Paleface, The (1948)
Director: Norman Z. McLeod
Starring: Bob Hope, Jane Russell
Honors:
#87 on AFI’s Top Songs (“Buttons and Bows”)
Bob Hope, one of America’s most beloved funny men, turns the
western into a joke in 1948’s Paramount feature The Paleface. Complete with bar room brawls, gun fighting in the
middle of dusty streets, and plenty of the genre’s favorite politically
incorrect race of peoples, this film had all the ingredients a true western of
the period calls for, just thrown completely awry by a comedian who mocks the
genre. Directed by the studio’s leading comedy director in Norman Z. McLeod and
co-starring the famed buxom beauty of the big screen Jane Russell as a fictionalized
version of the famed female gunslinger, Calamity Jane, this picture was comedic
gift to audiences when it premiered on Christmas Eve. Beyond its humor, the
film’s lasting legacy is found in the Oscar winning original song that later
audiences may not be familiar with, but helped build up Bob Hope as a
successful crooner on top of his comedic talents.
The Paleface is a
comedy western of an inept dentist who is coaxed to believe he is a slick
shooting cowboy that must rescue wife from cruel Indians. The famed female
frontierswoman Calamity Jane (Russell) reluctantly agrees to recruitment by
government agents to infiltrate a secret ring of smugglers that are supplying
Indians with weapons. To do so Jane poses as humble wife of a clueless and inept
dentist “Painless” Pete Potter on a wagon train the smuggles are secretly
traveling in. With hidden actions Jane makes the hapless Potter appear to be be
a frontier hero to the wagon train, and the target of suspicion for the
smugglers, headed by named Terris (Robert Armstrong), masking Jane’s identity
and mission. Of course things do not go as planned as both Potter and Jane are
captured by the smugglers and taken to the dangerous Indians for execution.
With what little cunning Potter has, as well as a lot of dumb luck, “Painless”
saves the day and Jane, who during their adventure actually has falls in love
with him.
This Bob Hope comedy is little more than a silly adventure
that satirizes the western providing audiences with quick quips, running gags,
and outrageous scenarios all built for the sake of laughs. With nothing to be
taken serious, this film takes its jabs at the genre, supplying us with all the
clichés mixed in with the popular humor that Bob Hope was known to deliver. As
a spoof of the Paramount western The
Virginian (1946), The Paleface
even with all of the Hope comedy removed would stand well as a solid B-movie
western for its day. Filmed in Technicolor, the picture may not have grand vistas
of the more lavish westerns of the period, but it does use the same quality sets
that other westerns used, taking enough care to make this comedy western look
good, while still being overall goofy. The addition of Jane Russell no doubt
was a big plus for audience appeal for its day as well.
Here we see Bob Hope during his peak years in the entertainment
industry at age 45 while he was established as one of the funniest men in all
of show business. At this point in his career Hope was taking an extended break
from his successful run of Road to…
films with Bing Crosby to film stand along features. His stardom was
accentuated as a centerpiece of the industry as the long time host to Hollywood’s
greatest ceremony at the Academy Awards. He was a comedic fixture that immediately
brought legitimacy to any comedy feature which Paramount was very keen at
taking advantage of to pad their pockets. A veteran of motion picture spoofs of
various pictures, genres, and styles, this was a common formula for Hope to
find comedy in. For The Paleface it
was turn for the western, a very popular canvas for physical comedy and cliché
driven humor.
Here Hope is teamed up with Jane Russell on loan to
Paramount by Howard Hughes who made her into a star in 1943’s The Outlaw. In Bob Hope’s words Jane
Russell was known form two things, a jab at her well known bust as a massive
appeal for male audiences, and Paramount used her appeal to their advantage.
Despite her somewhat early failed attempts as branching out into a singing
career Russell was lent out here to essentially being what Dorothy Lamour was
in the Road to… features, but with
much less talent. Here Russell is actually dressed modestly, covered in heavy,
yet shapely costumes that did draw attention to be popular figure. However, in
her Calamity Jane outfit she does look to be dressed like a woman dressed up as
a six year-old girl in a buck skin cowgirl outfit and hat complete with chin
strap that lets you know the era in which the film was made. As an actress
Russell has very little to add to the picture. For most of her performance she
appears bored with her “serious” looks come off as forced. Despite her physical
appeal, she adds very little to this Bob Hope vehicle other than being the
woman of the feature.
Not much can be said about the supporting cast as it was
filled with character actors that simply filled in common roles that purposely never
come close to out staging Hope. Former child actor Jackie Searl appears as the mastermind
of the smuggling ring, while future Disney actor Jeff York portrays an
ill-tempered gunfighter that challenges Bob Hope during his state of delusion as
a true cowboy. Long time character actor Clem Bevans is featured as an associate
of Calamity Jane’s, and long time celebrated Native American actor Iron Eyes
Cody portrays an Indian chief during the film’s climax. Perhaps the most
notable of the supporting cast would be Robert Armstrong, which you would know
best for starring in the 1933 classic King
Kong. Here as Terris, the leader of the smugglers on the wagon train,
Armstrong is not given much to say or do, so he just tends to blend in as a
general bad guy. You might consider this a compliment as with little to say he
does not stand out with his uniquely forced way of delivering lines, which
appears subdued in this film.
Overall the picture is fun and entertaining, supplying
decent laughs, but nothing that would have grabbing at your sides. Audience and
critics alike generally praised the feature as the film brought in over $2.5
million in domestic profits, a very strong showing for a comedy. The picture
featured Bob Hope regaling Jane Russell with the song “Buttons and Bows” that
would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Song for 1948. Not necessarily
known for singing Hope’s delivery of the song was enjoyed well enough to base
part of the publicity of the picture around it. In 2004 the AFI would honor the
now little known tune as one of its top 100 songs in American feature film
history. These honors manifested how Hope was somewhat of a crooner, not on the
levels of Crosby or Sinatra, but as an entertainer with enough skill to carry a
tune, a light love song at that, with great success.
The Paleface was
such a well like movie that it warranted a follow up. The feature Son of Paleface was less a sequel and
more a reunion of the stars from The
Paleface. In it Hope portrays “Junior” the son of Potter and Jane as he
attempts to claim his family’s fortune, while Russell plays an attractive saloon
girl who catches Junior’s eye. The film
would also feature Roy Rogers as an added attraction, but the film would not
bring in near the same numbers as the original Hope/Russell feature.
Today Bob Hope is not known for his films, with exception of
the Road to… pictures as a
collection, which makes features like The
Paleface tend to be swallowed into the background of is career. The picture
is enjoyable, but not outstanding; good for some giggles, but not for a good
belly laugh. It lives as a strong example of the star power of him during his
long height at the top of the entertainment world. Bob Hope was on a level all
his own. He was a clean act that played with hints of risqué that made him a
clever entertainer to watch with great interest. The Paleface is fun watch as an example of his comedy and the way
he could carry a co-star through a movie with his own performance.
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