FYI, I was reading Hope's wiki bio and saw this curiosity and it's on Youtube to watch. It's not that bad, the reviewer commenting on Hope's joke about Dillinger watching it should bear in mind that Bob was making a joke and talked that way about a lot of his material, I mean 50% of his material is putting himself down. I have seen worse stuff from Hope, some of those full length big budget films of his from the 60's were BAD! The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell? Yeah, there you go. And at a scant 19 minutes it's tolerable especially if you are an old film fan like me. I think the 5.7 rating applies well to this Hope short, worth watching for all Hope fans.
8 Reviews
"When they catch Dillinger..."
F Gwynplaine MacIntyre8 March 2007
'Going Spanish' is Bob Hope's film debut, and (as reviewer Snow Leopard astutely observes) is notable ONLY for that reason: this low-budget short just isn't funny. Some vaguely Latin American music is performed, but this too is negligible. Arguably, it's also notable that this film was produced by Al Christie. In silent-film days, Christie was the poor man's Mack Sennett; he ground out cheapo comedy shorts and had a total disregard for his actors' safety. (At least one silent-film performer is known to have died of injuries caused by working in a Christie movie; I wouldn't be surprised if there were more.) Bob Hope, eager to break into films, signed a multi-picture contract with Christie but (for reasons which I'll reveal) this was the only film they made together. A minor footnote worth mentioning is that Hope filmed this movie at Paramount's studio in Astoria, NY; the one mentioned in 'King Kong', and the same place where the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields made some of their early films.
The film's title would more accurately be 'Going South American'. Our Bob, playing his usual brash character, passes through the South American village of Los Pochos ('poachos') Eggos. That name is the best gag in the picture. The Pochos Eggosians have a quaint tradition: namely, that -- on one day each year -- any crime is forgiven provided that the malefactor sings a song afterward. (This premise doesn't bear examination.) Of course, Bob just happens to show up on the appropriate day.
Now, here's a funnier joke than anything in this movie, and it's also a true story. Just after 'Going Spanish' was released, Bob Hope ran into a nightclub columnist in Manhattan. Hope was eager to get his name into the columnist's newspaper, and he knew he'd have a better chance of this if he gave the columnist something funny to print. The bank robber John Dillinger was in the headlines at the time, still at large. So, Hope told the columnist that he was starring in 'Going Spanish', then added: 'When they catch Dillinger, they're going to make him sit through it twice.'
That joke duly made it into the newspaper column ... where Al Christie read it. He angrily terminated Hope's contract. This turned out to be good for Hope, who promptly signed with Warners and made some much funnier comedy shorts at their Vitaphone studio in Brooklyn. It's faintly ironic that Hope's eventual movie success was ultimately with Paramount, the studio which owned the facilities where he made 'Going Spanish'. I'll give the unfunny 'Going Spanish' precisely one point out of 10, for its historic significance. Nice try, Bob.
The film's title would more accurately be 'Going South American'. Our Bob, playing his usual brash character, passes through the South American village of Los Pochos ('poachos') Eggos. That name is the best gag in the picture. The Pochos Eggosians have a quaint tradition: namely, that -- on one day each year -- any crime is forgiven provided that the malefactor sings a song afterward. (This premise doesn't bear examination.) Of course, Bob just happens to show up on the appropriate day.
Now, here's a funnier joke than anything in this movie, and it's also a true story. Just after 'Going Spanish' was released, Bob Hope ran into a nightclub columnist in Manhattan. Hope was eager to get his name into the columnist's newspaper, and he knew he'd have a better chance of this if he gave the columnist something funny to print. The bank robber John Dillinger was in the headlines at the time, still at large. So, Hope told the columnist that he was starring in 'Going Spanish', then added: 'When they catch Dillinger, they're going to make him sit through it twice.'
That joke duly made it into the newspaper column ... where Al Christie read it. He angrily terminated Hope's contract. This turned out to be good for Hope, who promptly signed with Warners and made some much funnier comedy shorts at their Vitaphone studio in Brooklyn. It's faintly ironic that Hope's eventual movie success was ultimately with Paramount, the studio which owned the facilities where he made 'Going Spanish'. I'll give the unfunny 'Going Spanish' precisely one point out of 10, for its historic significance. Nice try, Bob.
Bland Comedy Of Historical Interest Only
Snow Leopard8 June 2001
The short comedy "Going Spanish" (or "Bob's Busy Day"), is quite interesting as one of the very earliest film appearances by Bob Hope, but in itself it is a rather bland feature, and the movie has only a couple of really good laughs.
The story has Bob, his fiancée, and her mother traveling in South America. They visit a town in which, on a certain day, you can do or say anything to anyone, as long as you sing a song to them afterwards. That's a rather limited premise even for a short comedy, and although the movie tries to squeeze as much out of it as possible, there are really only a couple of decent laughs (the funniest of which involve physical comedy of the Three Stooges type).
For the most part, this is really only of historical interest, but then again, anything with Bob Hope is at least worth watching.
The story has Bob, his fiancée, and her mother traveling in South America. They visit a town in which, on a certain day, you can do or say anything to anyone, as long as you sing a song to them afterwards. That's a rather limited premise even for a short comedy, and although the movie tries to squeeze as much out of it as possible, there are really only a couple of decent laughs (the funniest of which involve physical comedy of the Three Stooges type).
For the most part, this is really only of historical interest, but then again, anything with Bob Hope is at least worth watching.
