Road to Utopia (1946)

Director:

Hal Walker

Writers:

Norman Panama (original screenplay) &
Melvin Frank (original screenplay)

Release Date:

22 March 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Comedy

Plot:

At the turn of the century, Duke and Chester, two vaudeville performers, go to Alaska to make their fortune...

Plot Keywords:

Map | Ship | Alaska | Vaudeville | Chase

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Duke Johnson / Junior Hooton
Bob Hope	...	Chester Hooton
Dorothy Lamour	...	Sal Van Hoyden
Hillary Brooke	...	Kate
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Ace Larson
Jack La Rue	...	LeBec (as Jack LaRue)
Robert Barrat	...	Sperry
Nestor Paiva	...	McGurk
Robert Benchley	...	Narrator

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #9933) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

June Lake, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

This is the only one of the seven "Road" pictures in which Bing Crosby and Bob Hope do not do their famous "pat-a-cake" routine.

Quotes:

Chester Hooton: Everything is cold! My nose is an iceberg.
Duke: Iceberg? That's a glacier.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America: Would Ya Hit a Guy with Glasses?: Nerds, Jerks & Oddballs (#1.1)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)

very entertaining

'Road to Utopia' is a musical comedy starring two performers who are caught up in a conquest to find gold in Alaska. 'Road to Utopia' is a highly entertaining film, and it's easy to get caught up in the adventure.

Some of the comedy elements in the film are probably a little bit dated, but those that are not dated and still very funny and witty. (These include the narrator comments directed to films, the Paramount mountain, the talking animals, and the Santa figure emerging from the Alaskan landscape with gifts for Crosby and Hope). The music is also dated in terms of what traditional audiences enjoy today, but I still thought it was done very well and played an important part in the story.

'Road to Utopia' is enjoyable, and it is highly recommended. If you're tired of all the films made in the past 20-30 years, this is a gem.