Keep 'Em Flying. 1941 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Martha Raye, Dick Foran, Carol Bruce, Charles Lang, William Gargan
Director: Arthur Lubin
Available as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
Stunt pilot Jinx Roberts (Foran) and his two assistants Blackie (Abbott) and Heathcliffe (Costello) are fired from a carnival after a disagreement with their boss. Jinx opts to join the Army Air Force, and the three pals go to a nightclub to celebrate one last time, where Jinx falls in love with the club's singer Linda Joyce (Bruce). Linda also becomes a USO hostess around the same time at the academy that Jinx and his brother Jimmy (Lang) have enrolled at. Their instructor is Craig Morrison, who co-piloted commercial airliners with Jinx before the war, and they still can't stand one another. Blackie and Heathcliffe also sign up as ground crewmen, falling in love with a pair of twin USO hostesses (Raye, in a double role), although Heathcliffe is unaware that his girl has a twin sister!
After a serious mishap involving Jinx and Jimmy, everyone is kicked out of the corps. But, a timely mishap involving Craig and a parachute may be the ticket for everyone to be allowed back in, no questions asked.
Recommended movie, although it wasn't the best Abbott and Costello movie I've watched this year...
Showing posts with label abbott and costello. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abbott and costello. Show all posts
Sunday, June 21, 2009
In Society
In Society. 1944 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marion Hutton, Kirby Grant, Arthur Treacher
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Currently available only as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
At the time of filming, Abbott and Costello were in the middle of a contract dispute with Universal, and they were known to abruptly knock off for the day at exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, even if they were in the middle of a scene, or even speaking a line. Regardless, this movie about two plumbers accidentally invited to a high society event where a valuable painting is stolen is a pretty good one.
Eddie Harrington (Abbott) and his assistant Albert Mansfield (Costello) work on a leak in the private bathroom of the rich Mr. Van Cleave (Thurston Hall), which is keeping him awake, unlike the costume ball thrown by his wife (Nella Walker) downstairs. Eddie and Albert try to fix the leak, and predictably flood the bathroom. Meanwhile, their friend Elsie Hammerdingle (Hutton), an attractive taxi driver, is romanced by Peter Evans (Grant), a guest dressed as a taxi driver, and he invites her to another event at Briarwood Estate where the valuable painting called The Plunger is to be debuted to the world. Eddie and Albert are accidentally mailed an invitation to this party, instead of the letter of complaint that Mrs. Van Cleave had prepared for them for destroying the bathroom.
A loan shark (Thomas Gomez) that the boys owe money to demands that Eddie and Albert steal The Plunger, which they refuse to do. The painting is still snatched, and it's up to the plumbers and Elsie to apprehend the thieves and get it back.
Recommended movie, no bout adout it. Just don't mention Bagel Street.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marion Hutton, Kirby Grant, Arthur Treacher
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Currently available only as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
At the time of filming, Abbott and Costello were in the middle of a contract dispute with Universal, and they were known to abruptly knock off for the day at exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, even if they were in the middle of a scene, or even speaking a line. Regardless, this movie about two plumbers accidentally invited to a high society event where a valuable painting is stolen is a pretty good one.
Eddie Harrington (Abbott) and his assistant Albert Mansfield (Costello) work on a leak in the private bathroom of the rich Mr. Van Cleave (Thurston Hall), which is keeping him awake, unlike the costume ball thrown by his wife (Nella Walker) downstairs. Eddie and Albert try to fix the leak, and predictably flood the bathroom. Meanwhile, their friend Elsie Hammerdingle (Hutton), an attractive taxi driver, is romanced by Peter Evans (Grant), a guest dressed as a taxi driver, and he invites her to another event at Briarwood Estate where the valuable painting called The Plunger is to be debuted to the world. Eddie and Albert are accidentally mailed an invitation to this party, instead of the letter of complaint that Mrs. Van Cleave had prepared for them for destroying the bathroom.
A loan shark (Thomas Gomez) that the boys owe money to demands that Eddie and Albert steal The Plunger, which they refuse to do. The painting is still snatched, and it's up to the plumbers and Elsie to apprehend the thieves and get it back.
