Road To Utopia

Introduction

This is the fourth in the `Road` series and comes as one of the complete 7-disc set, which is a vast improvement on the 4 disc set already available.

There is already a very good review of the film (as a Region 1 disc) by Tony Myhill on the site, however it would be remiss of me not to describe the plot briefly.

Chester (Hope) and Duke (Crosby) are a couple of song-and-dance conmen who `accidentally` end up together on a boat to Alaska after being run out of San Francisco. A run-in with a couple of cold-blooded murderers leads them to get their hands on a map to a gold mine, and managing to overpower the aforesaid murderers, take on their identities before landing.

Sperry and McGurk, unbeknownst to our heroes are well known in the area, but for none of the right reasons, and several comic misadventures ensue as they attempt to find the gold, and fight for the attentions of Sal (Dorothy Lamour), the daughter of the rightful owner to the map.

Video

The mono sound quality is very good, considering the age of the film (the sound in the `extras` film is less than perfect unfortunately).

Audio

Picture-wise, we are in luck. Either the film has been very well looked after or remastered for this reissue, but the quality of the film stock is nice and clean.

Features

Extras include a fascinating 20 minute film called `Hollywood Victory Caravan` which features Bing and Bob (cracking some more great gags), Betty Hutton, Alan Ladd, Humphrey Bogart, Robert Benchley (grandfather of Peter), Carmen Cavallero and his Orchestra and several other stars of the time. It is basically a post-war propaganda film which aimed to get the American public digging deep to buy `Victory Bonds` (the same as War Bonds, but this time to raise money for ex-servicemen) and contains some highly dated, but no less entertaining, variety acts. These include Bing Crosby looking rather embarrassed singing an awful song with the US Maritime Service Training Station Choir, which includes the line, "The bonds you bought before bought the bomb that won the war"..yes, quite.

In addition, we have a very short (2 minutes!) film of Bing Crosby "in conversation" with Jack Buchanan (who doesn`t say a word) when Bing was in London in 1946.

To finish off, there is Part 4 of the production notes for the `Road` series, a photo gallery, and cast & crew details.

Conclusion

This film has all the familiar traits of the others - mistaken identities, Dorothy Lamour and a chance for Bing Crosby to sing ("Welcome to my Dream` isn`t quite on a par with "Moonlight Becomes you" from `Road to Morroco`, but it comes a very close second). The film is successful because the formula was by now so well trodden, and so even with a new plot, we know precisely what to expect.

The jokes are as fresh as ever, and generally delivered at such a rate, when the plot begins to develop (as it has to sometimes) we experience a couple of slow moments, but these are few and far between.

A box-set of all the Road films (even `Road to Hong Kong` - the inferior British-made addition) should be owned by everyone who appreciates this style of humour. There will never be another Bing and Bob.