GamerTab That was an excellent one.

StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Stephen Abell Now, this is how comedies should be made. If you want to make me laugh then this is a great place to start. One: A witty and well-written script (even though the concept might be a bit ridiculous). One-liners, sharp comebacks, and great punchlines. Situation comedy. Slapstick. Even facial ticks, playing to the camera and the audience - this is great as it breaks that fourth wall and brings the audience into the film and story more. Bob Hope is a master at making people feel comfortable, happy, and like one of his friends. Most people relate to him, if not to the character he's playing.This is the story of Sylvester The Great (Hope). An actor who is about to pursue his greatest role to date... that of a hero... though an unwilling - and sometimes cowardly - one at that. Princess Margaret (Mayo) is eloping to marry her one true love and not the arranged one her father has in mind. Though her father doesn't know of her plans, Captain Barrett "The Hook" (McLaglen) does. Along with his band of pirates, he plans to kidnap the Princess for a King's ransom... except, he's not planned for Sylvester...Bob Hope is brilliant, as usual, in the role of Sylvester and gives his customary top-notch performance. Though quite a few may say that his characters vary very little in his career, I would have to agree with them. However, he also gives a hundred percent in those roles. If you look at some comedians today, they do the same, but because their repertoire doesn't have as much scope they can become boring and tired pretty quickly. Whereas, Hope's joyful exuberance appears fresh with every film.It also helps that the rest of the cast is also top-notch. Virginia Mayo is as sprite and bubbly as Hope in her role and helps to make them into a lovable duo. Though it's both McLaglen and Walter Slezak, who plays La Roche, that add the "Straight" roles for Hope and Mayo to play off of. Both of these actors are brilliant as the bad guy's. McLaglen has both the physique and the face to pull off the fearful Pirate, he's also not too bad at humour; the fake mirror sequence is brilliantly pulled off. Slezack, as usual, has the air of a cunning fox about him; a man you just wouldn't trust. These two characters add the depth to the story and make the shade to the light of Hope and Mayo.Another great thing is the direction. Though there's nothing too original in differing camera shots, there are a couple of interesting angles. It's the pace of the movie which helps to keep the viewer's attention and build on their interest. The pace is as fast as the gags in the script. There was only one hiccup and that was in the Bucket of Blood Inn. The scene where Sylvester and the Princess do their routine is a little ineffective. I can understand why it's in the story, though in the context of the film this is the slowest section and feels awkward. Though I can forgive this because of the excellent beer swilling scene (who says we have a drinking problem today...). And even though the end punchline of a sight gag is telegraphed right at the start of the movie it's still funny... the secret of great comedy is...I would recommend this film to everybody who wants a good laugh and is sick and tired of the puerile and immature comedy around today. This should brighten your day quite well....Timing!!!

Spikeopath The Princess and the Pirate is directed by David Butler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn and Don Hartman. It stars Bob Hope, Virginia Mayo, Walter Slezak, Walter Brennan and Victor McLaglen. Filmed in Technicolor, it sees Victor Milner and William E. Snyder on cinematography and the music is scored by David Rose. Story sees Hope as failing stage performer Sylvester Crosby, who whilst fleeing his bad reviews in Europe, gets involved in piracy, treasure maps and the safe keeping of a runaway princess (Mayo). With the feared pirate known as The Hook (McLaglen) after their gizzards, lawlessness, peril and high jinks will no doubt follow.Samuel Goldwyn wanted, and got, big things for The Princess and the Pirate. Marking it out for booming Technicolor was one thing, getting Bob Hope to star was another. Having loaned out Billy Wilder and Gary Cooper to Paramount, Goldwyn was able to call on the services of Hope for two movies. Having used him the previous year in They Got Me Covered (where Dorothy Lamour co-starred), this was the final part of that deal. Also of note is that co-producer Don Hartman was part of the writing team, because having co-written Hope and Crosby movie Road to Morocco (1942), this picture is structured very similar to the style of that successful Hope & Crosby series of film's. Suffice to say that fans of the "Road To" movies are more than likely to enjoy this one too.Hope had such a long career in film it often gets forgotten that he has some great movies outside of those "Road To" film's. Sure there were some duffers, but for a Bob Hope fan there are many treasures lurking within his considerable output. Treasures mostly found when he was doing period comedy, such as in the likes of The Paleface, Monsieur Beaucaire , and here with this exuberant pirate adventure. It's one of his best film's, but not just because of he himself. Sure he's at the top of his game, be it hopelessly using humour to try and court the radiant Miss Mayo, or quipping away in cowardly fashion when faced by the villains, he thrives on vocal delivery and mugging towards the camera, but he is helped enormously by the splendid people opposite him.Mayo is made for Technicolor, and in what is one of her early starring roles, more than holds her own in amongst all the boys. Brennan is wonderfully cackling like, infectious and plays off of Hope's rapid-fire approach with great success, while Slezak neatly underplays it for maximum sly villainy. But it's McLaglen who is the real comedy bonus here. Full of pirate bluster and hook handed menace, he appears to be having a great time and it rounds out the comedic chaos nicely. Having a considerable budget of just under $3 million (a lot for a comedy movie at the time), it's disappointing that the film doesn't boast sweeping location work, but the sets are smart and the costuming is visually appealing. While David Rose's Oscar nominated score is suitably high-seas influenced.Plenty of action, buffoonery and even a little song, it's a film for all the family to enjoy. A film that even today finds Hope's jokes still effective and never in danger of getting old. Tickle yee gizzards indeed. 7.5/10

