This week, Jeremy Morrison returns with a brand new review of some cinematic offerings from days gone by with a review of one of Olive Films newest releases, “I’ll Take Sweden,” starring Bob Hope, Tuesday Weld, Frankie Avalon and Dina Merrill.
First, a quick synopsis: Widower and single dad, oil company executive Bob Holcomb (Bob Hope, The Road to Hong Kong) accepts a transfer to Sweden in hopes of keeping his daughter JoJo (Tuesday Weld, Pretty Poison) far away from her carefree, guitar-playing, marriage-minded boyfriend Kenny (Frankie Avalon, Beach Blanket Bingo). Little does Bob know that Sweden provides a more liberal view of all things romantic. So, it’s out of the frying pan and into the fire. But JoJo isn’t the only one with romance on her mind when Bob meets attractive interior designer Karin (Dina Merrill, Operation Petticoat). Plans for a romantic mountain resort weekend will turn into a slapstick roundelay when Kenny turns up with former girlfriend Marti (Rosemarie Frankland, A Hard Day’s Night) and Bob’s assistant Erik (Jeremy Slate, Girls! Girls! Girls!), a wolf in sheep’s clothing, sets his sights on JoJo. The Land of the Midnight Sun will never be the same when Bob Hope and crew land on her shores in the romantic comedy I’ll Take Sweden.
Directed by Frederick De Cordova (Bedtime for Bonzo) from a screenplay by Nat Perrin (based on a story by Perrin, Bob Fisher and Arthur Marx), I’ll Take Sweden co-stars Fay DeWitt (The Shakiest Gun in the West), Walter Sande (To Have and Have Not) and John Qualen (Casablanca).
Actors: Bob Hope, Tuesday Weld, Frankie Avalon, Dina Merrill
THE REVIEW: ‘I’ll Take Sweden’ is a tough one for me to dissect as it is very enjoyable, but maybe for all the wrong reasons. This all but forgotten film finds Bob Hope in a role that I have to wonder maybe he didn’t want. Hope seems bored with the one-liners, and perhaps a bit perplexed by the weird mash-up of screwball comedy within the beach party genre of the 60s. Don’t get me wrong, folks, Hope is great even when he appears to give less than a damn, but I think it makes the film something that perhaps Nat Perrin and Frederick De Cordova didn’t set out to achieve.
The cast has their hands full with the zany antics of the picture, and it feels like some might have bit off more than the may have been able to chew, but it’s still enjoyable to watch. The transfer looks great. You can really see the 60s cheese come alive with this disc from Olive Films. But again, that’s not a ringing endorsement of the picture. In my opinion it should be, but I know it’s not. The disc is also bare bones with the exception of the trailer. The sound is mono, but in a world where vinyl is hailed as kind by audio purists, that shouldn’t be a concern.
THE VERDICT: I really liked this film, but the serious cinephile perhaps should take caution…
Jeremy Morrison – Staff Writer
Co-creator/host of the Acid Pop Cult Podcast, film reviewer, screenwriter, Jeremy has more than eight years experience in television and film production. His childhood fascination with the naked breasts featured in the “Friday the 13th” franchise prepared him for absolutely nothing in life. J-Mo lives by one motto: #wecantallbezacksnyder
Twitter: @acidpopcult
IG: @almostgothim
