A few years after the grand success of Around the World in 80 Days, Cantinflas made a spinoff in which he played the title character: Pepe. Pepe is a man who owns and loves his racehorse so much he calls him his son. When the horse gets bought by a movie star, he sets off on a journey to buy him back. Besides Dan Dailey and Shirley Jones, who play characters, everyone else goes by their real names. Since Cantinflas travels to Hollywood, he bumps into movie stars at every turn, so there's no need to pretend they're someone else. Charles Coburn, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Greer Garson, Cesar Romero, Debbie Reynolds, Jimmy Durante, Hedda Hopper, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Ernie Kovacs, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Curtis, Donna Reed, Billie Burke, Bobby Darin, and Judy Garland (in voice only) make appearances along the way. It's another cameo adventure!
Like many movies with a lengthy running time, there are some scenes that get a little long in the tooth - like any of the dance numbers with Shirley Jones. But there are also some great highlights that more than make up for the boring bits. Seeing 72-year-old Maurice Chevalier soft-shoe with Dan Dailey (and with equal energy) is quite a treat. Jack Lemmon's cameo is hilarious as he leaves the Some Like It Hot set in full dress - and heels. Edward G. Robinson plays a hard-nosed producer, and Frank Sinatra owns a casino frequented by all the Rat Pack members. Kim Novak can be spotted in a jewelry shop, and Janet Leigh gets frightened in her bathtub by a surprise visitor (no, not Anthony Perkins). If you like big cameo fests like this, check this movie out; just be prepared for lots of musical numbers.
Like many movies with a lengthy running time, there are some scenes that get a little long in the tooth - like any of the dance numbers with Shirley Jones. But there are also some great highlights that more than make up for the boring bits. Seeing 72-year-old Maurice Chevalier soft-shoe with Dan Dailey (and with equal energy) is quite a treat. Jack Lemmon's cameo is hilarious as he leaves the Some Like It Hot set in full dress - and heels. Edward G. Robinson plays a hard-nosed producer, and Frank Sinatra owns a casino frequented by all the Rat Pack members. Kim Novak can be spotted in a jewelry shop, and Janet Leigh gets frightened in her bathtub by a surprise visitor (no, not Anthony Perkins). If you like big cameo fests like this, check this movie out; just be prepared for lots of musical numbers.