This is a real Bob Hope classic, with Bob wise-crackin' all through this sequel spoof of the old West. Co-stars Jane Russell and Roy Rogers must have had a tough time playing it straight in this laugh a minute riot.

The West is being plagued by stage coach holdups led by "The Torch"(Jane Russell) and her gang. The governor calls in an undercover agent (Rogers) to find out who the "Torch " is and retrieve the stolen gold. Meanwhile, our hero (Bob), has graduated from college and sets out to retrieve his daddy's fortune in gold. However, when he arrives, he finds that dear old daddy hid the gold and borrowed money from just about everyone in town. He schemes to woo Jane Russell and marry her for her money. Of course, with the looks of Miss Russell, he quickly falls for real. There are sight gags galore as Hope drinks his daddy's favorite drink in the saloon, wanders of in the desert, and trades quips with Rogers. Trigger is also in the film and upstages Hope on many occasions. He proves he was "The Smartest Horse In The Movies" over and over again. My favorite scene is a tug of war between Hope and Trigger, who are sharing a bed while being watched over by Roy. Rogers manages to get off some memorable tunes, as he yodels out " A Four Legged Friend", "California Rose" and a trio with Hope and Russell in "Buttons and Bows". Russell proves she can play it straight and is gorgeous.

Picture- The fullscreen image was flawed by dust specks in the opening minutes of the film but after that is relatively clean. The Technicolor transfer is fully saturated with little fading or color shifts during reel changes. Some halos of color mark a few short scenes, as the negatives have suffered the ravages of time, but for the most part, the picture is sharp and well focused. Sound-Dolby or other noise reduction means we don't hear the occasional hiss of the soundtrack and distortions in some louder film moments. For the most part, the soundtrack is in good shape for a 1952 film with mono sound. Dialog is clearly understood.

A short biography of Hope is presented as an extra on the DVD. It is well researched and we learn quite a bit about Hope and his start in show business. A short filmography is included in these screens of information. It would have been a real bonus to include bios on Rogers and Russell.

This is one of Hope's funniest romps without Crosby. He is right on target with the jokes and full of energy. It's good for the kids as well as the adults and this bargain priced DVD is in good shape in color and sound. Roy and Trigger are also in top form, as is Russell. A real bargain for classic lovers.