Director: Charles Reisner
Year: 1944
Rating: 6.0
During the 1930's in the midst of the Great Depression Universal Studios
stayed alive primarily due to their great horror films (Frankenstein, The
Mummy, Dracula and many more) and their polar opposites, the musicals of
a young Deanna Durbin whose films were enormously popular and the comedies
of W.C. Fields. But by the beginning of the new decade all three of these
were in decline. Horror films had constantly lowered their budgets as their
popularity decreased, W.C. Fields was in poor health and Never Give a Sucker
an Even Break (1941) was his last hit and Deanna Durbin grew up and lost
that innocent glow. She was to move to MGM. Universal was in trouble financially
and their savior came from an unlikely source.
The team of Abbott and Costello had been together for about 10 years starting
in vaudeville and then radio when they signed with Universal in 1940. They
first appeared as supporting players in One Night in the Tropics but their
Who is on First routine stole the show. Next they were put into the low-budget
film Buck Privates along with the Andrew Sisters and much to Universal's
surprise it was a smash hit. This became the standard for the following Abbott
and Costello films over the next 15 years - most either made at Universal
or lent out to another studio - low budgets, a big star thrown it, some music
and good box office returns. During the decade the comedy duo were among
the top draws in Hollywood.
Today it is not so easy to understand their mass appeal. The comedy can hit
some good notes but often it - especially Costello (the short one) - can
get as tedious as a rainy day. His whining and cowardice starts to feel old
but back then they came out like hotcakes (37 in 15 years) and the crowds
loved them. This film was a loan out to MGM and this being MGM the musical
numbers are top notch with Jimmy Dorsey leading his band on a few and a couple
big numbers on top of that.
With the boys is my latest fave, Marilyn Maxwell, as they all get stuck in
a Middle Eastern country where she sings and they do bad magic tricks. Trouble
constantly comes their way as the evil ruler of this Kingdom (perennial bad
guy Douglass Dumbrille) has a thing for blondes - especially ones that look
like Maxwell. It is all totally silly as one would expect with Abbott whacking
Costello constantly, Costello being as thick as a brick, a few poor routines
that seem to go on forever but there are also a few laugh out loud moments
and the music is excellent.
