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In Society

In Society (1944)

Abbott and Costello’s In Society (1943), starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello – DVD review

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Bud Abbott and Lou Costello play the part of inept plumbers, who are hired to repair a leaky faucet at a mansion, shortly before a costume ball. After a hilarious sequence destroying the bathroom through their incompetence, Abbott and Costello are (mistakenly) invited to a society weekend, where a villain tries to enlist their help in stealing a valuable painting, “The Plunger.” This leads into a comedic chase scene at the end, where all gets resolved.

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Abbott and Costello - The Naughty Nineties - canvas art print

The Naughty Nineties (1945)

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 In this zany Abbott and Costello musical comedy, Bud Abbott plays a ham actor and Lou Costello, his dimwitted assistant on the Mississippi showboat, the River Queen. When the boat docks in St. Louis, Bud and Lou try to rescue Captain Sam from a poker game with three card sharks, but they are too late. The gamblers win a controlling interest in the River Queen and — €”to Captain Sam’s dismay — set up a crooked casino operation on board. Before ridding the showboat of the villains, Abbott and Costello perform several of their most famous bits, including the complete rendition of their hysterical Who’s on First?€ routine, which has become one of the most popular comedy moments ever captured on film.

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The Little Giant, starring Lou Costello and Bud Abbott - movie poster

Little Giant (1946)

Abbott and Costello in Little Giant (1946) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello

Little Giant was an enormous change for both Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. It is different from most of their comedies in several respects – Abbott and Costello are not a team, indeed are not even friends. Rather than relying on gags and verbal humor, it is a situational comedy, with an accent on physical humor. Although a comedy, it is much deeper than their standard comedies, with Lou Costello playing a character who tugs at your heart strings – and tugs hard.

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Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953)

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Mari Blanchard

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars is not one of the better-known Abbott and Costello movies, which is too bad.   It’s more of a children’s film, similar to Jack and the Beanstalk – but with some “eye candy” for the adults as well.   The basic premise is that Orville (Lou Costello) is the oldest orphan at an orphanage, who is assigned to help Lester (Bud Abbott) load equipment onto an experimental spaceship.   Predictably enough, they accidentally launch into space; unpredictably enough, they land back on Earth in New Orleans, and mistake the annual Mardi Gras parade for an alien civilization on Mars.  They actually spend a fair amount of time interacting with the “aliens” at Mardi Gras, with the expected frightened reactions as the costumed revelers rotate their “heads,” etc.

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Pardon My Sarong color photo - Lou Costello, Bud Abbott

Pardon my Sarong (1942)

Editorial review of Abbot and Costello‘s Pardon My Sarong, courtesy of Amazon.com:

Abbott & Costello travel to the South Seas in this gag-filled exotic comedy. Screwball bus drivers Algy (Abbott) and Wellington (Costello) travel off the course yacht. A hurricane detours the craft to an uncharted island, inhabited by innocent natives and a sinister Dr. Varnoff (Lionel Atwill). Mistaken for a legendary god, Wellington is betrothed to a beautiful native girl (Nan Wynn), in the hilarious “Tree of Truth” scene.

Pardon My Sarong color photo - Lou Costello, Bud Abbott
Pardon My Sarong color photo – Lou Costello, Bud Abbott

Chosen to appease an angry volcano god, Wellington learns the volcano has been rigged by Varnoff and his men who plan to collect the gullible natives’ sacred jewel. Rising to the occasion, Wellington vanquishes the villain with feats of unbelievable athletic agility in this delightful South Seas caper.

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Abbott and Costello in Hollywood

Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945)

Abbottt and Costello in Hollywood movie poster

Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello

Abbott and Costello in Hollywood is classic Abbott and Costello in the very best sense.   The movie begins with Bud Abbott, who has gone to barber school, conning Lou Costello out of his money.  Bud is giving Lou lessons on how to shave a customer, using a balloon with lather as a shaving dummy.   Bud is using the handle to ‘shave’ the balloon, while making sure that Lou is using the blade, so that Lou is constantly popping the balloon, and having to keep paying Bud for more shaving lessons.Read More »Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945)