Abbott & Costello: Who Done It [VHS]
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VHS Movie Reviews of Abbott & Costello: Who Done It [VHS]
Movie Review: A Comedy about Murder on Radio
Summary: 3 Stars
Colonel J.R. Andrews is head of a radio broadcasting company. A new writer is hired for a murder mystery show. Chick and Mervin are working in a drugstore, and put on their comic skits. The film shows how a radio mystery show is produced. But Colonel Andrews is murdered by a clever plot. There is another skit on the use of words that sound alike. [The jokes show the attitudes of those days.] Can life imitate art? Misunderstandings provide comedy. Strange events cause Mervin to look for clues in a closet; he finds something that doesn't belong there. "Which way did they go?" Is there a secret in Colonel Andrews' office? Is the murderer after this secret?
There is confusion in the dark. The elevator is manually controlled. Could a plain language code be used on radio? [Yes.] The acrobats show their skills. Who will win the prize? Is the line busy? "What are we doing to do?" We see a portable radio from that era (tubes and big batteries). Some of the jokes seem old and dated. Can a radio broadcast solve the murders? Will a surprise cause a confession? There is a comic chase to end the story.
This film lacks the songs and dances of earlier films. There is a reference to the war, and the events of those days. Did you recognize that foreign language?
Movie Review: ONE OF THE TEAMS BEST FILMS
Summary: 5 Stars
WHO DONE IT?
Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 9, 1942
Runtime: 77 min.
Director:
Erle C. Kenton
Producer:
Alex Gottlieb
Writing Credits:
John Grant
Edmund Joseph
Stanley Roberts
Cast:
Bud Abbott......Chick Larkin/Voice of himself on radio
Lou Costello.....Mervin Q. Milgrim/Voice of himself on radio
Louise Allbrittion.....Jane Little
Bobby Barber...........Techincal Man In Booth
William Bendix.........Detective Brannigan
Gladys Blake...........Telephone Operator
Margaret Brayton.......Radio Actress
Eddie Bruce............Man
Jerome Cowman..........Marco Hello
Paul Dubov.............Man
Ed Emerson.............Announcer
Alice Fleming..........Woman
Jerry Frank............Customer
William Gargan.........Lieutentant Moran
Thomas Gomez...........Colonel J.R. Andrews
Edward Keane...........Carter
Joe Kirk...............Thompson
Patric Knowles.........Jimmy Turner
Edmund MacDonald.......Jenkins
Milton Parsons.........Coroner
Frank Penny............Spinelli
Don Porter.............Art Fraser
Harry Strang...........Truck Driver
Ludwig Stossel.........Dr. Anton Marek
Walter Tetley..........Elevator Operator
Buddy Twiss............Announcer
Crane Whitley..........Radio Actor
Mary Wickes............Juliet Collins
Duke York..............Man
Music by:
Hans J. Salter
Frank Skinner
Cinematography by:
Charles Van Enger
Film Editing by:
Arthur Hilton
Art Direction:
Jack Otterson
Other Crew:
Plot Summary:
Chick Larkin and Mervin Milgrim are soda jerks dreaming of becoming radio mystery writers. While trying to pitch their ideas at a radio station, they end up in the middle of a real murder mystery when the station owner is killed during a broadcast. The boys take on the identity of real detectives to try to solve the mystery. The feel if they solve the mystery, that they will be seen as great mystery writers. Through good sleuth work, it is found that a spy has been placing secret messages in the radio broadcasts. The radio station puts on a false show to expose the real killer. Chick and Mervin end up on the roof of the radio station with the real killer and keep him busy until the authorities arrive.
ROUTINES & HILARIOUS MOMENTS:
Limburger Cheese
Phone Booth Routine
Watts Volts
Handcuff Scene
Water Fountain
Roof Top Finale
Trivia (from imdb.com): (1)This was the first Abbott and Costello film that did not contain musical numbers. As a result, it was the shortest film that they had made to date.(2) The "Watts Volts" routine was not in the script. It was created by Abbott and Costello on the set.
Goofs (from imdb.com): Continuity: Although Chick kicks away some of the glass before he steps through the Mervin-shaped hole in the glass studio wall, the Mervin shape is restored when they return to the studio.
Movie Review: Just a Riot!
Summary: 5 Stars
This one doesn't get mentioned as much as "Hold That Ghost" but it is one of their best. Chick (Bud) and Mervin (Lou) are working in a diner but trying to break into radio as writers for the mystery show "Murder at Midnight." There is just one great gag and skit followed by another, and Bud and Lou turn every situation in this great and well-written comedy into utter chaos. In technical terms, this movie is a hoot!
The very pretty Louise Albritton trys to help Patrick Knowles break into radio, but he is having none of it and offers to help Bud and Lou by inviting them to a live broadcast of "Murder at Midnight." During the broadcast, of course, a real murder occurs and the boys see this as their big break. They impersonate the police in order to solve the murder of the radio station owner themselves and become the only radio writers to actually solve a real crime. What could possibly go wrong?
Mervin romances very funny Juliet (Mary Wickes) along the way and William Bendix has a nice turn as Brannigan, a cop who isn't even as smart as Lou. The cops, headed by William Gargen as Lt. Moran, are after Chick and Mervin, and since Lou has the real clue to the crime in his pocket, so is the murderer. Jimmy (Knowles) and Jane (Albritton) work together to find out who commited the crime while all this is going on and decide to go live with a new "Murder at Midnight" to flush out the real culprit.
The first shot of Bud and Lou working in the diner as Lou attempts to give a customer a slice of limburger cheese is worth the price of this movie alone. From beginning to end, this film is side splittingly funny. While on the run from Lt. Moran and the killer Mervin wins a $10,00.00 radio contest. If avoiding the cops so they can collect isn't enough trouble, Mervin has to come up with some kind of photo ID in order to collect. What does he finally produce? His membership card to the Girl Scouts, troop #34!
This is a terrific movie that will make you feel good. They even poke fun at themselves and their famous skit "Who's on First" in this one. I highly recommend this film if you are a fan of Bud and Lou or old time radio, or both. This film is a nice reminder of why many people consider Bud Abbott and Lou Costello to be the funniest comedy team ever. Don't miss this one!
Movie Review: One of A&C's Best
Summary: 5 Stars
Really funny and fast moving A&C. Including one of their best routines "Alexander 2-2" (with Lou trying to make a phone call). Fun rooftop chase and finale.
(And I have to say, I never really got the comparison to Curly of the Three Stooges mentioned in other reviews. There are some similarities-- both being overweight and childlike, but I think both comics are hysterical and uniquely different. Lou Costello is more of "the little man"lost in a world he doesn't always comprehend, the victim of others selfishness, just trying to get by(the "Alexander 2-2" routine in this film being a good example) -- while Curly Howard is more of the frustrated simpleton who is often the main benefactor of his own stupidity. Both were brilliant, but in different ways.
Movie Review: One of My Favorite A&C's
Summary: 5 Stars
Along with A&C Meet Frankenstein and The Time of Their Lives, this is one of my favorite A&C films. Don Porter is great as the villian. One of the first films where Costello and a cop are constantly fighting (pre-Mike the cop).Some of the classic routines : Operator give me Alexander 2222 and Volts are Watt?