the leading man is my tpye

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Bob Hope is AJ Niles, a writer notorious for having penned controversial books on the male/female relationship, and now finds himself exiled to Paradise, that being the name of the California suburban subdivision where he takes refuge. The character of Niles allows Hope full license to play out his comedic persona at its most familiar---the snide, self-satisfied deliveryman of one-liners meant to wither his target. Yes, this is Bob, the iconic performer of the Eisenhower 1950s, an entertainer whose shtick everyone in America was comfortable with. Even when buffoonery is called for, Hope projects arrogance and swagger; a case of the private man intruding into the public image. Lana Turner is Rosemary Howard the real estate agent who rents the house to Niles setting in motion a train of events that disrupt the whole community. Niles just can't help himself, anonymity is against his nature; he becomes the village Yentl, the meddling, intrusive busybody who dislodges the neighborhood's equilibrium and subsequently the lives of its residents. Lana Turner was once a cute, ingénue with acting potential until Hollywood manufactured her into a "glamour goddess." In this movie at age 40, Turner was well established as a self- conscious actress, plaster cast-stiff, without any real depth or emotive spontaneity in her performance. Every mannerism, ever walk is calculated for correct poise and posture. The make-up artists and hair dressers only accentuated this frozen appearance with painfully perfect application of cosmetics and a hair-do that could only be dislodged by a tsunami. There's not much to say about the storyline itself. Disgruntled with this "known libertine and seducer," the husbands sign a petition to evict the Casanova Niles from his home and oust him from the community. The females, excepting a few puritanical matrons, protest this and rally in his defense. Niles was only trying to help them make their marriages more exciting; he was a public servant, a benevolent family counselor. That tall pair of actors Paula Prentiss and Jim Hutton are once again teamed as a romantic couple, here a married one, who are the focus of Nile's ministrations. The movie is dated, a cultural commentary of the era. Unless you're a big fan of Bob Hope or are just interested in opening a time capsule from a world long buried, pass this one by. For being a historical curio, I give it a "3."

Bob Hope, a novelist whose main subject is the bachelor's life and how it varies from country to country and the named country's lifestyles, is forced to stay in America to pay his debt to the IRS because his accountant ran off with his money and never filed a tax return for him. His agent places in a residential subdivision to show how the Americans live. Enter Paradise Village and Lana Turner.She leases him her place to live month by month, surrounded by families, whose housewives are home alone with crying babies and who are yearning for change and culture, and here he shows up to help them out of their doldrums. But then with all these fancy ideas he's giving their wives, the husbands think the worst of him and things go from bad to crazy.Being a Lana Turner fan, I might be more gracious in rating this Hope comedy. It certainly is not his best material, but as other reviewers have said, it has its rewards. Namely Janis Paige, who nicely fills out a dress and the believable charm and chemistry between Lana and Bob.Lana loved comedy and enjoyed breaking out and making this film. It shows in the later part of the film, as she loosens up.Its main weakness are one-liners that are more rude than funny and therefore fall flat. But, that's mainly near the beginning of the film. And, get this: this is based on a story by Vera Caspary, who wrote the classic Laura (the novel, of course.) Costarring Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Don Porter, Reta Shaw, Agnes Moorehead, and Virginia Grey (in one of her five appearances in a film with Lana), this is fun, easygoing film that should be enjoyed for what it is, a good time with one of America's favorite funny men, Bob Hope.

Bob Hope is a "Bachelor in Paradise" in this 1961 film also starring Lana Turner, Don Porter, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Janis Paige and Virginia Grey. Hope plays an author, A.J. Niles, whose specialty is the sexual practices of countries. When the IRS forbids him to leave the country, it's suggested that he concentrate on the U.S. He's sent to a development in California called Paradise and set up in a rental home. It's actually the home of one of the managers of the development, Rosemary Howard (Turner), and she lives elsewhere for the time being. Keeping his identity a secret, Adam, as he is called, holds seminars and discussion groups for the women of Paradise on how to keep their marriages fresh. Some of his advice works; some doesn't. Meanwhile, he's being pursued by the sexy but married Dolores Jynson, and he himself is after the beautiful Rosemary.This seems to be a very popular film with viewers who post here. I didn't make all the connections with it that some did as I don't come from this kind of background, but I can well appreciate how it would resonate if I had. It's a pleasant enough film, and it is a lot of fun to see all of the '60s furnishings, colors and styles of hair and dress and to realize how mores have changed with the years. The cast is very good (and very '60s) as well. People probably thought Prentiss and Hutton were married as they were paired together so often due to Prentiss' above average height, and it's always great to see Janis Paige and Virginia Grey.My favorite Bob Hope era is that of the 1940s, where he had great material well suited to him. His youthfulness and the cowardly character he played, along with the situations he got into always made his films sparkle. And what leading ladies - Madeline Carroll, Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, etc. Here he is teamed with glamorous Lana Turner who looks very beautiful in the film and has the right coolness and sophistication for the part. As for Hope, at the age of 58, he doesn't have that boyish, enthusiastic, naive quality of the old days, and the jokes he's delivering are pretty stale.Unlike "The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell," "Bachelor in Paradise" is not a dud. Though it's dated, that's part of the fun, and it has some genuinely funny moments, a lively cast and that American icon, Bob Hope. You can love him or hate him, but you can't deny he was a remarkable entertainer to many generations.

I saw this motion picture in 1961, and it stuck with me for a few reasons. I was raised in a tract neighborhood nearly identical to 'Paradise Village', so it's like 'going home'. Hope was never funnier along with Lana Turner, but Janis Paige was superb in her role as a 'seductress'. I'm told that Miss Turner had never been in a supermarket prior to the scenes of this picture...but she had so much fun after that, her daughter took her almost weekly to one. The music is spectacular, especially the Henry Mancini-penned theme at the beginning and end - it's the first piece of 'sophisticated scandalous' music I can remember hearing. Many shots of some great now-classic autos, as well(Dodge, Chrysler 300, etc.). Al in all, it's a 'dated' motion picture, but still funny and enjoyable to watch.