Next Abbott and Costello film in the queue is ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN, the second of four films where Abbott and Costello meet a monster. I don’t know what it is when Bud and Lou meet a monster, but the results seem to always be among their better films and meeting The Invisible Man is no exception. A usual problem with Bud and Lou films is that there are a few standout scenes thrown in at random points in the film amongst a jumbled plot line that peaks with a half baked chase. In ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN, the plot line, pacing, comedy and peak of the film all follow logically, making sense all the way and getting better and better as the film go on. Very refreshing to watch.
The main story involves Bud and Lou as detectives being hired by Tommy Harper (Arthur Frank), a boxer who was framed for killing his fight manager by gangsters after he refused to throw a fight. Escaping from jail, he meets the man that inherited the same serum that made Jack Griffin invisible in the original INVISIBLE MAN film. Even though the reagent hasn’t yet been worked out to prevent insanity from the invisibility serum, Harper takes it anyway so he can avenge the men who framed him while Bud and Lou protect him. He comes up with a scheme where Lou pretends to be a boxer and the invisible Harper throws punches, making it appear Lou is throwing the shots. Then when the frame up happens again because Lou doesn’t throw a fight, an invisible Harper can be in the room and get revenge on those who framed him. A pretty logical plot that gels throughout the entire film and which all the invisibility effects and comedy revolve around.
As far as the invisibility aspect, great stuff. I love the way when Tommy Harper initially disappears, his teeth seem to be about the last thing to go, so there is briefly just a pair of teeth there. Another great bit is when he’s at the table with Bud and Lou and you can see him eating celery. A very cool trick watching the celery disappear like that. All the Universal Invisible Man films have really cool effects and it’s fascinating to see Hollywood pull all these tricks off before CGI made anything possible.
The comedy itself is also great. As is par for the course, we get some great Lou Costello scare reactions whenever The Invisible Man becomes invisible before his eyes. There is also this great bit earlier in the film where Lou keeps finding ingenious ways to keep stealing that $500 from Bud. The hand and pocket trick variations are really fun to watch and expertly performed, a real testament to how well Bud and Lou work together. Reminds me of Stan and Ollie whenever they do a hat switch routine. Watching a drunk Bud recite Shakespeare is also always fun to watch. The coup de grace is the boxing match towards the end of the film. First off, it’s great that for once the film ends with the peak material and this boxing match is definitely the highlight of the film and one of the great Abbott and Costello extended physical comedy scenes in general. Real funny stuff and milked brilliantly. After a great dramatic finale with the fight in the dressing room, the film ends hysterically when Lou and Tommy Harper do a blood transfusion. Lou, getting Tommy’s blood, becomes invisible for a while, so we get to see him hit on unsuspecting nurses and run around (invisibly) naked and panicking as his legs become backwards. A great end to one of the all time classic Bud and Lou films.
