In years to come, Hollywood's script teasers will be calling "Louisiana Purchase" one of the most perfect syntheses of plot, music, and acting in musical comedy history. Right now it is the most entertaining picture of the season.

In substance, "Louisiana Purchase" is a not at all subtle satire on the reign of King Huey. Bob Hope is the innocent front man for the Long Machine and victor Moore the pathetic and dyspepsetic Senator who is investigating skullduggery. With this as a starting point, beautiful women, hit tunes and funny episodes are wound into the plot quite logically and smoothly. Most musicals regard plot and tunes as mutually exclusive, and are forever wedging in extrancous specialty numbers. But "Louisiana Purchase" has maudlin Victor Moore and Zorina sliding into "You're Lonely and I'm Lonely" with an unobtrusive kind of grace.

Surprisingly, stout man Moore outdoes himself in an unfamiliar medium, stealing the proceedings from ebullient Bob Hope. And Vera Zorina, dazzling in technicolor, proves that she has a lot more than twinkling toes to recommend her.