Bud and Lou and Me and You

 

 

 (wikipedia)

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN-1951-Bud Alexander (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis (Lou Costello), new graduates of the Dugan Detective School, take on the case of Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz; in THE SNIPER the next year)), a boxer accused of killing his manager. Nelson goes to his girlfriend Helen's (Nancy Guild; CAGLIOSTRO (1949)) house where her uncle, Dr. Gray (Gavin Muir) is working on the invisibility formula originally invented by John Griffin. Gray won't inject Tommy with the formula because it will drive him crazy. When no one is looking Tommy injects himself. Lou sees him fade away but no one believes him. Detective Roberts (William Frawley; just starting TV's "I Love Lucy") thinks Lou is crazy and takes him to a psychiatrist but Lou makes him fall asleep. Later they help Tommy clear his name. Lou becomes Louie the Looper, a boxer and challenges Rocky Hanlon (John Day), the boxer owned by gangster Morgan (Sheldon Leonard; also in the team's HIT THE ICE (1943)) who sends his moll Boots (Adele Jurgens; later in Corman's THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (1955)) to set Lou up for a dive. Lou fights Hanlon with invisible Tommy helping him. Lou has some trouble when Tommy is knock unconscious. Syd Saylor, Bobby Barber, Milt Bronson and Herb Vigran have bit roles. 

Good sfx with a comical if kind of weird ending. One of 9 Abbott & Costello movies directed by Charles Lamont, who also started doing The Ma & Pa Kettle series around this time. The comedy duo made COMIN' 'ROUND THE MOUNTAIN (also directed by Lamont) the same year.

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Abbott,Costello and Karloff

 

 (binged.com)

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE-1953-Slim & Tubby (Abbott & Costello) are two Americans working as bobbies on the English police force. After they are beat up by a group of suffragettes, they are thrown off the force. Vicky (Helen Westcott), the leader of the group who is also a music hall dancer, is romantically pursued by crime reporter Bruce (Craig Stevens) who is investigating the mysterious murders credited to a monster. It turns out this is true as her guardian happens to be Dr. Henry Jekyll (Boris Karloff) who transforms into Mr. Hyde when he wants to eliminate an enemy. Tubby figures out Jekyll's secret but no one believes him, especially their ex-boss the inspector (Reginald Denny). Jekyll tricks the duo into staying overnight at his house. While Tubby is snooping around, he's menaced by scary henchman Batley (John Diekes) and discovers Jekyll's lab. Later after they escape Tubby turns into a mouse. Jekyll wants to get rid of Bruce because he's in love with Vicky. Later when the doctor is outed as the monster, a big daylight chase takes place and Tubby becomes his own Mr. Hyde. 

Good comedy ensues when A & C are on screen and the presence of Karloff brings it up a notch. Eddie Parker appears mostly as Mr. Hyde. This was one of 9 Universal comedies director Charles Lamont made with the team. Although Karloff made several TV appearances, this would be his only feature film in 1953. 

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Abbott & Costello in The Foreign Legion

ABBOTT & COSTELLO IN THE FOREIGN LEGION-1950-"The boys" play a pair of wrestling promoters. Bud writes the script and tries to co-ordinate a match between (real  wrestlers) Abdullah (Wee Willie Davis, the same year he played the guy who caused the racetrack ruckus in Kubrick's THE KILLING)) and Bertram (Sam Menacker). After the two wrestlers "practice" on Lou, Abdullah quits and keeps the five thousand a mobster (Marc Lawrence who's also in the team's HOLD THAT GHOST) gave them to fix the fight. The pair put on pith helmets and white suits and go to Algiers to find him. It turns out Abdullah is the cousin of Sheik Halmud El Khalid (Douglas Dumbrille; also the villain in the LOST IN A HAREM) who is in cahoots with the corrupted Foreign Legion Sgt. Axman (Walter Slezak) and Prince Josef (un-billed Dan Seymour) in a railroad scheme. Lou accidentally buys six slaves girls (including Nicole Dupree (Patricia Medina), a French intelligence agent) and since they can't pay they run away. Also a gang of the Sheik's men (including Henry Corden) are after them. To escape they take refugee with the Foreign Legion and wind up joining! Of course this leads to a lot of A & C antics as Lou has to evade a bayonet attack and Sgt. Axman. Later they are targeted for death. There's a lot of jokes involving the word "oui".

In one fairly gruesome scene (for an Abbott & Costello movie) the sheik's henchman kill a troop of legionnaires (while Bud & Lou are out looking for a runaway camel). Lost in the desert they have to contend with crazy mirages (including an old time ice cream shop) and a guy (David Gorcey) selling newspapers: "Can I help it if they gave me a bad corner?"). Later on they (and Nicole) are captured by the sheik. He puts them against two wrestlers intent on killing them but one turns out to be Abdullah. The other is played by Tor Johnson! Abdullah helps them escape. Lou commandeers Axman's jeep in a very funny scene (bit man and Costello's real life friend Bobby Barber appears too).

FOREIGN LEGION is done on a lower budget then some of the team's previous efforts but it's still fun especially for fans. It doesn't really contain any of their classic routines (except briefly at the end when Bud thinks Lou is dead). Years later Patrica Medina co-starred in THE 3 STOOGES MEET SNOW WHITE! Douglas Dumbrille had been the villain in 2 Marx Brothers movies. Director Charles Lamont (born in Russia) directed most of Bud & Lou's 50's output as well Francis the Talking Mule and Ma & Pa Kettle entries.

Initial filming had to be delayed while Costello had to have a gall bladder operation but he seemed to have recovered nicely....

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