Recommended movie, no bout adout it. Just don't mention Bagel Street.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
In the Navy
In the Navy. 1941 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick Powell, Claire Dodd, The Andrews Sisters, Shemp Howard
Director: Arthur Lubin
Currently available from Amazon as part of the Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection box set.
Russ Raymond (Powell) is America's most popular singer, but he decides to abandon his pop career at its peak, and joins the Navy using an alias, Tommy Halsted. He entrusts this knowledge only to Smoky (Abbott) and Pomeroy (Costello), but somehow, a disguised reporter named Dorothy Roberts (Dodd) discovers the ruse, and follows him in hopes of taking a picture and revealing his true identity to the world. The first time Russ found out that Dorothy was really a reporter, he literally spanked the girl as the camera snapped away.
Meanwhile, Pomeroy is in love with Patty from the Andrews Sisters, and spends most of the movie trying to win her affections, despite his setback when Patty learns that he really isn't who he claims to be in his letters to her.
The Navy, who was reluctant to allow the crew to film on an actual ship, prevented Universal from releasing the film after they objected to a scene where Pomeroy impersonates a captain and puts a battleship through hazardous maneuvers. Universal simply added new scenes explaining the stunt as a dream he has, which ultimately didn't make the Navy look bad.
Recommended movie. Look for Shemp Howard in between his stints in the Three Stooges as a sailor and cook named Dizzy who manages to pull one over on Pomeroy when the latter tries to scam money off of him.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick Powell, Claire Dodd, The Andrews Sisters, Shemp Howard
Director: Arthur Lubin
Currently available from Amazon as part of the Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection box set.
Russ Raymond (Powell) is America's most popular singer, but he decides to abandon his pop career at its peak, and joins the Navy using an alias, Tommy Halsted. He entrusts this knowledge only to Smoky (Abbott) and Pomeroy (Costello), but somehow, a disguised reporter named Dorothy Roberts (Dodd) discovers the ruse, and follows him in hopes of taking a picture and revealing his true identity to the world. The first time Russ found out that Dorothy was really a reporter, he literally spanked the girl as the camera snapped away.
Meanwhile, Pomeroy is in love with Patty from the Andrews Sisters, and spends most of the movie trying to win her affections, despite his setback when Patty learns that he really isn't who he claims to be in his letters to her.
The Navy, who was reluctant to allow the crew to film on an actual ship, prevented Universal from releasing the film after they objected to a scene where Pomeroy impersonates a captain and puts a battleship through hazardous maneuvers. Universal simply added new scenes explaining the stunt as a dream he has, which ultimately didn't make the Navy look bad.
Recommended movie. Look for Shemp Howard in between his stints in the Three Stooges as a sailor and cook named Dizzy who manages to pull one over on Pomeroy when the latter tries to scam money off of him.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. 1948 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert, Jane Rudolph, Vincent Price (voice only, uncredited)
Director: Charles T. Barton
Available from Amazon as part of the Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
Two Florida baggage clerks named Chick and Wilbur are responsible for two crates that need to be shipped to a horror museum owned by a Mr. MacDougal (Frank Ferguson). They allegedly contain the remains of Dracula (Lugosi) and the Frankenstein monster (Strange). Dracula awakens, hypnotizes Wilbur, and spirits away his own coffin as well as the revived monster. Mr. MacDougal finds the crates empty, accuses the boys of theft, and has them arrested.
Dr. Sandra Mornay (Aubert) receives Dracula and the Monster at her island castle. She has been posing as Wilbur's girlfriend, and she has collaborated with Dracula to replace the Monster's brain with Wilbur's. Back at home, Wilbur and Chick are bailed out of jail by Joan Raymond (Randolph). She is secretly working for the company processing MacDougal's insurance claim, and she hopes Wilbur will lead her to the missing 'exhibits'.
