In the 1990's, a concert recording of "Louisiana Purchase" was recorded for posterity. The CD is superb, filled with such forgotten delights as "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow", "The Lord Done Lift Up My Soul", and "Wild About You". Every number is a showstopper. But in this semi-musical version of the hit 1940 Broadway show, only four songs are used, and in spite of the presence of much of the original cast, it comes off no funnier than any other Bob Hope movie of the early 40's.
Like the extremely funny Gershwin musical "Of Thee I Sing" a decade before, "Louisiana Purchase" was a political spoof that starred the popular team of Victor Moore and William Gaxton on Broadway. Moore was retained for the movie version of "LP", and is extremely lovable and funny as the blackmailed Oliver Loganberry who arrives in New Orleans during Mardi Gras to investigate corruption in the Louisiana Purchase lumber company. With his basset hound eyes, large physique and seemingly gullible personality, Moore was a comic genius. Hope, officially a star after his first two "Road" pictures, was obviously the popular choice for the Gaxton role, but it's sad that Moore and Gaxton were never paired on screen. (Two years later, he did get chosen by MGM to play Lucy's agent in the film version of "Best Foot Forward".)
Also from the Broadway version are Vera Zorina and Irene Bordini who don't get to shine as they did on stage. I was glad to see that they included the opening from the show where a studio attorney dictates a letter (set to music) indicating how to present the story without getting sued, and a mini-production number that follows. However, other than the title song, most of the music used is either cut songs (including "Sex Marches On", which I knew they'd cut) used over the action or edited versions of "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow" and "You're Lonely and I'm Lonely". Fortunately, the title song is a big Mardi Gras number that is extremely lavish and well filmed. The color photography, sets, and costumes are all superb, but it doesn't cut the fact that the missing music is much missed.
Like the extremely funny Gershwin musical "Of Thee I Sing" a decade before, "Louisiana Purchase" was a political spoof that starred the popular team of Victor Moore and William Gaxton on Broadway. Moore was retained for the movie version of "LP", and is extremely lovable and funny as the blackmailed Oliver Loganberry who arrives in New Orleans during Mardi Gras to investigate corruption in the Louisiana Purchase lumber company. With his basset hound eyes, large physique and seemingly gullible personality, Moore was a comic genius. Hope, officially a star after his first two "Road" pictures, was obviously the popular choice for the Gaxton role, but it's sad that Moore and Gaxton were never paired on screen. (Two years later, he did get chosen by MGM to play Lucy's agent in the film version of "Best Foot Forward".)
Also from the Broadway version are Vera Zorina and Irene Bordini who don't get to shine as they did on stage. I was glad to see that they included the opening from the show where a studio attorney dictates a letter (set to music) indicating how to present the story without getting sued, and a mini-production number that follows. However, other than the title song, most of the music used is either cut songs (including "Sex Marches On", which I knew they'd cut) used over the action or edited versions of "It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow" and "You're Lonely and I'm Lonely". Fortunately, the title song is a big Mardi Gras number that is extremely lavish and well filmed. The color photography, sets, and costumes are all superb, but it doesn't cut the fact that the missing music is much missed.