''Cancel My Reservation'' is a 1972 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

starring

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

and Eva Marie Saint, and directed by

Paul Bogart Paul Bogart (né Bogoff; November 13, 1919 – April 15, 2012) was an Americans, American television director and producer. Bogart directed episodes of the television series 'Way Out (TV series), Way Out'' in 1961, ''Coronet Blue'' in 1967, '' ...

. The movie was Bob Hope's last of over 50 theatrical features as leading man, a screen run begun in 1938. It was also Eva Marie Saint's last film before she took a break from the big screen until 1986's '' Nothing in Common''.

Plot

Television personality Dan Bartlett, having difficulties with his wife and TV co-star Sheila, retreats to his Arizona ranch. When the body of Mary Little Cloud is found in the back seat of his car, Dan is placed under arrest. Freed for lack of evidence, Dan returns home to find attractive, scantily clad Crazy Hollister there. Her stepfather John Ed owns a 50,000 acre property nearby. Crazy is upset that John Ed has blocked her inheritance and may have even murdered her mother. Sheila shows up and believes she has caught Dan having an affair, but Crazy convinces her that's not true. Meanwhile, county recorder Snagby tries to blackmail John Ed with information Mary Little Cloud gave him, but John Ed's evil henchman Reese has him killed. Sheriff Riley once again thinks Dan is responsible. The Bartletts are taken captive by Reese and sealed inside a cave. There they renew their love. Riley is able to free them while Crazy finds proof that Mary Little Cloud had a document showing her tribe to be the lawful owner of John Ed's land. Reese is betrayed by John Ed, who ultimately learns that crime doesn't pay. Dan and Sheila can't wait to get back to their old lives.

Cast

as Dan Bartlett * Eva Marie Saint as Sheila Bartlett *

Ralph Bellamy Ralph Rexford Bellamy (June 17, 1904 – November 29, 1991) was an American actor whose career spanned 65 years on stage, film, and television. During his career, he played leading roles as well as supporting roles, garnering acclaim and award ...

as John Ed * Forrest Tucker as Reese * Anne Archer as Crazy Hollister *

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his wikt:stock-in-trade, stock-in-trade; though he rarely carried the leading actor, lead role, h ...

as Sheriff 'Houndtooth' Riley * Chief Dan George as 'Old Bear' * Pat Morita as Yamamoto * Tracy Bogart as Teenage Girl * Betty Ann Carr as Mary Little Cloud * Henry Darrow as Joe Little Cloud * Doodles Weaver as Cactus (Deputy Sheriff)

Uncredited cameo appearances

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...

as himself *

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

as himself *

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

as himself * Flip Wilson as himself

Reception

Like most of Bob Hope's later movie efforts, ''Cancel My Reservation'' was not a success at the box office and was panned by critics. Hope and his wife Dolores attended the film's premiere at

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

(incidentally during a strike by the Musicians' Union, which prevented the band or the Rockettes from performing) and he reputedly bemoaned that he was getting too old to play a leading man and therefore would not make another feature film, although he would make cameo appearances in later films.

References

External links

* {{Louis L'Amour 1972 films 1972 comedy films American comedy mystery films 1970s comedy mystery films 1970s English-language films Films directed by Paul Bogart Films based on works by Louis L'Amour Films scored by Dominic Frontiere Films set in Arizona Warner Bros. films 1970s American films English-language comedy mystery films