Hollywood or Bust

Malcolm Smith loves the movies and especially Anita Ekberg. Getting one of his lucky feelings, Malcolm buys a ream of raffle tickets to win a car. Sure enough he wins, but so does gigolo gambler Steve Wiley, who, not unsurprisingly has won by less than honourable means. Refusing to give out two cars, the promotion merely tells the men that they will have to share the car. Much to Steve's annoyance as he has debts to pay. So deviously he agrees to drive with Malcolm to Hollywood, planning to ditch him at the first chance he gets. Only he hadn't figured on Mr. Bascom, Malcolm's Great Dane who's along for the ride, and an encounter with the pretty Terry Roberts. Yep, it's safe to say this is not going to be an ordinary road trip.

With their relationship deeply fractured at this time (this was their last film together), it's something of a surprise to find that Hollywood Or Bust is one of the finest films that Dean Martin (Steve) and Jerry Lewis (Malcolm) made. Everything that made the duo so massively popular is in here, even into the bargain daring to cast a satirical slant to the whiles and trials of Hollywood itself. A lot of the credit has to go to director Frank Tashlin. Tashlin, who was also at the helm for arguably the boys career high point Artists & Models, keeps the whole thing zippy, steering the duo in a direction to which they simply could not fail.

Sure enough the humour is almost juvenile at times, and yes Dean of course croons and tries to bed the girl (a spiky Pat Crowley as Terry), but it's got such a sense of joy to it, the kind of joy that much like Artists & Models, can really lift the blues. Stand out songs from the Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster score are "A Day in the Country" and "It Looks Like Love", whilst it will be tough not to giggle at some of the antics of Mr. Bascom and the irrepressible Lewis, particularly with one particular movie parody. Anita Ekberg comes and joins in the fun later in the piece, just in time for the riotous carnage that you know is around the corner.

If the sight of a Great Dane driving a car is not funny to you? Well chances are you should avoid this film completely. But that would be a shame for it's a delightful film, brisk and cheeky, it's most definitely one that's in desperate need of reappraisal from the grumpy brigade because it's a real blues lifter. 8/10

A very enjoyable film, though my view may be a bit prejudiced due to I have a Dane. Kudos to director Tashlin for giving Mr. Bascomb a distinct personality and some very funny moments! This movie is a testament to both Martin and Lewis as they had basically ended their partnership while HOB was being made, yet still seem to be enjoying themselves.

"Hollywood or Bust" was the last of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin musical comedies and a very good one. Although it is not as bracingly innovative and riotous as Tashlin's "Artists and Models", I kept laughing throughout.

Some hilarious and enjoyable scenes come to mind: The opening moments in the movie theater where Lewis is ruining a woman's hair with popcorn; the rousing musical number "A Day in the Country" (Martin and Lewis in a car) which is Tashlin's homage to the "Beyond the Blue Horizon" number in Lubitsch's 1930 musical "Monte Carlo"; and there is Lewis' imitation of Rudolph Valentino's "Blood and the Sand".

Sure it can be silly and puerile at times, but it's a lot of fun.

Worth seeing.

Dean Martin plays Steve Wiley, a gambler with bad debts and Jerry Lewis is Malcolm Smith, a huge movie lover who wants to go to Hollywood to meet Anita Ekberg.And then there is a car raffle where Steve wins a car with a fake ticket and Malcolm wins it with a real one.So they're both off to Hollywood with Malcolm's dog Great Dane and Terry Roberts (Pat Crowley), a girl they meet along the way.A very pretty lady, if I may add.By the way, Dean Martin's daughters Claudia, Deana and Gail can be seen in the movie.Frank Tashlin's Hollywood or Bust (1956) is a good and funny comedy which offers you some good laughs.One good and funny scene is where Jerry sings the song of the dog food commercial and then there's of course the one where the dog goes for a ride with the car.A dog behind the wheel is always funny.This was the last movie Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis did together.There were personal conflicts that ended the relationship.They were such a hilarious duo and they did lots of great films together.But as you know,nothing lasts forever.Luckily they didn't stay as enemies forever.In 1976 Frank Sinatra reunited them on stage and they stayed as friends till Dean's death in 1995.While making this film there was lots of anger between them but you can hardly see it.This isn't all time best of Martin and Lewis but it's very enjoyable anyway.Jerry Lewis has said he hasn't seen Hollywood or Bust because it's much too painful for him to watch.Good movie, bad memories.

Oh, poor little film, only three user comments! I'll scribble something for self-amusement, so, uh... You might as well skip this.

The film is indeed highly enjoyable.

Some of the bits are stupid, borderline-infantile in fact, but that matters not.

The movie buff element could've been emphasized more.

I need to see more Tashlin. Nice cartooniness again, though the look of "Artists and Models" is even sweller. In fact, it's better overall.

The songs, in something of a surprise, are great!

The dialogue sparkles at times, which I appreciate much.

What, that's it?