The Time Of Their Lives (1946)

Abbott & Costello provide audiences with something a bit different from their usual fare in this easygoing, supernatural comedy.

Lou plays Horatio, a man wrongly shot down as a traitor and cursed to reside as a ghost alongside Melody Allen (played by Marjorie Reynolds). Horatio and Melody have to stay on the land on which they died, unless one day their innocence can be proved. As time rolls merrily on, we eventually get a group of people arriving who may well help in that endeavour. Including, of course, a character played by Bud Abbott.


The Time Of Their Lives is a pleasant enough little movie and I can't say that I disliked it. However, it really was really missing some spark of wit and vitality. The supernatural element kept things entertaining enough but didn't really compensate for the lack of the trademark fast-talking banter that fans of A & C know and love.

The first of many A & C movies directed by Charles Barton, this one benefits from a great cast (Marjorie Reynolds is a delight, Binnie Barnes and Gale Sondergaard are both very good, Ann Gillis is very sweet and John Shelton is fine) compensating for the mediocre script. Val Burton, Walter DeLeon and Bradford Ropes all had a hand in the screenplay, with some additional dialogue by John Grant (as was so often the case), but none of them capitalise on the potential of the premise. One or two set-pieces stand out as pretty amusing skits but they're still not a patch on the more typical A & C style of humour that featured in most of their other movies.

I wish this had been a better comedy but I still enjoyed it as a nice and inoffensive comedy that happens to have two lead characters who are ghosts.

6/10.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbott-Costello-Naughty-Nineties-Their/dp/B000GLKNQO/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1332194164&sr=1-1

In Society (1944)

It might not have been the smoothest shoot ever compared to many other Abbott & Costello movies but, regardless of that fact, In Society stands up as yet another of the better outings for our comedy duo. It mixes some standard fast-talking exchanges with a number of hilarious set-pieces and some fun stunt work in the second half.

Bud and Lou are a pair of pretty incompetent plumbers for this outing. They end up being called out to a big job during a fancy dress party and get a lift from their friend, Elsie Hammerdingle (a female cab driver, played by Marion Hutton). Elsie is spotted by rich bachelor Peter Evans (Kirby Grant), who won't believe that she is actually a cab driver, and a relationship develops. Events conspire to get everyone attending another high society party where a valuable painting catches the eye of a greedy criminal, Lou has a thrilling time taking part in a fox hunt and everyone may well be revealed for who they really are.

Directed by Jean Yarbrough (with a couple of major scenes directed by an uncredited Erle C. Kenton), In Society showcases two stars at the height of their success, in my opinion. Bud and Lou probably won't win you over if you've never liked their style but the same can be said of almost any other comic talent of the era (and, indeed, of any era). They managed to create two comic personas that they could then slip on like a tailor-made suit and their movies really became more entertaining as the performances seemed to become easier and easier.

Marion Hutton and Peter Evans are perfectly fine in their supporting roles, while Margaret Irving, Ann Gillis, Arthur Treacher, Thomas Gomez and Murray Leonard also do very good work with a variety of characters all displaying a variety of upbringings and personal goals.

The script, involving a number of folk including the constant A & C companion John Grant, has very few weak patches and more than its fair share of absolutely brilliant moments, with the best being the whole skit about "The Susquehanna Hat Company". Even the few musical numbers are enjoyable and don't overstay their welcome.

Fans will most certainly want to see this one and will, most likely, enjoy it as much as I did.

8/10.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Film-Box-Set-Costello-Privates/dp/B000PMGRN2/ref=sr_1_8?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1328566234&sr=1-8