and passionate Anthony Quinn has a small and interesting part! This humorous mystery movie will have you believing in zombies and ghosts, and have you sailing on an evening cruise ship loaded with steamer trunks headed for a tropical vacation to--Cuba! Only in the movies!!!
Rating: Summary: Ghost Breakers Review: I can say no more than has already been said by the other reviewers on this page. However, I'm an old Bob Hope fan from way back, and I wanted to interest my family in purchasing this film. To my surprise, my family said they found it too slow moving. So used to fast-paced action films, they could not appreciate the "build up" to the climax, nor Hope's hopelessly funny and glib lines. But to my even greater amazement, when one night we were left all alone at home, my 10-year old pulled this beauty out of our collection and we both enjoyed it together! Bob Hope will never be out of style.
Rating: Summary: Don't politicize this movie -- enjoy it!! Review: I'm not a Bob Hope fan at all, but this really is a good horror/comedy. The funny bits are funny, and the spooky ones are truly spooky, and I remembered much of it quite well from seeing it several times as a kid. Of course, Willie Best's role as Hope's 'colored' manservant is stereotypical, but it's also the best performance in the movie! As one reviewer says below, Best steals the show. Objections to racial norms of the 40's -- the use of the word 'colored,' the man/servant relationship -- based on 21st century "progressive" understandings of such things are silly exercises in anachronism, akin to faulting 19th century authors for not using so-called "gender-inclusive" language. Forget the political correctness -- just watch this movie and enjoy it!!
Rating: Summary: Good Early Hope Film! Review: I've seen over half of the Bob Hope films, And this film Ghost Breakers is one of his early comedy films. He's very good on this film and never runs out of one liners! The black boy Willie is also good as his partner, and fits in very good with Hope's jokes, often replying with some of his own. I love the film but to me Paulette is very weak in this VHS and gladly was not on his other films. Then ending is very abrupt and does not complete the film as I thought they would. Also Anthony Quinn is very young here!! My favorite part is when Hope and Paulette are dancing in her room on board the ship and Bob Hope is giving his lines with hilarious ease!! My last word is, buy it for the collection.
Rating: Summary: Paulette, Bob, Willie, Spook fest & fun galore!! Review: If you like a little comedy, if you like it a little spooky, if you like some good lines, if you like atmosphere, if you like Paulette, if you like a ghost and a zombie and a great film, get this one as it has it all. Bob Hope plays a guy who thinks he killed someone and goes on a boat to Cuba with Paulette Goddard whose character inherits a spooky castle, ghosts and treasure. Enjoy!!! This DVD is excellent and well worth the money. I already have the vhs version too but love this film so much I wanted to buy the DVD. ... This is a great film.
Rating: Summary: WISH HOPE HAD DONE MORE LIKE THIS Review: It's just a great movie. Surprising because I'm not usually a Hope movie fan. That's no put down, his humor just isn't the humor I enjoy. We're all different. But this movie is GREAT. From the start it's great. Willie Best STEALS the movie and haves me doubling over. ("Iz that Yu Zombie?) His acting and facial expressions are great. Hope really plays the straight man more or less on this one. Paulette Goddard is beautiful as ever.
Rating: Summary: ONE OF BOB AND PAULETTE'S BEST Review: Mr. Hope plays Larry Lawerence a radio announcer who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone's been shot and he thinks he's did it. Why? See the movie! Anyway, he stumbles across Mary Carter (played by Paulette Goddard) a beautiful brunette who has just inherited a castle in Cuba. Only thing is, the castle is reputed to be HAUNTED (did lightning flash when you read haunted? ) oh well. For some reason, a lot of people don't want Miss Carter to go to the castle, and someone has offered her a large sum of money for the place. But why? What is so special about an old castle? And why doesn't anyone want Miss Carter to have the place? SEE THE MOVIE!!! Larry and Miss Carter end up going to Cuba together to visit the historic castle. Part of what they find is ghosts and zombies. But what else lurks in the halls of this darkened castle? SEE THE MOVIE DARN IT!!! This movie is filled with action, suspense, horror, drama, and comedy, all rolled into one !!! Anthony Quinn has a small role in the film, and I just love the character named Alex. He adds a unique flavor to the movie. I just wish I could own a suit like Hope wears in this fun film. It's perfect for Halloween, and it's minus four letter words (of the bad kind). Of course, I'm partial to spooky/comedy movies anyway (they're one of my favorites). The lines of this film are delightfully written. Republicans will just love the question/remark Larry makes about democrats. The person who wrote the script is a master, plain and simple. All the sarcastic remarks and other wisecracks were the work of a genius. Everyone involved did superbly (did I spell that right?). In one part, Larry says to Alex, "we aren't going to get hurt unless we find the secret of this place" to which Alex asks "well why do we keep looking". Larry then responds with "it is sort of ridiculous isn't it?" Comical lines like that are found throughout the movie. This is a movie the whole family can watch and enjoy. I know I did.
Rating: Summary: The Ghost Breakers Review: One of Bob Hope's best pictures. His third with Paulette Goddard and they both are excellant in all of them. Bear in mind that attitudes towards African Americans were different in 1940 than they are now and Willy Best as Hope's "Old family detainer" is excellant. He has a great segment on a pier with a drunk that is very funny and transcends racial barriers especially for the time. This movie is well worth watching time and time again.
Rating: Summary: Ghost Breakers Review: Paulette Goddard inherits a haunted castle in Cuba and radio columnist Bob Hope suddenly needs to get of town quick. Mix in a steamer trunk with air holes and you're already halfway through act one of THE GHOST BREAKERS.
THE GHOST BREAKERS looks good, and benefits greatly from the chemistry between Goddard and Hope, but isn't nearly as funny as it could have been. The thrills come from the underwritten Cuba diplomat character played by Paul Lukas, who apparently doesn't want Goddard to enter into her inheritance and will do anything necessary to prevent it. The chills come when we finally arrive at the castle, an hour into this hour and twenty minute movie, and finally get to see our heroes chased by zombies and ghosts. Before we get to the castle, most of the laughs come from Bob Hope, who must have had his gag writers doctoring the script - his lines have a lot more zing than the others.
Fans of Bob Hope and his type of comedy should enjoy this one quite a bit. The rest of us will at least find it pleasantly diverting.
Extras - There's a short documentary - "Bob Hope and the USO", and a couple from-the-vaults shorties. "Strictly GI - Command Performance" is a filmed episode of a Hope hosted "Command Performance" radio program; a WWII program that took any and all GI requests (i.e.: I want to hear Lana Turner fry a porterhouse steak) and made it happen. "Hollywood Victory Caravan" is a war bond short featuring Hope and Barbara Stanwyck and a great Andrews Sister-ish song & dance routine featuring Betty Hutton and a pair of unidentified cuties.
Rating: Summary: Solid DVD transfer and fun packed extras Review: Solid dvd transfer does justice to Bob Hope/Paulette Goddard romp. While not flawless (at times the print is speckled and the elements were not restored), this dvd transfer is sharper, glossier and more satisfying than any previous home version of THE GHOST BREAKERS available. The dvd is packaged with a lot of fun extras that add to the disc's collectibilty. These consist of the film's theatrical trailer (one of the best I've seen from that era, by the way) a behind the scenes mini feature about Bob Hope entertaining the troops, and a collection of vintage Bob Hope short subjects. My ONLY complaint is that they saw fit to cut Judy Garland singing OVER THE RAINBOW from "COMMAND PERFORMANCE 1944"--I think if you are going to include the short at all, it should be in its entirety. This is a very minor quibble, though. All in all, a wonderfully presented dvd package!!
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