On the Road

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Saw “Road to Perdition” today. Easily the best film I’ve seen this summer (which isn’t saying much) and possibly this year (which is.) The end of the film was so emotional that several people in the theater (who obviously hadn’t read the book) were openly sobbing.

However, am I the*only* person who hears the title and can only think how it would make an intriguingly bleak entry in the Bing Crosby/Bob Hope “Road” pictures? I keep thinking of Crosby, Hope and Dorothy Lamour singing “We’re off on the Road to Perdition!”

Does anyone even *remember* those films?

PAD

15 comments on “On the Road”

  1. We’re on the Road to Perdition!
    With rain falling all the way!

    Neither hëll nor high water/
    Nor roadstops in Tijuana/
    Will keep us from making our way!

  3. In answer to the question about Bob Hope, he’s one of the best comedians from the 1930’s and 40’s. Boy do I miss him at times.

  4. I used to enjoy those movies.
    Nobody seems to show them any more.
    We get countless re-showings of many lousy films, but not the “road” movies.

  5. I love the Road pics and quite happily introduced my wife to ’em last spring. Honestly, I can’t say the last time I saw one on TV… I had to rent (yes, RENT) one to show her.

  6. Calling those of twisted imagination:

    Cast and plot a PAD “Road” movie.

    I’d suggest Aquaman as Bing Crosby, Hulk as Bob Hope, and Supergirl as Dorothy Lamour.

  8. First, I do remember the “Road” movies. I’m only 38 but my mother would always watch them when they would be rerun on local stations. There was a “Saturday Matinee” on tv here they would show all old movies. I was probably the only kid entering high school in ’78 who had seen all the road movies.

    Second, I read the new preface by Max Allan Collins to the movie tie-in edition of Road to Perdition. He talks at great length about his career and how the book came to be. His original title was “Boy & Gun” if I recall correctly. The editor didn’t like the title and asked Max to come up with another. Max openly admits that he was insipired by the “Road” movies in his choice of title. So those of who immediately thought of Hope & Crosby were on the same wavelength as Max.

    Has anyone else out there been surprised by the number of tepid reviews for this movie? Ebert compared it to a Greek tragedy saying that the what seem to be preordained fates of the characters drained away any tension from the movie. Another reviewer said that the movie looked “too good” and that the cinematography “overwhelmed” the story. Did they see the same movie?

  9. The ROAD movies? Oh, heck yea….used to watch ’em as a kid! Some of the best cheap buddy gags in movie history, man.
    Hmmmm. Wonder if NetFlix carries them…

  10. I loved it. I wrote a review for it that I posted at:
    http://64.33.77.146/discus/messages/8/19925.html?1027822852

    Character-wise, the movie definitely improved the depth of the characters all around. Plot-wise, although showing all of Sullivan’s heists in a montage of dissolved clips was probably a wise choice to keep the film under two hours, it was a shame we didn’t see Eliot Ness, Al Capone, or some of Sullivan’s more daring capers that showed how clever and cunning he was, like the one on the gambling boat.

    But it was still a good movie.

    Luigi Novi

  11. I love the Bob & Bing “Road” movies and was just looking at some DVD’s of them last week…but, I have to admit I didn’t associate them when I heard of the “Road to Perdition” movie. Ah well… but thinking of it now it’s kinda funny.

    -Dennis

  13. While I’ve never seen any of the “Road” movies, I’ve heard of them.

    What I do remember is a scene from Mel Brook’s History of the World Part 1. Comicus and his 3 friends decide to escape the Roman Empire and go to Judea. Just as they are about to go, they all sing, “We’re off on the road to Judea!!!! We certainly do get around!!!!”

    Of course, that’s not the best part of the movie. The two best parts are the Spanish Inquisition song and dance scene and the French Revolution scene. “Count de Money! Count de Money!” “De Monet!”

  14. Here’s what Max Allan Collins has to say in the introduction to the Paradox Press edition of ROAD…

    “I also have to admit that I love the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby “road” pictures, have since childhood, and I doubt this title would have come to me without them. So feel free, during the lighter moments in the narrative ahead, to sing “We’re on the road to Perdition,” to the tune of “Road to Morocco.”

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