Road to Bali is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Hal Walker and starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour.

It was the only entry in the series filmed in Technicolor[4] and was the first to feature surprise cameo appearances from other well-known stars of the day.

George and Harold, American song-and-dance men performing in Melbourne, Australia, leave in a hurry to avoid various marriage proposals.

A lonesome Harold is left on the beach, demanding that the film shouldn't finish and trying unsuccessfully to keep the words "The End" from appearing on the screen.

Among the celebrities who made token "gag" appearances in this film are bandleader Bob Crosby (Bing's brother), Humphrey Bogart, by way of a clip from The African Queen, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, and Jane Russell, as her character from the film Son of Paleface (1952).

[5] The giant squid that threatens Bob Hope in an underwater scene was previously seen attacking Ray Milland in the Paramount production Reap the Wild Wind (1942), directed by Cecil B. DeMille.

The erupting volcano climax was taken directly from the Paramount production Aloma of the South Seas (1941), also starring Lamour.

In keeping with the film's initial setting of Melbourne, Australia, many of the jokes contain references to Argyle socks, Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, Tasmanian-born Errol Flynn, and a dance routine featuring Scottish bagpipes.

As with the other Road movies, Bob Hope breaks the "fourth wall" several times to make side comments to the audience.

For example, as the music for a song sung by Bing Crosby begins, Hope looks to the camera and says, "He's gonna sing, folks.

[6]Paramount hired the Bijou Theatre in New York City on November 14, 1952, to preview the film to exhibitors and critics.

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times was very enthusiastic in his review of January 30, 1953: "it is apparent that this veteran and camera-scarred team is the neatest, smoothest combo of comics now working the fun side of the screen.

At least, that's the word of this reviewer who spent a small part of yesterday falling out of a seat at the Astor while desperately clutching his sides.

Quite simply, Road to Bali is a whoopingly hilarious film, full of pure crazy situations and deliciously discourteous gags, all played with evident relish and split-second timing by the team.

"[10] William Brogdon of Variety was more cautious, having seen a preview, and their comments may have resulted in the removal of a couple of scenes: "Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour are back again in another of Paramount’s highway sagas, this time in Technicolor, with nonsensical amusement its only destination.

Overall, however, it serves its intended purpose satisfactorily and the grossing prospects are okay...Hal Walker’s direction is geared to the free-wheeling spirit that dominates the script and does well by it, as do the three stars and the featured cast.