In this comedy, the head of a United Nations department suddenly becomes a father when he stumbles across an abandoned baby in one of the halls. He tries to find a home for the darling and suddenly finds himself surrounded by assorted exotic beauties all trying to win the baby for their country. In the end, though, the bachelor takes the babe for his own. Songs include: "So Wide the World," "Fais Do Do," and "A Global Affair." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
lost interest.
A Global Affair is a middling
Bob Hope comedy that fans of the comic will enjoy -- as will fans of the "swinging" early 1960's. Indeed,
Global really goes in for "cool" as only Hollywood in 1963 could define it; this means it's nothing resembling genuine cool, but it's so artificial and, ultimately, square that it provides a good deal of entertainment. Without the period "charm" to distract,
Global can be a bit on the dull side; it's formulaic to the extreme, with stock characters, predictable situations and gag set-ups that can be seen coming a mile away. By this time, Hope had settled into a rut as far as his acting was concerned; the laconic style he perfected earlier in his career has become far too easy for him, and while he can put across a joke when he wants, he doesn't really seem to have his heart in it.
Global's heart, meanwhile, is in the right place in terms of what it wants to say about peace and humanity, but it says it in the most obvious manner.
Jack Arnold's direction is adequate but no more so, but he does have a supporting cast of worthy players such as
Reta Shaw,
Yvonne De Carlo,
John McGiver and
Liselotte Pulver that helps to brighten things up. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide