Abbott and Costello Series

  • Jack and the Beanstalk (1952)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, November 2021) I’m not a big fan of Abbott and Costello in the first place, so I find myself curiously unmoved by even what others call their best films. (Star vehicles are wasted if the stars leave you indifferent.)  Jack and the Beanstalk has a good reputation as one of their more ambitious late-career movies, away from the “Abbott and Costello meet…” boilerplate and it’s easy to see the higher polish compared to many earlier efforts. There’s a clear ambition to go beyond the gags of their first films and deliver an experience supplemented by a sustained story, special effects and even musical numbers. It’s shot in colour, which was still a financial risk in the early 1950s (although one notes that the film was produced outside studio financing). There’s even a cinematographic device used to enhance the framing device, as opening and closing segments of the film are presented in sepia monochrome. But little of this amounts to a lasting impact — Jack and the Beanstalk runs through the motions of the fairytale while adding very little of interest. Costello takes the leading role, not leaving much for Abbott to do (which may be part of the issue, as I usually prefer Abbott). The simplistic singing and dancing reinforce the kid-friendly intention behind the film, which may be fine for some but left me wanting more in terms of imagination or comedy. Ah well — as with most comedy vehicles, this is for the fans.

  • Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood (1945)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, August 2021) You know exactly what you’re going to get with an Abbott and Costello film, and so Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood delivers on what fans are looking for. I, myself, was watching because I’m a sucker for everything Hollywood does about Hollywood — not necessarily because I’m a fan of the comedy duo. Although the result is definitely light on Hollywood satire, it’s very much a showcase for the comic pair. (Indeed, it’s the first of many of their movies to have their names in the title.)  The premise has something to do with barbers stumbling into becoming talent agents, but much of the film is about stringing together comic routines. It works, but as someone who was watching to get a sense of how Hollywood worked back then (even as a caricature), I’m left disappointed. Sure, there’s a big sequence about one of the duo being used as a prop for a stunt sequence… and yet, the number of celebrity cameos is low, with the film regularly goes for gags that could have taken place anywhere but in Hollywood. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I was a bigger fan of the duo — but maybe it’ll make more sense once I start digging into their filmography.

  • Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)

    Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On TV, September 2020) I’m slowly warming up to the Abbott and Costello comedy team—every successive film, I get a better sense of their approach to comedy, and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man is no exception. Made at a time when Universal was trying to extend the life of two of their most popular franchises by merging them together (if my count is correct, it’s the third of five ‘Abbott and Costello meet Universal Monsters’ movies), this ends up being a very loose take on the Invisible Man mythos, with our comic pair encountering a boxer who is injected by a formula developed by the original Invisible Man. The plot soon turns to a rigged boxing match, which obviously makes good use of Costello’s physique and the possibilities of a third invisible fighter in the ring. The special effects are surprisingly good even today and there are a few good laughs. I won’t ask much more. It’s not quite as good as Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, but it’s decently amusing on its own.

  • Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

    Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On TV, February 2020) Whenever anyone complains about Hollywood taking on the silliest premises in the name of profit, remind them that dubious high-concepts have been in the film industry’s DNA for a very, very long time. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein is not the first nor the worst example, but it’s wild enough to be remembered. By 1946, Universal had been in the Monster Movie business for a decade and a half—long enough to look for ways to spice it up, and the one they picked was melding it with their Abbott and Costello comedy franchise. Crossovers: They’re not new! Despite the title, it’s a comic companion to the big three of the Universal Monster roster, as Dracula and the Wolf Man join Frankenstein for the fun. And fun it is—hitting several comedy registers (physical, verbal, conceptual), this is a film with something for everyone, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome at 83 minutes. The brain transplant comic premise is funny enough, and Lenore Aubert is very cute in the lead female role. Acting-wise, though, Lon Chaney Jr. looks like a terrific actor next to Abbott and Costello. Universal clearly threw everything they had in store at the time: the live-action also features special effects and animation. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein certainly wasn’t meant as great cinema, but a counterbalance of sorts to the seriousness of the Universal Monster movies… and it still works.