Larry Talbot (Chaney Jr.) has taken the apartment across the hall from Wilbur and Chick, and he's been tracking Dracula and the Monster, since he knows they are alive. He asks the boys for their help in finding and destroying the two villains. Wilbur goes along, but Chick thinks both of them are crazy. Talbot also has a secret: he transforms into the Wolf Man when the moon rises. Wilbur is stalked by the Wolf Man after he brings over Talbot's luggage that he left behind, and doesn't realize it.
The action soon moves to the house of Dracula for a masquerade ball, with Wilbur frequently having run-ins with monsters, and Chick refusing to believe it. Talbot arrives on the scene, along with MacDougal, and pretty soon, the boys are dealing with all three famous Universal monsters. Will they survive?
Recommended.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert, Jane Rudolph, Vincent Price (voice only, uncredited)
Director: Charles T. Barton
Available from Amazon as part of the Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
Two Florida baggage clerks named Chick and Wilbur are responsible for two crates that need to be shipped to a horror museum owned by a Mr. MacDougal (Frank Ferguson). They allegedly contain the remains of Dracula (Lugosi) and the Frankenstein monster (Strange). Dracula awakens, hypnotizes Wilbur, and spirits away his own coffin as well as the revived monster. Mr. MacDougal finds the crates empty, accuses the boys of theft, and has them arrested.
Dr. Sandra Mornay (Aubert) receives Dracula and the Monster at her island castle. She has been posing as Wilbur's girlfriend, and she has collaborated with Dracula to replace the Monster's brain with Wilbur's. Back at home, Wilbur and Chick are bailed out of jail by Joan Raymond (Randolph). She is secretly working for the company processing MacDougal's insurance claim, and she hopes Wilbur will lead her to the missing 'exhibits'.
Larry Talbot (Chaney Jr.) has taken the apartment across the hall from Wilbur and Chick, and he's been tracking Dracula and the Monster, since he knows they are alive. He asks the boys for their help in finding and destroying the two villains. Wilbur goes along, but Chick thinks both of them are crazy. Talbot also has a secret: he transforms into the Wolf Man when the moon rises. Wilbur is stalked by the Wolf Man after he brings over Talbot's luggage that he left behind, and doesn't realize it.
The action soon moves to the house of Dracula for a masquerade ball, with Wilbur frequently having run-ins with monsters, and Chick refusing to believe it. Talbot arrives on the scene, along with MacDougal, and pretty soon, the boys are dealing with all three famous Universal monsters. Will they survive?
Recommended.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Naughty Nineties
The Naughty Nineties. 1945 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Alan Curtis, Rita Johnson
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Available as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
This movie is best known for containing the classic routine "Who's on First?"
Captain Sam (Henry Travers) owns the showboat River Queen, which is traveling from port to port along the Mississippi River, bringing entertainment to every stop. While stopped in a town called Ironville, the Captain meets up with three people, Crawford (Curtis), Bonita (Johnson), and Bailey (Joe Sawyer), and all three are hiding from the law. They invite Sam to play in a card game, despite the objections of his daughter Caroline (Collier), his lead actor Dexter Broadhurst (Abbott) and a crew member named Sebastian Dinwiddle (Costello). Captain Sam is fed drink after drink, and gets involved in a crooked card game where he loses controlling interest of the boat to Bonita and Crawford.
The new owners quickly turn the showboat into a floating casino where every game is rigged in their favor. It's up to Dexter and Sebastian to help Captain Sam gain his property back, and evict Bonita and Crawford...when they're not arguing about who's on first.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Alan Curtis, Rita Johnson
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Available as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
This movie is best known for containing the classic routine "Who's on First?"
Captain Sam (Henry Travers) owns the showboat River Queen, which is traveling from port to port along the Mississippi River, bringing entertainment to every stop. While stopped in a town called Ironville, the Captain meets up with three people, Crawford (Curtis), Bonita (Johnson), and Bailey (Joe Sawyer), and all three are hiding from the law. They invite Sam to play in a card game, despite the objections of his daughter Caroline (Collier), his lead actor Dexter Broadhurst (Abbott) and a crew member named Sebastian Dinwiddle (Costello). Captain Sam is fed drink after drink, and gets involved in a crooked card game where he loses controlling interest of the boat to Bonita and Crawford.
