My Favorite Brunette – starring Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr.
Movie review of one of Bob Hope‘s finest solo comedies, My Favorite Brunette. He plays a baby photographer who longs to be a private eye. And he’s inadvertently given the opportunity when a beautiful brunette (Dorothy Lamour) mistakes him for one. This leads him into a web of danger, deceit, and murder with spies (including Peter Lorre in a delicious performance). A very good, funny romantic movie, of that type that sadly isn’t made any more.
The movie begins with Bob Hope (playing the role of Ronnie Jackson) behind bars. He tells his story to a collection of journalists shortly before he’s due to be executed. In flashbacks, Bob Hope tells the story of how, as a successful baby photography he has always wanted to be a brave private eye. And he gets his chance to play the part when his office neighbor, a real private eye, will be away for a few days and asks him to watch his office while he’s gone. The beautiful and talented Dorothy Lamour (playing the role of Carlotta Montay) enters — the Favorite Brunette of the title. She mistakes him for a private detective, and he soon is on the case, looking for her kidnapped uncle.
Playing detective
This leads him into a world of intrigue, involving a group of spies trying to get control over a uranium mine. Peter Lorre absolutely shines as the enforcer for the spies, coming across as truly menacing, and wonderful to watch. Another wonderful performance by Lon Chaney Jr., best known for his role as the Wolf man in the Universal series of movies. Here, he plays a very large, very strong, mentally retarded man (although that term isn’t used in the film), who’s initially used by the spies, but who helps out Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. The movie is filled with twists and turns, and works on several levels. As a romantic comedy, as film noir, and as a laugh-out-loud comedy starring one of the funniest comedians to ever grace the screen. My Favorite Brunette is one of Bob Hope’s best movies and is highly recommended.
Cast of characters
- Bob Hope (The Paleface) … Ronnie Jackson
- Dorothy Lamour (Road to Morocco) … Carlotta Montay
- Peter Lorre (M) … Kismet
- Lon Chaney Jr. (Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein) … Willie(as Lon Chaney)
- John Hoyt (Attack of the Puppet People) … Dr. Lundau
- Charles Dingle (Never Wave at a WAC) … Maj. Simon Montague
- Reginald Denny (Cat Ballou) … James Collins
- Frank Puglia (The Boogie Man Will Get You) … Baron Montay
- Ann Doran (His Girl Friday) … Miss Rogers
- Willard Robertson (The Monster and the Girl) … Prison Warden
- Jack La Rue (Robin And The 7 Hoods) … Tony
- Charles Arnt (Christmas in Connecticut) … Crawford
Additional cast
- Anthony Caruso … First Man on Death Row(uncredited)
- Jack Chefe … Henri – Head Waiter(uncredited)
- Jack Rube Clifford (The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case) … Prison Guard Captain(uncredited)
- Charles Cooley … Waiter(uncredited)
- Bing Crosby (White Christmas) … Harry(uncredited)
- Boyd Davis …
- Mr. Dawson(uncredited)
- Tom Dillon (Going My Way) … Cop(uncredited)
- Mike Donovan … Kelly – Police Detective(uncredited)
- Helena Phillips Evans … Mabel(uncredited)
- Betty Farrington … Matron(uncredited)
- Budd Fine … Detective(uncredited)
- James Flavin (Blondie: Footlight Glamour) … Det. Lt. ‘Mac’ Hennessey(uncredited)
- Al Hill … State Trooper(uncredited)
- Roland Soo Hoo … Baby Fong(uncredited)
- Brandon Hurst … Butler(uncredited)
- Betty Hutton (Annie Get Your Gun) … Betty Hutton – Singing ‘Murder, He Says'(archive sound) (uncredited)
- Eddie Johnson … Caddy(uncredited)
- Richard Keene (Big Town After Dark) … Reporter(uncredited)
- Alan Ladd (Star Spangled Rhythm) …Sam McCloud(uncredited)
- George Lloyd … George – Prison Guard Sergeant(uncredited)
- Matt McHugh … Third Man on Death Row(uncredited)
- Clarence Muse … Second Man on Death Row(uncredited)
- Garry Owen … Reporter(uncredited)
- James Pierce … Detective(uncredited)
- Theodore Rand … Waiter Captain(uncredited)
- Joe Recht … Newsboy(uncredited)
- Reginald Simpson … Assistant Hotel Manager(uncredited)
- Brick Sullivan (The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) … Policeman Leaving Stationhouse(uncredited)
- Ray Teal … State Trooper Sergeant(uncredited)
- Harland Tucker … Room Clerk(uncredited)
- John Tyrrell (Three Smart Saps) … Bell Captain(uncredited)
- John Westley … Doctor(uncredited)
- Jean Wong … Mrs. Fong(uncredited)
Editorial review of My Favorite Brunette – starring Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney jr., courtesy of Amazon.com
Ronnie Jackson is your average happy-go-lucky photographer. Naturally, Ronnie doesn’t even think twice when he happily volunteers to take care of his neighbor’s private-eye office. That is until a beautiful brunette walks into his office begging Ronnie to find her missing husband. Soon Ronnie finds himself on a wild goose chase that leads to murder.
