Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy (1955)

It's a shame that Abbott and Costello kept making a number of movies after their peak years were already fading fast behind them but there were still fun moments for fans to take from each of their films. And, despite the dismissal it gets by many film lovers, I think that this movie sees A & C end their days making films for Universal on a bit of a high note. It's still quite a bit below their best work but there are a number of great set-pieces here that work like a charm.

The plot, as if you couldn't figure it out, sees the two men getting mixed up with a lively mummy. There is more than a little scheming, there's a murder and there's an extra complication when Lou eats a medallion that many people want to get their hands on.

John Grant is back on writing duties (as usual) and Charles Lamont is directing again for this flimsy bit of fun. From an opening sequence that showcases some absolutely, jaw-droppingly, great "Apache" dancing to a fun skit involving A & C being unnerved by a dead body to the moments that lead up to the medallion being eaten to the argument that stems from Bud "taking his pick" and opting for a spade, there are plenty of enjoyable moments from beginning to end.

Everything comes to a temporary halt for Peggy King to sing the pretty dire "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis" but it gets right back on track again soon after. Marie Windsor, Kurt Katch, Richard Deacon and a bandaged Eddie Parker provide a mixed bag of support but this A & C movie is just like most of the other A & C movies, at its best when the two leads are onscreen and sparking off each other.

Fans of The Mummy, as one of the classic Universal monsters, may be upset by the fact that the character isn't ever really portrayed as a real threat but fans of Bud and Lou should find this a worthwhile viewing.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Frankenstein-Mummy/dp/B000GKHM28/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343845725&sr=8-1

Abbott & Costello Meet The Keystone Cops (1955)

This may not be a terrible movie but it's clear that at this stage of their career, Abbott and Costello were way past their best. There are no BIG laughs here, instead the film throws in a number of comedic stunt sequences. Those moments are enjoyable enough but just not what I want to see in an A & C film. I want the wit, the confusing wordplay and the great blend of stupid and smart that the boys do so well.

The plot sees our two leads swindled out of $5,000 dollars (they buy a movie studio that turns out to be the old Edison studio, not in use and not for sale) by a man who then heads to Hollywood to pass himself off as a talented European director. Once they realise the con, Bud and Lou go on a journey to find the man and get their money back. That journey ends up getting them inadvertently involved in the movie business and leads to the titular meeting with the famous Keystone Cops.

Directed by Charles Lamont, and written by John Grant (based on a storyline by Lee Loeb), there is certainly more to this movie than just the usual buffoonery and money-chasing antics. Many moments throughout the film actually look at the wonder of the cinema screen and the inclusion of the Keystone Cops should also clue you in to the fact that this is a bit of a celebration of the development of slapstick and comedy routines in the movies.

Bud and Lou are still amusing enough when not being stuck in the middle of too many special effects and stunts, Fred Clark is good fun as the conman, Lynn Bari is his lovely accomplice and there's a nice cameo from Mack Sennett before that third act that finally brings in the Keystone Cops.

While it's not a great comedy, nor is it a great A & C film, there's a nice warmth in this movie and an affection for the works of those who started off before sound was developed and helped to shape some great sequences that would entertain cinema audiences.

5/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbott-Costello-Foreign-Legion-Keystone/dp/B000H5V9H6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343343205&sr=8-1

Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1953)

Charles Lamont returns to direct Abbott and Costello in this lesser outing that sees the duo meeting up with the legendary figure of horror. The plot is very slim, it's essentially summed up in the title, and the movie suffers by not actually having Bud and Lou onscreen for large durations of the runtime.

Bud and Lou are two police officers who get themselves in a bit of trouble when they're embarrassed by some protesting suffragettes. Perhaps they'll be able to get themselves back in the good books if they find and apprehend the monster responsible for terrorising London. That monster isn't always a monster, however, and so the duo don't realise how close they are to the villain when they meet the very civil Mr. Hyde (Boris Karloff).