The new owners quickly turn the showboat into a floating casino where every game is rigged in their favor. It's up to Dexter and Sebastian to help Captain Sam gain his property back, and evict Bonita and Crawford...when they're not arguing about who's on first.
Recommended movie.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Buck Privates
Buck Privates. 1941 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, The Andrews Sisters, Lee Bowman, Alan Curtis, Jane Frazee, Shemp Howard
Director: Arthur Lubin
Part of the discontinued Best of Abbott and Costello, Volume 1 set. Also available on the Complete Universal Pictures Collection, which is in print, and considerably more expensive.
Before writing this review, I checked out some of the DVD reviews for the now discontinued Best of Abbott and Costello set, and a lot of them were complaining about defective discs. To counter those, I only saw one explaining that you will need a specific kind of player to play the double-sided discs without a problem. Since I haven't had a problem so far, I'm guessing that I have the appropriate kind of DVD player, and I won't find myself cursing "damned defective discs" like some of the people who've bought this set have.
I digress.
Slicker Smith and Herbie Brown (Abbott and Costello) are sidewalk peddlers on the run from a police officer. They duck into a movie theater, unaware that it's now an Army Recruitment Center. They both enlist, thinking they're signing up for theater prizes. Two other guys are enlisting: spoiled playboy Randolph Parker (Bowman) and his valet Bob Martin (Curtis). Bob isn't too bothered by enlisting, but Randolph hopes his influential dad will pull enough strings so that he won't have to serve. Tensions between them increase when they're introduced to Judy Gray (Frazee), who Randolph begins pursuing.
Slicker and Herbie are horrified to discover that the cop that had chased them into the recruitment office is now their drill sergeant. Randolph's dad declines to use his influence to keep his son out of the military, thinking a year in the Army would do him well. Life at camp isn't all bad, since the Andrews Sisters regularly show up to sing, and Herbie's incompetence somehow goes largely unnoticed.
Pretty funny movie. During World War II, Japan used this movie as propaganda to demonstrate to its own armies the "incompetence" of the United States military. I'm sure they regretted that move once we showed 'em who was boss! Take that, Hiroshima!! USA! USA! USA!
...sorry. Recommended movie.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, The Andrews Sisters, Lee Bowman, Alan Curtis, Jane Frazee, Shemp Howard
Director: Arthur Lubin
Part of the discontinued Best of Abbott and Costello, Volume 1 set. Also available on the Complete Universal Pictures Collection, which is in print, and considerably more expensive.
Before writing this review, I checked out some of the DVD reviews for the now discontinued Best of Abbott and Costello set, and a lot of them were complaining about defective discs. To counter those, I only saw one explaining that you will need a specific kind of player to play the double-sided discs without a problem. Since I haven't had a problem so far, I'm guessing that I have the appropriate kind of DVD player, and I won't find myself cursing "damned defective discs" like some of the people who've bought this set have.
I digress.
Slicker Smith and Herbie Brown (Abbott and Costello) are sidewalk peddlers on the run from a police officer. They duck into a movie theater, unaware that it's now an Army Recruitment Center. They both enlist, thinking they're signing up for theater prizes. Two other guys are enlisting: spoiled playboy Randolph Parker (Bowman) and his valet Bob Martin (Curtis). Bob isn't too bothered by enlisting, but Randolph hopes his influential dad will pull enough strings so that he won't have to serve. Tensions between them increase when they're introduced to Judy Gray (Frazee), who Randolph begins pursuing.
Slicker and Herbie are horrified to discover that the cop that had chased them into the recruitment office is now their drill sergeant. Randolph's dad declines to use his influence to keep his son out of the military, thinking a year in the Army would do him well. Life at camp isn't all bad, since the Andrews Sisters regularly show up to sing, and Herbie's incompetence somehow goes largely unnoticed.
Pretty funny movie. During World War II, Japan used this movie as propaganda to demonstrate to its own armies the "incompetence" of the United States military. I'm sure they regretted that move once we showed 'em who was boss! Take that, Hiroshima!! USA! USA! USA!
...sorry. Recommended movie.
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