ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KEYSTONE COPS

(1955)
With Bud Abbott, Lou Costello,  Fred Clark,  Lynn Bari,  Maxie Rosenbloom,  Frank Wilcox (uncredited, and who can blame him?), Mack Sennett
Directed by Charles Lamont
Reviewed by JB

      Not the worst Abbott and Costello film, but not far from it, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KEYSTONE COPS is a dreary mess. Set in the 1900s, the story has the boys being swindled by a fake movie mogul (Fred Clark) on the East Coast, who then disguises himself as a great Russian director and moves to Hollywood. When the boys get to Hollywood to track him down, they are unaware of his disguise and wind up working for him as stunt men. There's more to it, but it's all pointless and boring. Aside from a couple of falls from what seems like a bored Lou Costello (in truth, he had been sick before and after this film), most of the gags are done with process work and doubles. Mack Sennett's Keystone Cops show up in the final moments for the usual A&C chase finish, to little avail.

     It's sadly ironic that in a film that celebrates the birth of Hollywood comedy, we clearly see Abbott and Costello near completely out of stream. Little kids may enjoy this film, though I know that when I was one, I didn't care for it at all.

     Costello's daughter, Carole, has a bit part as a movie theater cashier. When Lou calls her "silly", she replies with "So's your old man", and Lou does a take right to the camera. A nice moment.

Abbott and Costello     The Age of Comedy