The Ghost Breakers (1940)

A Bob Hope comedy without a lot of laughs may seem like an oxymoron (at least if it was made before 1960), but that's what you have in The Ghost Breakers. What's even more surprising is that Breakers is a pretty entertaining little film, even without a barrelful of laughs. Not that the film is devoid of laughs, nor is it the kind of film that attempts too many jokes that fall flat; aside from some gags given to Willie Best which are delivered in a painfully unfunny racially stereotyped manner, most of the jokes here work. It's simply that, in Breakers, more attention is being paid than usual to the plot and to the trappings that go with this particular mixture of genre (mystery, thriller, and horror). As a result, Breakers has a stronger (and more consistent) storyline than is usual for a Hope vehicle of the period. True, there are flaws -- the presence of a real ghost seems out of place, and the zombie subplot a bit forced -- but overall, this is one of Hope's stronger non-Road outings. It helps that he's paired with a truly delectable Paulette Goddard and gets fine support from Paul Lukas and Anthony Quinn. Hope, of course, is Hope, though -- his protestations aside -- he's much braver here than usual. Breakers is not a great film, but it's definitely enjoyable. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide