Agreed, Paul Leni's 1927 original is fantastic. This is great fun though, but you're not wrong about Hope. As a rule I'm not a fan, but I think the balance is just right here and his chemistry with Goddard is great.
He's a little more restrained in this and The Ghost Breakers. Unusually for Hope, his comedy compliments his character and the movie rather than dominating it. Goddard is effortlessly beautiful and charming, isn't she?
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I agree, for me everything he did after The Ghost Breakers simply became the Bob Hope show. This works perfectly though, and yes, Goddard has a wonderfully effortless charm that's rare in actors today. Delightful.