The Paleface

Every now and then a movie is created which is so vital, so heartwarming that it must be seen by every man, woman, and child in America. Such a movie usually wins the Academy Award. In the meantime, however, the film companies must keep on putting out other less inspired pictures to stay in the black. Under these circumstances Paramount produced "The Paleface," a drama of the Old West which concerns the famous Calamity Jane and a mousy dentist. All who go to see this film with an open (preferably blank) mind will probably think it somewhere between riotous and hilarious. It may not be art, but it certainly is terrific entertainment.

It seems some conniving hombres were running squirrel-pieces to the Indians, and the U.S. government couldn't find out who was doing it. So the governor, as a last resort, busted Calamity Jane Russell out of jail and offered her a pardon if she caught the outlaws. Jane married a traveling dentist, Painless Peter Potter, for a blind and tipped off the crooks that he was the Federal. The two race through an ambush, two dozen gunfights, a chase, and an Indian war dance before they finally escape from the crafty redmen and foil the outlaws. It's a frantic plot, and it's played strictly for the laughs.

This reviewer always felt that Bob Hope was a better buffoon than rapid fire gagster. Apparently Director McLeod thought the same thing because he has Hope superbly overplaying his part. He does the commonplace with a flourish and the spectacular by mistake. He is at his best when he pulls the wrong tooth and when he swaggers around town under the impression he is a dead shot.

Jane Russell plays the entire screenplay deadpan, which is evidently the extent of her acting ability, but in the case perhaps deadpanning is the best idea. The audience was captivated by her charm (and figure). One other actor should be noted, Chief Iron Man Cody, who plays an unidentified redman admirably.

There is nothing crisp and original in "The Paleface," just the old tried and true western cliches dressed up and put forth flawlessly. But in this case the result is a tremendous burlesque of all western epics, both serious and comic, with Bob Hope as the stalwart hero and Jane Russell as the prim heroine. Hope is a coward, and Miss Russell is hardly prim.

Perhaps the tone of the film may be summed up in the scene where the wagon train starts across the great prairies. A bearded pioneer splits the air with a cry, and his covered wagon charges forward; the second Conestoga lurches ahead into the sunset. Then Hope hollers, and his team sprints forward. Too bad he forgets to hitch them to the wagon.