The Ghost Breakers

Saw this a long time ago on TV and missed it, so I decided to get this along with Cat & the Canary (another Horror Comedy with the same stars). While this is similar to the previous movie, it's different enough to be extremely entertaining.The plot is similar to the previously named film. An heiress (Paulette Goddard) comes into a sizeable inheritance which includes a spooky castle off the coast of Cuba. As she crosses paths with a Radio Personality (played by the incomparable Bob Hope) he gets tangled up in her situation and, realizing that she may be in danger, decides to man up and accompany her to Cuba to make sure that she's safe.Once again, Hope and Goddard display the same chemistry that made Cat & the Canary so enjoyable. In fact, I think the gags and quips made by Hope are funnier in this film than the other. Plus, Hope has a great sidekick / assistant, Alex (played masterfully by Willie Best) who provides even more comedy material. This movie also one-ups the Cat & Canary by supplying not only a really spooky Zombie (catch Bob Hope's hilarious comparison between Zombies and a particular political party) and what appears to be a real Ghost! All elements come together to make a really entertaining film.I do want to point out something about Willie Best. As a Black actor in the 1940's, Best wasn't granted the greatest roles, so he was typically cast as the manservant who was, shall we say, less than energetic. However, he works well with what he was given and delivers some of the funniest lines in the picture. He and Bob Hope have great comedic chemistry and is something to see. Hope himself had high praise for Best and the trio of Hope, Best and Goddard came together to make one more film, "Nothing but the Truth" which is another great comedy. This is an opportunity to see one of the fine Black comedic actors of the era which I hope more people will experience and enjoy.Kino Lorber Blu-Ray is fine. Good picture and sound and the features consist of Feature Commentary and a string of movie trailers featuring Bob Hope and others.You won't be disappointed with this Blu-Ray. Highly recommended for fans of old Horror and Comedies of the 1940's.

"The Ghost Breakers" is an excellent comedyPaulette Goddard is lovely, the young Anthony Quinn is menacing, the mystery is valid, and the sets are wonderfully spooky. Hope is even somewhat heroic in this one, a bit of a change of pace from his usual, comedically cowardly characters. A dash of film noir even shows up early on as a power outage hits New York during a storm (dig that lightning!).Crime reporter Hope flees to Cuba with Goddard after he mistakenly believes he shot a gangster's henchman in Goddard's hotel. Goddard has inherited a spooky old castle just offshore the island nation, and has received death threats from a mysterious villain. Taking up her cause, the suspicious Hope (and his unwilling servant), sets out to solve the mystery and bust the ghosts. Along the way, the rest of us are busting out laughing.The thin-skinned among us may not care for some of the pre-PC dialog, but those with intellect enough to put things in context will not be upset by some of the more dated wisecracks.Also included on the disc is "Hollywood Victory Caravan", a war bond short that is kind of a condensed version of "Star-Spangled Rhythm", another Hope film available in this DVD series. A young lady needs to get to Washington to see her wounded brother just back from the battlefield, but the only train that can take her is tied up with a War Bond rally. Naturally she has to sneak into the Paramount lot and ask Bing Crosby for help. As she wanders about the lot trying to avoid a security guard (William Demerest), she runs into such notables as Barbara Stanwyck and Alan Ladd. When she meets with the sympathetic Bing (after enjoying a Gershwin number performed by Carmen Cavallero and His Orchestra), Crosby and Hope get things worked out for sister and brother. The short also features a patriotic speech by Humphrey Bogart, and a wrap-up number by Crosby.A second inclusion is a condensed and edited-down edition of "Command Performance" with Judy Garland and Lana Turner doing walk-ons (Lana gets in a good zinger on Hope that leads to some ad-libbing by the comedian).To round things out the disc includes a short documentary on Hope's USO work ("Entertaining the Troops"), production notes, bios, and the film's trailer.An excellent all-around package for Hope fans!

I have looked everywhere for this movie for my mom she loves this movie cause it has Bob Hope in it. I bought it for her as an early Christmas gift and it was a perfect gift it was wrapped safely and everything.

I saw this film originally on TV when I was in my pre-teens on TV. As a big fan of Bob Hope, it is one of my favorite films that he starred in. The quality of the video and sound are excellent on this DVD. The acting is very good, as is the writing. Paulette Goddard does a very good job playing the roles of the "love interest" and "damsel in destress", without overacting. She shows the talent that made her a star. There are scenes that also gave her an opportunity to show how attractive she was. There are interesting and informative extras about Bob Hope's years of entertaining U.S. and allied troops in combat zones in three wars.

A good remake of an earlier Abbot & Costello flub. Even better after a couple Manhattans

This is one of my favorite movies, with Bob Hope at his best and a great cast overall! Great fun! Beautifully photographed, perfectly directed and scripted. A great blend of scares and laughs.

It's just one of Bob's great oportunities to show off his talents with out Bing.

Bob Hope reminds me of my grandfather and he always makes me smile!

