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(More customer reviews)A "Guilty pleasure"? Perhaps but I never fail to be amused by the wacky chemistry of Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller in their work together. Having literally discovered Phyllis Diller in her night club act Bob Hope had the unique Miss Diller, who's trademark was wild hair and even crazier clothes, as his leading lady in three mid 1960's films, "Boy Did I Get a Wrong Number!", "The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell" and this effort, "Eight on the Lam". While the humour here is certainly not to everyone's taste they tickle my funny bone and the two make a memorable team usually involved in some outrageous set of situations that could only come out of a 1960's movie. With the feel of a sitcom about it "Eight on the Lam", has humour that is simple and straightforward and trades heavily on Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller's great skill with putting over one liners.
Bob Hope plays widower Henry Dimsdale a father of seven children who works at the local bank. He has the usual mundane life of work, house mortgage, and seven mouths to feed which on occasion grows to include that of wacky housekeeper/baby sitter Golda (Phyllis Diller) who believes in creating a memorable impression by such actions as arriving for work at the Dimsdale's in the back of a Fire Truck. One day in the parking lot Henry stumbles over and discovers a huge roll of cash on the ground and once home the family debate what to do with it. The kids want Henry to keep it to buy them all the things they can't have and even Golda suddenly modifies her usual sarcastic attitude towards Henry and starts getting chummy!. After placing an ad about the money in the paper and receiving no response they decide to keep it however a complication arises when the bank discovers a short fall in their cash desposits and with Henry suddenly coming into wealth suspicion is laid at his door. Warned to get out of town before he's arrested Henry in a panic packs the kids in the car, gets ever loyal Golda to hold Detective boyfriend Jasper Lynch (Jonathan Winters) at bay till he's over the border and heads off. What ensures is a mad and wacky chase as first Ellie Barton, Henry's girlfriend joins him to offer support and then Henry finds himself pursued by Jasper who has to take Golda along as well. Through hiding out in display homes and then winding up at a plush resort hotel in Arizona Henry sees no hope in evading the police until Ellie discovers some information that the Bank President who amazingly turns up at the resort is actually the person guilty of taking the stolen money. Through a very convuluted set of circumstances that sees Henry dressed as a Texan Millionaire, then pursued on stolen golf buggies through the reception area of the hotel, over golf courses and finally into a swimming pool Henry finds his innocence proven and all ends happily with the real guilty party caught, and a double wedding performed between Henry and Ellie and Golda and Jasper. The final scene sees Henry discover another roll of money on the ground which he wisely decides to pass on!
Directed by veteran George Marshall who was responsible for some of Bob Hope's great classic movies of the 1940's such as "The Ghost Breakers", here he has a very different style of comedy to oversee. The pace throughout is fast, and wild and is the type of comedy you have to be in the mood for. Phyllis Diller was a natural for these types of eccentric stories that were abundant during the 1960's decade. Her comic delivery and sparring with Bob Hope is a real pleasure and their easy rapport is understandable considering the long friendship the two enjoyed up till Bob Hope's death. Jonathan Winters does well as Diller's foil here and the scenes of Golda "detaining" Jasper while the Dimsdale family make their getaway is priceless with Golda allowing herself to "succumb" to her uncontrollable passion for the portly police detective. The children in the story are all appealingly cast and Jill St. John has an amusing couple of scenes as a golddigger at the resort hotel who latches onto Hope thinking he is a millionaire.
Even with the good supporting cast "Eight on the Lam", is Hope and Diller's show all the way. For a taste of 1960's "wacky", humour any movie featuring Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller together is great viewing. Hope's critcism of Diller's appearance was always one of their favourite comic mainstays and guaranteed laughs. Never favourites of the critics their movies make easy uncomplicated viewing and record an amusing couple in their "mature" prime. Despite their different styles of delivery the two mesh well and make "Eight on the Lam", a fun way to spend an hour and a half.
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