Road to Utopia

Released Apr 26, 1946

1h 30m

Musical

Comedy

List

100%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

76%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

During the Alaskan gold rush, beautiful young Sal (Dorothy Lamour) travels to Alaska on the trail of the pair of thugs (Nestor Paiva, Robert Barrat) who murdered her father and stole the map to his gold mine. Meanwhile, genial con men Chester (Bob Hope) and Duke (Bing Crosby) unwittingly steal the wanted men's identities and get involved in an escalating series of mistaken identities and double-crosses involving Sal, the real thieves and avaricious bar owner Ace (Douglas Dumbrille).

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Steve Crum

Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

My choice as the funniest of Hope and Crosby's Road pictures. It is definitely the zaniest.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 23, 2006

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Has plenty of quips.

Rated: B

Dec 12, 2005

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jun 25, 2005

Full Review

Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

Rated: 4/5

Aug 8, 2004

Full Review

Rob Blackwelder

SPLICEDWire

Rated: 3/5

Jun 27, 2003

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Bing and Bob off on another road, in the fourth -- and many say funniest -- of their famous 'Road' series. If nothing else, it may be their wildest.

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 2, 2003

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Josh G

A fun whimsical and mediocre film that entertains but lacks re watch value and charm. The series is running its coarse by this time. It's forgettable 40's fun road film you probably haven't seen.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/03/23

Full Review

Liam D

There is a reason why Bing Crosby and Bob Hope are considered one of the best comedy duos of all time

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/25/22

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steve d

Fans should be pleased.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

s r

Prolly the best of their collaboration.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Whenever I want a return to a simpler time, I pick up a comedy from the Forties and melt my cares away with its cordial humor and traditionalist values. The fourth film in the long-running "Road to . . ." series from Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, "Road to Utopia" focuses on two vaudeville stars who perform a charlatan magic act that swindles the audience out of their hard-earned cash. Thinking the heat is on them, they hop an ocean liner (only one of them willingly) bound for Alaska to prospect gold. One of the things I like best about the "Road" pictures is the subtle breaking of the fourth wall. Take the "shortcut to Studio 10" sequence as our protagonists are shoveling coal in the engine room of the ocean liner after not having enough money to pay their fare. I also like the way the sound drops out when Hope is trying to let the audience know what he really thinks of one of the villains and Crosby says "I told you they wouldn't let you say that." Perhaps the greatest zinger Hope ever gave Crosby is in this motion picture when, after failing to win a talent contest aboard the ocean liner, Hope tells Crosby that next time he's bringing Sinatra. The occasional narration by Robert Benchley at the request of the studio is also a welcome addition of comedic expertise. Crosby and Hope's rapid-fire interplay keeps the film light and breezy but it's not without its problems. There's a sequence when Hope unwittingly romances a bear which is very, very cute . . . which is what a lot of the situational comedy can be called in this film: "cute." I much prefer true screwball humor in my comedies, which is why I will forever be a Marx Brothers man. Another issue I have is that while Crosby was one of my favorite singers in the movies of the Forties, a couple of the songs here felt like they were forced into the picture just to give him something to sing. They don't actually help move the plot forward and they seem like side trips off the beaten path that leads to an overly abrupt conclusion. Still, I can think of far worse ways to spend your cinematic time. What works really works well and what doesn't work isn't enough to keep this picture from being an enjoyable ninety minute romp.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the better of the Hope and Crosby Road movies.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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Hal Walker

Director

Bing Crosby

Duke Johnson

Bob Hope

Chester Hooton

Dorothy Lamour

Sal Van Hoyden

Hillary Brooke

Kate

Douglas Dumbrille

Ace Larson

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Synopsis

During the Alaskan gold rush, beautiful young Sal (Dorothy Lamour) travels to Alaska on the trail of the pair of thugs (Nestor Paiva, Robert Barrat) who murdered her father and stole the map to his gold mine. Meanwhile, genial con men Chester (Bob Hope) and Duke (Bing Crosby) unwittingly steal the wanted men's identities and get involved in an escalating series of mistaken identities and double-crosses involving Sal, the real thieves and avaricious bar owner Ace (Douglas Dumbrille).

Director: Hal Walker
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 1946, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Runtime: 1h 30m

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