JohnHowardReid I'm surprised this one received such negative reviews. Despite an outlandish climax and a few gauche touches here and there, I thought it was Bob Hope's funniest film since "Son of Paleface" (1952). I particularly enjoyed the amusing tilts at some Very Top People. The support cast is great too. Lionel Jeffries is on hand to hand out some delightful extra mayhem, while Orlando Martins has a royal time as the tongue-in-cheek Chief of the Ekele Tribe. I'll readily admit that Anita Ekberg is a bit of a disappointment, but I guess she can't be persuaded to take all (or most of) her gear off all the time. A pity!

vincentlynch-moonoi To me, "Call Me Bwana" was the beginning of the serious slide in Bob Hope's film career, with the nadir being "Boy Did I Get A Wrong Number". Seeing these films, it's easy to forget that back in the 1940s and 1950s, Bob Hope put out some pretty decent films that were genuinely funny. Of course, we all think of the Road pictures with Bing, but there were plenty of other Hope treats over the years. So what happened? I think 2 things. First, Bob's best type of role was when he played a bit of a sap who rarely got the girl. It just worked. But as we moved into the 1960s, Hope seemed to get the idea -- perhaps part of a middle age itch -- that in films he ought to be more of an adult lover (in this film with Anita Eckberg). Well, I'm not saying it didn't work, but it didn't work well. The second issue was that Bob stopped acting and began delivering much of his dialog as he did one-liners.Beyond those problems, this film looks like a "throw-away". Let's produce a cheap film and rely simply on the names Bob Hope and Anita Eckberg. Let's not film a film about Africa in Africa, let's just do it with cheap sets on a film stage in England. If 20th Century Fox could make a film about Africa in 1939 that actually looked like it took place in Africa ("Stanley And Livingstone" with Spencer Tracy), couldn't United Artists do a little better with a film in the more modern era two and a half decades later? You can't say it was because Spencer Tracy was a bigger star, because in the world of comedy, few were bigger than Bob Hope. Yes, there was some stock footage that looked like Africa, but any of the scenes with the main actors were clearly on cheap sets. Audiences expect more.Hope was 60 years old when this picture was made. Maybe it was time to settle down and concentrate on television. Because, quite frankly, this film just isn't very funny.You've actually got a fairly decent cast here. Who was bigger than Hope? Eckerg was hot (!) in more ways than one. Edie Adams was quite talented (although probably more suited to television). And throw in an extended cameo by Arnold Palmer (maybe the most interesting part of the picture), and you've got possibilities...that were, unfortunately squandered. The "chase" scene is just plain dumb and looks so fake it's pathetic.All I can tell you is this. Every year or so I pull down the DVDs of the old Road pictures and savor them once again. I was pleased to be able to see this film 55 years after it was made, but only because was on cable, and I'll buy a DVD of it to pull off the shelf. Just not worth any investment of cash...unless you're a die hard Bob Hope fan. But, at least it's better than "Boy Did I Get A Wrong Number"!

randwolfray If you read the other reviews here, you'll be told about how bad this movie is. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'm not going to argue with the other reviewers. I just want to say that I had fun watching this film, and that's really all the justification I need. (I use movies as a springboard to the imagination anyway). I thought Hope was funny enough, and I liked the supporting players, all memorable to me. The plot was silly, but it wasn't boring. Everyone comes off as a buffoon, the Americans, the Russians, the CIA, the KGB. Even the Africans were funny, but not in a demeaning way. I've seen this three or four times over the years, and I've always looked forward to seeing it again.I doubt, though, that people born after the 1960s would think much of it. It succeeds for what was intended, but it's very much a movie of its time. I was six when it came out, and I still remember what was going on in that era. I "get" the jokes in the film that were aimed at then-current events and people. On the other hand, just as I can enjoy and appreciate comedies made decades before even my generation, people whose experience is only of today might broaden their horizons and get a kick out this when they simply want to personally relax and have a little fun.

ksf-2 Lots of one-liners by Bob Hope, in this film produced by Albert Broccoli, who did all the early James Bond movies. Acc to IMDb, this was the second film produced by Eon productions. The credits don't list who does the voices for John Kennedy or Kruschev at the opening, but clearly its a reflection of the politics of the day. The basic premise is that one of our space ships has gone astray, and landed in Africa. To save face, the U.S. must be the first to find it, so they hire African expert Matthew Merriwether (Bob Hope). Co-stars Anita Ekberg, Edie Adams, and Lionel Jeffries round out the cast. Viewers will recognize Jeffries, who played the grandfather in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This film is very similar to Hope's "Road" movies with Bing, but moves slower. The good thing is... NO SONGS! and a five minute bit with a 30-something Arnold Palmer. Palmer had just won the 1961 And 1962 British Open. I can see why Broccoli wanted to do this project... lots of spies, intrigue, and exotic "foreign" locations, just like a James Bond flick. A fun way to kill some time. Not as bad as some others have thought....it's a lightweight Bob Hope comedy, after all.