Excellent film avec Bob Hope et Paulette Goddard, mais ne vous faites pas avoir; même si le DVD indique avoir une piste sonore française, il n’y a que les sous-titres qui sont en français

Always loved this film and lost my original copy. Great price and quality

ニューヨークのラジオ・パーソナリティー、ラリー・ローレンス(ボブ・ホープ)は、ギャングのフレンチー・デュバル(ポール・フィックス)に関するネタを放送したことで、デュバルに呼び出される。彼が滞在するホテルの廊下で銃撃戦に巻き込まれたローレンスは、護身のために思わず応戦し、弾が何者かに命中してしまう。殺人犯になったと思い込んだローレンスは、咄嗟にメアリー・カーター(ポーレット・ゴダード)という女性のいる部屋に隠れる。カーターは、ちょうど祖先の城を相続するためにキューバへと向かう準備をしていた…。“The Cat and the Canary”の大ヒットを受け、ポール・ディッキーとチャールズ・W・ゴダードの舞台劇を、パラマウントが同じボブ・ホープとポーレット・ゴダードのコンビを主演に据えて作り上げた”Old Dark House”(「化物屋敷」)ものの佳作。1953年には、ディーン・マーチンとジェリー・ルイスの底抜けコンビで『底抜けびっくり仰天』としてリメイクされた(監督は、同じジョージ・マーシャル)。日本劇場未公開。ヒット作が出た場合、その続編、もしくはそれに類した作品を作るのがハリウッドのならわし。本作も、前年に作られた”The Cat and the Canary”の大ヒットに続けとばかりに作られた姉妹編だ。原作が違うので、若干設定の差異はあるものの、ホープ＝ゴダードの息の合ったコンビを再起用し、”Old Dark House”ものの定型を踏襲しているあたり、パラマウントの明確な戦略が見てとれる。そういった意味では、もちろん二番煎じで新鮮味はないが、それでも、ミステリーに笑いの味付けをしたジョージ・マーシャル監督の手際良い軽やかな演出で、プログラム・ピクチャーとしては及第点の作品に仕上がっている。冒頭、烈しい雷雨の夜のニューヨークの摩天楼街から始まる。その何かが起こりそうな不吉で陰鬱な雰囲気が作品を貫いている。話の構成上は、実際の化物屋敷のあるキューバの孤島に話が移ってから、この雰囲気にしても良かったわけだが、あえて、作品全体を暗い雰囲気(画としても陰影のある撮影)で統一したのは賢明だ。もちろん、ホープ主演ということで、随所にウィットに溢れた笑いの要素もちりばめられてはいるけれども(「なるほど、ゾンビは民主党員みたいなもんか」とか「まるで、セシル・B・デミル作品の脚本だね」など、楽屋落ち的な気の利いたセリフも多い)、基本はあくまでミステリーということなのだろう。キューバの化物屋敷では、ゾンビや幽霊、どこからともなく聞こえてくる不気味な声、謎の地下室…など、この手の作品の(どちらかと言うと、手垢のついた)定型の設定や要素ばかりで新鮮味はないものの、特撮、セットが良く出来ているので飽きることなく楽しく観られる。ホープとゴダードのコンビは、”The Cat and the Canary”同様、掛け合いと間が絶妙で、スターならではの輝きがある。日本では、ホープ主演作のほとんどが「腰抜け」シリーズと名付けられ、演じる臆病者の印象が強いが、本作では、ゴダード演じる女性を守ろうとする(お化けたちを前にしても、決して臆病風に吹かれることがない！)男らしい役なのも珍しい。話の上では特に必要がないのだが、ゴダードの着替えのシーンやゾンビから逃れるゴダードのローブが、階段の手すりに引っ掛かって破れ、脚が露わになるシーンなどを用意して彼女の性的魅力をさりげなく挿入しているのも、映画というものの、のぞき見趣味的本質を感じさせる。予定調和的で新鮮味はないが、スターの魅力が生かされた、ハリウッド黄金期ならではの丁寧な作りの楽しいプログラム・ピクチャーだ。本Blu-rayは、米Kinoが、米ユニバーサル(1948年までのパラマウント作品の権利を保有)からライセンスを受けた盤。マスターには、ユニバーサルが新規に作成した2K素材から作られたHDマスターを使用。丁寧にレストア、カラコレされたようで、目立つキズはほとんどなく、白黒の諧調も層を感じさせ、ディテール表現も細密な画質だ。製作年を考えれば、十分な高画質だろう。モノラル DTS-HD マスター・オーディオ音声も明瞭。英語字幕も収録。特典には、以下のものが収録。●作家・映画史家リー・ギャンビンによるコメンタリー●Trailers from Hell with Larry Karaszewski (2分52秒)●予告編(2分15秒)●予告編集”The Cat and the Canary”(3分40秒)、『腰抜け二挺拳銃』(1分50秒)、『心の青春』(3分26秒)、『Murder, He Says』 (2分05秒)本Blu-rayは、北米盤ながら日本と同じR-A仕様なので、日本の通常のBlu-rayプレーヤーで視聴可能だ。日本では、出処不明のマスターを使った非正規盤DVDが流通しているのみという情けない状況で、今後も正規盤の発売はないと思う。本作のファンは、本盤一択だろう。

película clásica de terror clásico,con algo de humor de Bob Hope;entretenida con algo de misterio;aunque no como las de ahora mucho mejores que esa;pero con falta del humor de ese actor.

If you like old movies like I do then you will enjoy this one. Acting is top notch and there is plenty of laughs. Bonus material is well worth the price on it's own. Some scenes of Hope entertaining the troops, scenes from Command Performance with Alan Ladd, Lana Turner, and Bing Crosby. Glad I made the purchase.