Am I Missing Something?

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Very funny 1951 Bob Hope film where he plays a small-time gangster who has accidentally dropped money of a bigger mob person at the track and then finds an ingenious way to get the money back.The gags are great with Marilyn Maxwell as Hope's girlfriend and eventual partner in the scheme.Jane Darwell showed a gift of comedy in this hilarious film. As one of the old dolls, she brings plenty of humor as the wife of a convicted safe-cracker about to be released at holiday time.Hope's great idea of setting up a licensed home for old dolls is very humorous. How will he pay for the home in a gambling home? He sends his band of crooks out playing Santa Claus and soliciting money.All goes well until Lloyd Nolan, a real big-time gangster, gets wind of the scheme and steals the money from Hope. Bob has to retrieve the money and free the dolls who have been taken hostage by a ruthless Nolan.Funny and yet very poignant with the holiday-spirit like ending.

Too old for the Rankin Bass movies? Dissatisfied with "It's A Wonderful Life"? (I was.) Other Christmas movies either too juvenile, or unsuited for the family? Well, even though Bob Hope was in a lot of bad movies, this is not one of them.It's based on a Damon Runyon story about a man who distracts a mobster's girlfriend, causing her to lose a $10,000 racetrack bet. The mobster learns of this and threatens the man to get him his money back by Christmas, or face his brutality (which is strongly hinted at).The man tries to ring a bell to collect money to rescue himself, but falls afoul of the law for not having a charity license. Not taking chances the next time, he arranges for a mobster's closed-up gambling joint to be secretly opened, the money ostensibly going to charity. Complications set in when a different mobster gets wind of it and wants the funds for himself. The the man is really in a bind. What to do?Trivia: This was the movie where the Christmas song "Silver Bells" was first performed. Ironic that the film has fallen into obscurity.

Far too many reviewers of these old movies refuse to put aside their modern desire to be offended and harp on things, like smoking, that were accepted and not even noticed or commented on at the time the film was made. So many actually want to be offended that they miss the main story of the movie. There are only a couple of Bob Hope films that I really like, several that I sort of like and a few that were, to say the least, lousy. This is one of his best and shows how even a low-life cheat, gambler and scam artist can turn his life around. The story is flawless, the acting is superb and the main song, "Silver Bells" is a classic. Watch the film with an unbiased and open mind and you will enjoy it.

Possible Spoilers!Bob Hope portrays a lemon drop eating race track hustler who hustles a local crime boss out of $10,000. Hope is given until Christmas to get the money together. Hope goes to NYC and cons his girlfriend, friends and local thugs into dressing up in Santa suits and collecting money for a senior citizens home for "old dolls." Hope intends to make off with the donations and pay off his debt to the crime boss. However, a NYC crime boss figures out what Hope is up to and blows the whistle on Hope and takes over the Santa donation scheme himself. Hope then redeems himself by entraping the two crime bosses, making sure the senior citizen home gets the donations and he gets his girl back. It would seem that Hope's character has finally learned the Christmas message, that it is better to give than to receive.This is probably my favorite Bob Hope film. He is excellent as a scheming hustler type. It seems to come natural to him. The film makes great use of character actors from the 30,s 40's and 50's in the films various supporting roles. Marilyn Maxwell is a real treat to look at and has great chemistry with Hope. The song Silver Bells is beautiful and fits the film perfectly. I think my favorite scene is where Hope is dressed as an elderly woman trying to describe what he is knitting to the other elderly woman. It was a mop that goes so well with his argyle scrub bucket. If you like Bob Hope, Christmas movies or comedies than you'll probably like this film.