A Legend Debuts
bkoganbing29 January 2010
Bob Hope's inauspicious film debut came in this short subject Going Spanish which was shot at the Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. Presumably while Bob was appearing in Roberta on Broadway and scoring his first big success. I can guess that filming did not take place on Wednesdays because of matinées.
Despite this film Bob Hope as we know went on to have a very long life and a most successful career. He appears here with Vicki Cummings and they're honeymooning in some mythical South American country and run afoul of the local law.
The mayor of the town Jeles Epailly reminds me a whole lot of Billy Gilbert. Leah Ray a noted band vocalist of the day also appears here.
This was obviously a project to earn a little extra spending money for Hope. He goes through this like he had to hurry back and not miss the evening performance of Roberta. If it wasn't that a show business legend made his screen debut here, no one would bother with this film.
Despite this film Bob Hope as we know went on to have a very long life and a most successful career. He appears here with Vicki Cummings and they're honeymooning in some mythical South American country and run afoul of the local law.
The mayor of the town Jeles Epailly reminds me a whole lot of Billy Gilbert. Leah Ray a noted band vocalist of the day also appears here.
This was obviously a project to earn a little extra spending money for Hope. He goes through this like he had to hurry back and not miss the evening performance of Roberta. If it wasn't that a show business legend made his screen debut here, no one would bother with this film.
Short on Comedy with Bob Hope
wes-connors19 March 2011
The most frequently mentioned quote associated with Bob Hope's "Gong Spanish" (reissued as "Bob's Busy Day") is the one Mr. Hope said to New York columnist Walter Winchell about the unfunny film, "When they catch John Dillinger, they're going to make him sit through it twice." Luckily, the infamous gangster was shot dead before he had to sit through a single viewing. This is the earliest Hope film appearance available, although there were some advances after "talkies" took over the cinema. The story involves Hope (as Bob) traveling to a fictional South American country with fiancée Vicki Cummings and her mother. They soak up local color. The material is hopeless, but the star had potential.
** Going Spanish (3/2/34) Al Christie ~ Bob Hope, Vicki Cummings, William Edmunds, Leah Ray
** Going Spanish (3/2/34) Al Christie ~ Bob Hope, Vicki Cummings, William Edmunds, Leah Ray
Bob Hope was right when he made an insult about his first film appearance in Going Spanish
tavm22 February 2016
Nearly 30 years before just now rewatching this on YouTube, I had previously watched this short on a Goodtimes VHS tape that also had a "Jack Benny Program" with Bob Hope as guest along with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and a Bing Crosby short. Yes, Hope made his film debut in this and yes, he told columnist Walter Winchell this infamous quote about it-"When they catch John Dillinger, they're gonna make him sit through it twice!"-which promptly get him fired from the studio responsible for it-Educational Pictures. The lame plot has Bob in a Spanish town where he's allowed to insult anyone-as long as he sings a song afterward. Only amusing parts were when he judged some ugly faces and when he and Leah Ray sang a song that had some passersby inadvertently ending some lyrics with insults. In summary, Going Spanish is only worthy to see as the first film of a legendary comedian and nothing more.
Who would have known?!
planktonrules27 August 2012
This was Bob Hope's first movie role. Considering how inconsequential and unfunny it is, it's amazing to think that only a few years later he'd be a beloved comedian--and king of radio, movies and USO tours! "Going Spanish" is set in some unidentified South American country. Bob and his girlfriend want to get married and they enter a stupid little town expected to be married with no problems. However, the town is doing some sort of Opposite Day (or something) and the Mayor is an idiot. Also, Bob meets another nice lady...could SHE be his future wife instead?! This film was made in New York in a cheap sound stage. The background looks pretty much like a giant painting...which it is. And, equally cheap are the jokes. Most of Hopes quips fall flatter than usual and the low-point was his judging the 'funny face' contest. It's all pretty inconsequential and unfunny--so much so it's a marvel that he ever went anywhere in films. Seriously...perhaps a 3 is being generous with this one.
Poor
Michael_Elliott7 January 2009
Going Spanish (1934)
* (out of 4)
Bob Hope made his film debut in this God-awful short, which runs ten minutes too long. In the film he plays an engaged man who takes a trip to South America with his fiancé. When the two get down there they both meet other people to whom they fall for. Rumor has it that Hope got out of his contract to Educational Pictures, the studio who made this, by insulting this film to a journalist who then put that quote in the paper. Thank God Hope did that or else we might not have the classic Hope of today. This film is incredibly bad from start to finish and I didn't laugh a single time. The movie is very poorly directed and Hope just looks lost in each of his scenes. Apparently the movie was re-edited after Hope became famous and the print I watched had the title Bob's Busy Day. This is only recommended to those who want to see where a comedy legend started.
* (out of 4)
Bob Hope made his film debut in this God-awful short, which runs ten minutes too long. In the film he plays an engaged man who takes a trip to South America with his fiancé. When the two get down there they both meet other people to whom they fall for. Rumor has it that Hope got out of his contract to Educational Pictures, the studio who made this, by insulting this film to a journalist who then put that quote in the paper. Thank God Hope did that or else we might not have the classic Hope of today. This film is incredibly bad from start to finish and I didn't laugh a single time. The movie is very poorly directed and Hope just looks lost in each of his scenes. Apparently the movie was re-edited after Hope became famous and the print I watched had the title Bob's Busy Day. This is only recommended to those who want to see where a comedy legend started.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
