Fancy Pants (1950) { KL Studio Classics Blu-ray Review}

Bob Hope and Lucille Ball are icons in comedy. Lucille Ball is best known for her shows I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show. Where Bob Hope was a movie star, TV star and known for entertaining the troops. But four times Bob Hope and Lucille Ball joined forces on film. In 1949's Sorrowful Jones, 1950's Fancy Pants, 1960s The Facts of Life and 1963's Critic's Choice.

KL Studio Classics have been releasing some classic films from the great Bob Hope on Blu-ray. Those films are Nothing but the Truth, Caught in the Draft, My Favorite Blonde, Alias Jesse James, Where There's Life, Monsieur Beaucaire. Now the next Hope classic is the outrageous comedy feature Hope and Ball Fancy Pants.

A struggling American actor Arthur Tyler (Bob Hope) in need of a job is hired to impersonate an English butler named 'Humphrey' by Effie (Lea Penman) on here New Mexican estate. This all in hopes to refine her husband Mike (Jack Kirkwood) and headstrong daughter Agatha (Lucille Ball). The complications increase when the town believes Arthur to be an Earl, and President Roosevelt (John Alexander, Arsenic and Old Lace) decides to pay a visit.

This film was adapted from the 1935 comedy Ruggles of Red Gap starring Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, and ZaSu Pitts. However I still enjoy this film more than that one. 

Many film fans consider Sorrowful Jones Ball and Hopes best film. And while I can understand why many feel that Fancy Pants really is my favorite of the two films. The craziness in this film is absurd and totally hilarious. Including the time when Humphrey fixes Agatha's hair complete with a birdcage. Yes read that right!

Kino Lorber under the division KL Studio Classics have transferred this classic comedy to Blu-ray featuring a newly remastered 4K scan of the 35mm YCM (yellow/cyan/magenta) Three-Strip Technicolor Elements by Paramount Pictures. The film is presented in 1080p in it's original 1.37:1 aspect ratio and the soundtrack is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0.

Now when I compared this brand new 4k scan on Blu-ray to the Paramount Pictures DVD release of this film, the difference is mind blowing. The quality of the picture is crisp and clean the colors are vibrant. This new 4K scan really takes this film from the 50s into the 21st century.

Now for bonus features there is just English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and The Theatrical Trailer along with other Bob Hope trailers. Yes I would have enjoyed a featurette or a audio commentary. But to see this film looking so great from this new 4K scan  is enough to call this a must own.

If you are a fan of Lucille Ball and Bob Hope this film is an absolute must add to your Blu-ray collection. Head over to Amazon and order your copy of Fancy Pants before they are all gone.

Out of 4 Film reels (4 being the best) KL Studio Classics'  Blu-ray Fancy Pants receives...