Road to Bali (1952)
Trivia
Bob Hope makes an obscure joke about the Chicago musicians union. He shows Bing Crosby his snake-charmer instrument and says, "Hey, I've been playing this flute all night. Have to clear it with Petrillo." He was referring to James Petrillo, the heavy-handed president of the Chicago Musician's Union.
In her 1980 autobiography, "My Side of the Road," (co-written with Dick McInnes), Dorothy Lamour relates how disappointed she was at not being asked to sing on the Decca album, which re-created the film score in the recording studio. Her umbrage was largely in response to learning that it was Bing Crosby himself who recruited Peggy Lee to replace her.
In the movie, Bing Crosby makes reference to the Pittsburgh Pirates, of which he was a minority owner. He also mentions the Cleveland Indians, of which Bob Hope was a part owner.
The scenes of Melbourne shown at the beginning of the movie were shot from the Fire Tower on the corner of Victoria Parade and Gisborne Street. The Fire Tower is still there today, but the skyline of Melbourne has changed dramatically with the construction of some of the tallest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere. However you can make out the Victorian Parliament building and the Princess Theatre in Spring Street.
This was the only "Road" picture of the seven to be photographed in Technicolor. Ten years later, the British-made The Road to Hong Kong (1962) would revert to black and white.
Although it was originally released by Paramount, it was never copyrighted which is why this title is now in the public domain.
Celebrity/pop cultural references: Zsa Zsa Gabor, Humphrey Bogart, Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan, Errol Flynn and the Academy Awards.
When Bing Crosby turns to [Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope turns to the camera to say "He's about to sing--you may as well go and get some popcorn!" many kids at matinee showings did just that.
The sixth of the seven Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour "Road" films, and the last of them produced by Paramount Pictures.
Both Murvyn Vye and Michael Ansara, who were quite hairy chested, were forced to submit to body waxing for their scenes in this film.
