''I'll Take Sweden'' is a 1965 American comedy film. It was directed by
Frederick de Cordova, and stars
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 ...
,
Frankie Avalon
Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American singer, actor and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including Record ...
, and
Tuesday Weld.
Plot
Single father Bob Holcomb, a widower, is unhappy with the guitar-playing boy Kenny his daughter JoJo chooses as a husband-to-be. An executive with an oil company, Bob accepts a transfer to the firm's
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
branch and he takes JoJo along, hoping it will distract her.
Sweden turns out to be far more
liberal sexually than the United States. Bob, having met an attractive interior designer, Karin, decides to take her away for a romantic weekend at a mountain resort.
JoJo has accepted an offer to go to a jazz festival from Erik, who is Bob's new assistant. Originally seen as a respectable suitor, Erik turns out to be a playboy and a cad. A girl thought to be his cousin, Marti, is actually a former girlfriend.
Bob invites Kenny to Sweden in an attempt to get Kenny and JoJo together. Kenny is invited by Erik to have dinner with Marti and also to the festival.
Bob sends Erik to Saudi Arabia but he does not go, sending his subordinate. He also tells JoJo he is going away for work but he really goes with Karin to a resort, but stops at the festival on the way.
Kenny takes Marti to the festival. JoJo spies her father in the restaurant at the festival while talking to him on the phone. He is still claiming to be working while she is supposed to be home alone. After originally telling Erik she wanted to go home, she tells him she now wants to go to the same resort her father is heading to.
Marti tells Kenny she is not really Erik's cousin and both admit they are in love with their former partners. They also decide to go to the mountain resort. At the resort where the three couples continue to awkwardly encounter one another. Kenny finally has his fill of Erik, knocking him out with his guitar.
On a voyage home, the ship's captain performs a double wedding ceremony that turns out to be invalid due to a navigation error. so it needs to be done again.
Cast
Production notes
Development
The film was announced in April 1964 with Hope and Weld attached from the beginning.
In July Frederick de Cordova was announced as director.
The movie was advertised as being Hope's 50th but even he disputed that.
Filming
Filming started August 1964. The parts of the movie that were supposed to be in Sweden were shot at
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the Western United States, western United States, located in the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino County, California. It is a snow and rain-fed lake, having no other m ...
and
Lake Arrowhead, California.
Director Frederick De Cordova saw
Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President
Lyndon B. Johnson, dance the
Watusi at a White House barbecue. He offered her a role in the film but she declined on the grounds she had to go to school.
Billie Dove visited the set and Bob Hope offered her a role too but the former star declined.
Critical reception
Howard Thompson of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' loathed the film: "The picture is an altogether asinine little romp . . . Nothing can save this tattered, old-fashioned dip." At least one exhibitor had his complaints published: "Bob Hope is no good in this picture. No plot. Corny. No good for a double feature."
''Variety'' called it "a brisk and tuneful comedy." Other reviews were mixed. ''Filmink'' felt the film ad "a superb idea for a comedy, but it was not exploited properly... Instead, we get a cringey “silent majority” style late period Hope movie, which never feels as though it takes place in Sweden. Avalon’s performance is utterly fine, completely professional – it’s not his fault that the film isn’t good."
Hope was so impressed with Avalon's work, he signed Avalon to appear on his television show.
See also
*
List of American films of 1965
References
External links
*
{{Edward Small
1965 comedy films
1965 films
American comedy films
1960s English-language films
Films directed by Frederick de Cordova
Films produced by Edward Small
Films scored by Jimmie Haskell
Films set in Sweden
Films shot in California
United Artists films
1960s American films
English-language comedy films