MartinHafer Bob Hope plays a bad performer who is looking for a job in the New World. On the way there, the boat he's on is attacked by pirates and taken. Their prize is a runaway princess (Virginia Mayo). Although a thorough coward, Bob musters up the courage to help her escape. Now a pirate (Victor McLaglen) and corrupt governor (Walter Slezak) are out to find the girl and kill Hope. Can the pair manage to escape and avoid a horrid fate? Well, perhaps with the help of a crazy old coot (Walter Brennan) they can find a way.I am a history teacher and seeing a movie with me can either be informative or annoying depending on your perspective. When I see films that are historically inaccurate, I tend to grumble and complain. When I see films that are completely ridiculous historically, I tend to REALLY complain and annoying people around me! As for "The Princess and the Pirate" I did NOT expect the film to be like a PBS documentary, but the film seems to bear absolutely no semblance to any pirates I ever read about and was a really silly little trifle. So, if you are historically-minded, DON'T watch this film--it will drive you crazy.Now, if you can look past the historical inaccuracies and anachronisms, is the film worth seeing? Well,...maybe. If you adore Bob Hope and love anything he's in, then of course you should see the film. If you are looking for a comedy, well, this film suffers from one minor problem...it's not funny. It IS full of pretty costumes and very bright and garish colors but funny it ain't. Instead, it's as if they simply brought out the costumes and told Hope to 'just wing it'--doing his typical stand-up act filled with hit and miss (mostly miss) quips. And, as for Brennan, they told him to cackle insanely throughout the course of the film.By the way, get a load of Slezak's skin-head wig. It's pretty bad...and in keeping with the rest of the film. And, after looking at the rest of the reviews I am apparently in the distinct minority and consider this to be among Hope's worst films...though it is pretty (when the DVD print is in focus--which was a problem now and again).

bkoganbing The Princess and the Pirate finds Virginia Mayo taken prisoner by the infamous pirate the Hook played by Victor McLaglen. She's a princess who's run away to marry a commoner, a reverse on what had happened in the United Kingdom a few years back. Unfortunately the only help she can find is a ham actor who's running away from bad notices and bill collectors and he's none other than Bob Hope.Hope did two films for Samuel Goldwyn and Goldwyn paid dear to Paramount for his services. Right after this film, success though it was, the price for Hope's services convinced Goldwyn he'd better sign a comedy star of his own as he had in the Thirties with Eddie Cantor. That was why Danny Kaye was brought over from New York to start his Hollywood career in Goldwyn's next film.But The Princess and the Pirate turned out to be one of the biggest successes for both Sam Goldwyn and Bob Hope. Hope is really at the top of his game in this one. Virginia Mayo makes a perfect foil for Hope, it's a pity she didn't do more films with him. Walter Brennan plays an addled old pirate who's not quite as dumb as he lets everyone think he is and he and McLaglen compete with Hope for laughs.The only one who looks like he's enjoying himself, but playing it very straight is crooked island governor Walter Slezak. He's got a working arrangement with McLaglen, but the two of them aren't above a little double cross.Of course this is a Bob Hope movie and Hope manages to blunder his way through to survival. But as we learn he loses Mayo right at the end to a visiting bit player from Paramount. Hope did make good on his word, he never did do another film for Goldwyn again. I guess he wanted to go out on a high note and The Princess and the Pirate is as high a comic note as Bob Hope ever struck in any of his films. Not to be missed by his legion of fans.