MovieChat Forums > Road to Bali (1952) Discussion > Was anyone funny in 1952?

Was anyone funny in 1952?


This movie is terrible. None of the jokes are funny, and they just keep
telling them. And looking into the camera to tell your joke - breaking
the fourth wall - I want to break their heads. Who let them make six of
these travesties? I stopped watching when Bob Hope told me to go to the
lobby because Bing was going to sing soon. What a waste of time.

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No, no, what Bob said was, "He's getting ready to sing folks, now's the time to go get the popcorn".

And if you don't think they're funny, then I feel sorry for you...I guess you're the sort that to you, a movie ain't good if it doesn't have the brain-dead humor of today.

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I agree with what you said Novastar Hope and Crosby Movies are all 100% classics. Better then anything that has come out from the Wayne Brothers or any one else for that matter. Just listen to the Music some great Comic Bits and moments from Two Classic Showmen who grew up on the Vadvill Stage.

Sorry you miss all the Humor.

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Movies of today are definitely funnier than those of the 50's. That's not to say that all 50's comedians sucked. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby had plenty of moments; it's just a different style of humor. I don't know about the50s, but Abbot and Costello of the 40s were good and the Marx brothers of the 30s are timeless. The Road to movies aren't for everyone, but I'd say you're missing out.

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Bob Hope and Bing Crosby were a riot, as were Red Skelton, The Marx Brothers, the 3 Stooges, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, the East Side Kids, Gracie Allen and George Burns, Lucille Ball...I don't agree that movies today are funnier, they're funny but I would not say funniER...just watching half an hour of Red Skelton has me laughing until I'm sore...most of today's comedies, I don't really get them, unless it's the Blue Collar Boys doing them...even so, I prefer the older stuff to newer stuff for a good part of it.

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I agree with Novastar, and I think it goes without saying that people like the O.P. are the reason we keep getting crap movies barely labeled as comedies like "Sideways," "White Chicks" and "Scary Movie 13" every year. Sadly, most people my age would rather watch films like those than any of the "Road To.." films, or the other hilarious films from back then, like the Lewis & Martin films.

If they only realized how most of the new comedies are either directly or indirectly TRYING to be an updated version of Martin & Lewis, or Hope & Crosby films---but usually fail miserably.

And the egos of most "celebrities" nowadays (and I use that word lightly)?!? What a JOKE! None of them would be able to even take that kind of play-insulting back and forth for that many films...their fragile egos and shady publicists never allow it. Its way too "cool" to be cool now, a ridiculous side effect of the hip-hop generation; and way too easy to THINK youre cool, with disposable celebs not worth a penny and around longer than they should be, like Hilton & Simpson.

Give me Martin & Lewis, Hope & Crosby, or The Rat Pack films over todays mostly garbage, ANYDAY!

"Why does the Earth have colors?" - Pocahontas in 'The New World' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402399/)

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I agree...it seems nobody in Hollywood wants to work anymore...so for movies the stars do a lot less work at the expense of more people, money and time being spent to make a crappy movie. They spend millions upon millions of dollars, hire top name stars, use effects that we could all do WITHOUT, dialogue that's bound to lower your IQ, and nobody likes it but we keep getting it. I say give us a movie shot in 6 days with no effects, everybody keeps their clothes on and and talk like they have half a functioning brain to them and some humor that the WHOLE family can enjoy without having to worry about seeing or hearing anything.

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[deleted]

agree with Horatio - might add that Hollywood of old recruited performers who were successful already: in Vaudeville, dance, radio, singing (think Hope, Crosby, Astaire, Jack Benny, Jack Burns, Grable, etc. etc.) - comedies were written around these talents. Note, too, that several of these 'comics' succeeded for decades on multiple platforms (stage, radio, movies, TV i.e. Crosby, Abbot & Costello, Benny). Today, a standup comic might move to movies and make 2 or 3 flicks, before bombing out.

Production Code kept the wisecracks subtle and witty. Satire and self-deprecation made for ongoing laughs. Bob Hope: "I get the bends when I'm dunking for apples!" "I couldn't happen to a nicer girl!". Plots weren't too important, and the pace tended to be quick. Several actors did 'physical' comedy, a lost art.

Modern productions also feature gross jokes, explicit sight gags, and toilet humor. Each film tries to outdo the other in crudeness. In the end, the comedy is dead. Also, we get those insufferable modern 'romantic' comedies featuring two B-class actors bickering and making up for 2 hours - and getting together at the end anyway - ha ha ha -- boy, is that funny.... no, it's just formula.

To our headliner 'was anyone funny in 1952?' - we're sorry it's come to this - you missed a great era.

:-) canuckteach (--:

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I thought the "Road" movies were funny, especially this one, which I feel is one of the most underrated. Scenes such as when Humphrey Bogart was pulling the African Queen were hilarious, and I guess you just need to have a taste for the entertainment of the day to get half of their jokes. I am a young guy but I hate most modern movies and TV so I watch films like these.

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You may not care for this movie or for Hope and Crosby in general but every "buddy" movie made since the Road to series pays homage to this pair.

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At least the movies back then took talent in both the writing and the acting. What passes for humor today is nothing but crude garbage. Bob and Bing were funny as were the old Blondie and Dagwood movies, the Francis the Talking Mule movies, the Three Stooges, the Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, and the Ma and Pa Kettle movies. All of those movies and acts were a generation before mine. I'm 47. But ridiculous garbage like Jackass or idiotic acts like the Wayans brothers is worthless and not the least bit funny.

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Your'e right. I watched this yesterday. Didn't even so much as smile. Totally unfunny.

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When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

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C'mon folks, don't take offense at the comments from galen p. He or she can't help it--short attention span, little or no imagination and appreciation of vaudeville-style comedy, lots of mouth breathing, knuckle-dragging, you get the picture.
If you listen closely to your speakers, you can hear the hamster in galen p's head running on the little circle thing . . . very slowly.

"You eat guts."--Nick Devlin

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for us the younger generation the jokes or old and dry without any depth. I'm sure the guys are funny, but its like modern stand up that goes to tv all the dirty raunchy hummor that is really funny is censored out and thats the hollywood of the time. now the jokes in the movie would've been funny in the 50s but for thr young all the parodies and hommages in classic cartoons killed anything funny, blame bugs bunny

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