Funny, fun, silly 1939 comedy - “Never Say Die“ - with Bob Hope, Martha Raye, Andy Devine

This is one of my favorite Bob Hope comedies, and also starred Martha Raye, who was really in sync with his easy-going spontaneous acting style. The screenplay has a foolproof concept – a hypochondriac millionaire (Hope) gets test results from a dog that erroneously tells him he only has a month to live – multiplied by the fact that one of the screenwriters was Preston Sturges. It’s that ilk of silly 1930s comedy that didn’t take itself too seriously, and wasn’t designed as an “A-list” movie for the ages - which is why it’s so lighthearted and silly - but fun! BUT it has excellent pedigree, and is fun from beginning to end. This is one of those films that you sense that all the actors – Hope, Raye, Andy Devine, Gale Sondergaard, Alan Mobray – all enjoyed themselves. It was originally supposed to star Jack Benny with an unknown actress - and it’s one of those cases that you can’t imagine anyone but Bob and Martha, who bring their total madcap silliness, abetted by Andy Devine and company in fine form. - HeathCliff Rothman, former contributor to Vanity Fair, New York Times, USA Today, and specialized in classic film.