If you’ve spent much time on this blog, you’ve figured out that Frank Tashlin’s Son Of Paleface (1952), Bob Hope’s best picture, is one of my favorites films of all time. It’s certainly better than its namesake The Paleface (1948).
Son Of Paleface made millions, so it was decided to send Hope west again. In November 1957, Bob mentioned Alias Jesse James to Louella Parsons — 
with Frank Tashlin as director! The picture contains a number of the kind of cartoon-ish gags Tashlin was known for (including a drinking gag very similar to one in Son Of Paleface), but he isn’t listed among the film’s four writers. One of the guys who did get credit, William Bowers, also wrote The Gunfighter (1950), The Law And Jake Wade (1958) and Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969).
The plot here is pure genius. Hope’s an insurance salesman sent to buy back the $100,000 life insurance policy he sold to high-risk client Jesse James (Wendell Corey). Jesse cooks up a scheme to bump off Hope, make everyone think he’s Jesse, and collect the insurance money. Rhonda Fleming plays Jesse’s girlfriend, and a slew of TV cowboys have cameos in the last reel — everyone from James Arness to Roy Rogers (who was wonderful in Son Of Paleface). While Norman Z. McLeod did a fine job with Alias Jesse James, it’s fun to think about what Tashlin would’ve brought to the picture.
By the way, I’m looking forward to reading Ethan de Seife’s book Tashlinesque: The Hollywood Comedies Of Frank Tashlin. For years, I’ve been hoping someone would get around to a book on Tashlin. So who’s gonna write one on Phil Karlson or George Sherman?
Bonjour,
Il y a de magnifiques images et photos sur ce blog. Merci
Bob Hope was always “good value” at the movies when I was young, but this is one that I missed, and I now look forward to catching up and enjoying his company once again, thanks to your positive review. Thanks!
I have always liked Bing’s kind offering of help to Bob in Alias J.James. A very funny movie, I mentioned once before. I esp. like the many appearances of great Western TV stars, Ward Bond, James Arness, etc.
Son of Paleface is probably my favorite Hope flick as well. I’ve never seen Alias Jesse James (other than that clip of all the cameos by Western stars of the big and small screen one can find on You Tube) but hope (heh) to remedy that soon.
While we’re talkin’ Hope westerns, another one that I always find myself laughing through is “Cancel My Reservations”. This is one of Hope’s later movies and critics are usually negative about it. But as usual they’re wrong, it’s a laugh riot. I find the whole movie hilarious. Yes, it is stupid, but I love dumb jokes, and this movie is filled with them. If you want to laugh and not analyze what you’re watching, then Cancel My Reservations is another Hope western goodie. (Speaking of Hope, another movie in this same vein, funny but dumb is Hope’s “Boy Did I Get A Wrong Number”, really funny movie. Not a western though, but funny still.)