Tonight's Movie: Bachelor in Paradise (1961) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

BACHELOR IN PARADISE (1961), a Bob Hope comedy which is both amusing and visually stunning, has just been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

Hope plays A.J. Niles, a writer living undercover in the San Fernando Valley while he chronicles life in American suburbia.

Niles finds himself coaching the neighborhood ladies (including Paula Prentiss and Virginia Grey) on how to reinvigorate their marriages while fending off the aggressive advances of married Dolores (Janis Paige) and falling in love with "bachelor gal" Rosemary (Lana Turner).

I reviewed the Warner Archive's remastered DVD print in 2011 and, rather than reinventing the wheel, would like to refer readers to it for a more thorough look at my thoughts on the film.

If anything, I liked the movie even more rewatching it now. I've seen several Bob Hope films in the last couple of years, and his quieter performance in this is a welcome change from his over-the-top roles in numerous other films. The supporting cast is excellent, with particular nods to Prentiss and Grey, as well as John McGiver as Hope's attorney.

There are a couple of sequences which are absolute gems; the washing machine scene rivals a similar setpiece in MISTER ROBERTS (1955) for laughs, and the courtroom scene with Agnes Moorehead as the skeptical judge is delicious. All she has to do is raise an eyebrow and I start laughing. It's quite an entertaining film.

This 109-minute movie was directed by Jack Arnold. It was filmed in CinemaScope and Metrocolor by Joseph Ruttenberg. The film's score is by Henry Mancini.

As one might expect, the Warner Archive Blu-ray looks terrific. It does a fantastic job showing off the film's art direction and eye-catching locations, especially the Hughes Market. "California Coral" has never looked better!

The lone Blu-ray extra is a trailer.

As a postscript, be sure to check out Robby's wonderful post on the movie's locations at Dear Old Hollywood.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Warner Archive Amazon Store or any online retailers where Blu-rays are sold.

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