It's weak, there's no denying that it's weak, but there are still a few good moments scattered throughout this A & C adventure. The script by Lee Loeb and John Grant may be light on laughs but there's at least one great set-piece that involves Lou being unwittingly transformed and the finale is a fun mix of thrills and amusing confusion.

The leading men are good when onscreen but, as mentioned above, that's really not often enough. Craig Stevens and Helen Westcott are acceptable enough in their supporting roles but things improve whenever Boris Karloff is onscreen, making this worth a watch if you're a fan of the horror icon (he gets more to work with here than he did in his last appearance alongside the boys).

Some fans of the duo had already written them off by this point but their last few movies still contain enough entertainment if you've been on the journey with A & C over the years and remained a fan of their style and routines.

5/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Killer-Jekyll/dp/B000H7ZZH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342632411&sr=8-1

Abbott And Costello Go To Mars (1953)

First off, the title is a bit of a con here because at no point to Abbott and Costello actually go to Mars. Am I spoiling the whole movie for you with this piece of knowledge? No. The two stars do end up in outer space and they do explore some alien territory, but it's most certainly not Mars and I can only assume that the title was left so inaccurate because it just had a nice ring to it.

If you have a top secret spaceship that you're hoping will go on an amazing journey of discovery then the last thing you should do is let Abbott and Costello loose in it but that's exactly what happens near the start of this movie. One or two button pushes later and the boys are flying around with no idea of just how to safely land.
They first arrive in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, thinking that they're surrounded by aliens, but that's just the start of their travels.

Directed by Charles Lamont, this outrageous and unbelievable adventure still manages to be a lot of fun from begining to end by simply concentrating on the many comedic opportunities that the premise allows and not letting anything like logic or any semblance of reality get in the way. Sometimes this can harm a movie but I'm happy to say that it's not the case here. The script by D. D. Beauchamp and John Grant is enjoyable and the performances from Abbott, Costello, Horace McMahon and Jack Kruschen (as a pair of escaped convicts) and a large number of Miss Universe contestants are all easygoing and should make you smile.

There are one or two set-pieces (including a tussle without gravity) that stand out, a pleasing lack of any musical numbers and plenty of decent one-liners in the script. Even the dated look of the sci-fi elements (big fishbowl-space helmets, endearingly poor special effects, etc) actually made me like the whole thing even more, like some comedy riff on the sci-fi comic books of the time. Which is, essentially, what it is. Overall, this ended up being a lot better than I expected and I'd happily watch it again.

7/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Invisible-Mars/dp/B000GLKNQE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342004606&sr=8-1

Comin' Round The Mountain (1951)

While this is an enjoyable enough effort from Abbott & Costello it also feels like a bit of a step backwards. There is definitely some decent comedy here and there throughout the movie but you also get plenty of recycled gags (which should come as no surprise to anyone who has more than a passing knowledge of the A & C  filmography) and a few songs as well. Okay, the songs are quite entertaining but they still take up time that could have been given over to numerous comedy routines.

The plot is a riff on the old Hatfield-McCoy feud that happened in the latter part of the nineteenth century. It comes to light that Lou, playing Wilbur Smith, is a long lost relation of the McCoy family and his return should be enough to prompt the matriarch of the family to reveal the whereabouts of some family treasure. Bud, as Al Stewart, will go along for a share of the loot and singer Dorothy McCoy (played by Dorothy Shay) may soon regret ever informing Lou of his feisty family tree.

All of the usual suspects are in attendance behind the camera. Charles Lamont directs once more and the script includes contributions from Robert Lees, Frederic I. Rinaldo and John Grant. But it's the cast that lifts the whole film from something potentially dull and below average to a solid slice of comedy. Bud and Lou are their usual selves and Dorothy Shay is a sassy lass but the supporting players are even more enjoyable - Ida Moore is great as Granny McCoy, Shaye Cogan is still very cute despite being a bit of a tomboy character, Glenn Strange makes his second appearance beside our comedy leads (albeit this time without the heavy make up required to play Frankenstein's monster) and Margaret Hamilton has a bit of fun with her reputation as the most well-known witch in cinema history.

When I started writing this review I was going to give the movie a 6/10 rating at most but the more I think about it, the more I realise that this is a very enjoyable piece of entertainment. I still have misgivings about the songs and the amount of recycled gags but I can't deny that I was smiling and laughing from start to finish. Which is why it ends up getting a 7.

7/10

http://www.amazon.com/Costello-Foreign-Frankenstein-Invisible-Mountain/dp/B00023P4O2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338933506&sr=8-1

Abbott & Costello Meet The Invisible Man (1951)

For anyone who enjoyed Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, you'll be pleased to know that this movie takes another figure popularised on film by Universal and uses it to great effect opposite our comedy duo.

Bud and Lou play a couple of detectives this time, with Lou only passing the training thanks to a timely bribe slipped to the head man from Bud. The two men are put in place to help an experienced detective but, as luck would have it, Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz) bursts in on them when they're alone in the office and assumes that they're the real deal. Tommy is a boxer wrongly accused of murder and he needs help to clear his name. To help him lay low in the meantime he takes an unstable, but effective, invisibility serum and this leads to plenty of laughs as Tommy helps Lou pass himself off as a top boxer in order to find out who the real killer is.

This is a fantastic A & C outing from start to finish, featuring a very funny script from Robert Lees, Frederic I. Rinaldo and John Grant and very capable direction from Charles Lamont, who keeps everything perfectly paced and makes the most of a few great set-pieces.

The cast are all fantastic. Bud and Lou get to recycle a few of their routines, as usual, but also get plenty of new material to wring laughs from as they deal with their invisible client. And a boxing match in the third act is chock full of great physical comedy. Arthur Franz is, obviously, not actually onscreen for all that long but he gives a very good performance, both physically and vocally. Helen Gray is very good, Adele Jergens has fun getting Lou hot under the collar and Sheldon Leonard and John Daheim do well as men running up against our bumbling heroes. William Frawley plays a detective who knows that something is going on but can't get to the bottom of it, Paul Maxey is a psychiatrist who tries to use hypnosis when all else fails and Gavin Muir is the doctor trying to find a way to perfect the invisibility serum before Tommy Nelson is driven mad.

Based more around special effects and (lack of?) sight gags, the film still has more than its fair share of great one-liners and amusing exchanges and it's one that I recommend to fans of Abbott & Costello without any hesitation whatsoever. One of their best.

8/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Invisible-Mars/dp/B000GLKNQE

Hit The Ice (1943)

It would seem that by this point in their careers, Abbott & Costello had really hit their stride. The template had been set a long time ago but the fine tuning had taken a while. Thankfully, it was worth it to get entertaining movies like this one and many others.

This time around our loveable fools are a couple of photographers trying to get an exclusive that will secure them work with a local paper. Instead of a steady job they actually end up, inadvertently, watching the front doors of a bank while it is robbed. The boys are, obviously, accused of the crime and so have to set about hatching a plan that will clear their names and bring the real criminals to justice. That plan may end up involving pratfalls on ice, some fancy skiing and a few musical interludes.

There's nothing extraordinary about this film but it's just so much fun from start to finish that it's one fans of A & C should happily be able to watch again and again. The songs aren't too bad, the physical comedy is enjoyable and there are a few moments of very good, quickfire dialogue.

The leads are, well, as they always are while support comes from Ginny Simmons as the lovely Marcia Manning, Patric Knowles as a doctor, Elyse Knox as his observant nurse and Sheldon Leonard as the "patient" who comes up with the great bank robbery idea. Oh, and Johnny Long and His Orchestra are on hand to back up the singing.

Director Charles Lamont took over after Erle C. Kenton was fired and he does a good job, maintaining the quality and number of the gags in comparison to the past couple of fantastic films, that Kenton had directed, featuring the duo. True Boardman gets the credit for creating the story but Robert Lees, Frederic Rinaldo and John Grant craft the dialogue (with some uncredited input from Allen Boretz, apparently).

All in all, another fine slice of A & C hijinks.

7/10.

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