THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES is the last Abbott and Costello film made at Universal before the merger and the second of two experimental films where both actors appear but do not work as a team. Ironically, in spite of the shifting nature of their studio and less than normal circumstances of roles for the team, this is arguably the best film Bud and Lou ever made and certainly one of the best. There’s even this lady I’ve know for a while. I won’t tell you her name, but we’ll just call by her code name...”Mom.” Anyway, this lady is far from a classic comedy fan, but even she knows this film and likes it. Makes perfect sense, as I can see THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES appealing to just about anybody.
So what makes THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES work? Before I answer that, I’ll tell you what’s not in this movie. There are no unnecessary musical numbers and no scenes with characters we don’t care about. Those things appear in most Abbott and Costello films we’ve discussed so far. There’s also no feeling sorry for a sad character like we get in the other experimental film, LITTLE GIANT. What this film does have is a healthy dose of comedy, great art direction, a fine cast, bits of fantasy, bits of horror, special effects and a well written story that always manages to engage the viewer.
The film starts during The Revolutionary War. Lou (playing a character named Horatio) and a character named Melody, played wonderfully by Marjorie Reynolds, get mistaken for traitors to the revolution and are killed by rebel soldiers. Their ghosts are then cursed to remain on the property in which they are killed until doomsday unless if proof emerges they are not traitors. Lou’s letter of recommendation from George Washington serves as proof of their loyalty to the rebel cause and needs to be found to set their spirits free to go to Heaven. Fast forward to 1946, their ghosts remain on the property and the new people who move in, including a relative to Horatio’s rival during the Revolutionary War times (played by Bud Abbott), must find the letter to prove Horatio and Melody’s innocence. Of course, along the way, some fun haunting gags take place.
Lou and Marjorie Reynolds make a great team, really working well together. I love they way they discover modern devices, such as radio and electric lights - the latter of which must have been invented by that creative Ben Franklin fellow. They get great mileage out of a harpsichord, invisibility gags and basic slapstick throughout. There’s a great scene where Lou trips Bud around where Bud can’t see the ghostly Lou. Bud’s reactions to the hauntings throughout are quite excellent. His modern day character is a psychiatrist with a hint of dignity, but he still manages to do a great job not believing what’s happening and fearing his own sanity. As far as highlight gags, Marjorie Reynolds wearing the dress that moves without anyone seeing her in it is a definite highlight. A bit of business that would fit in well in any of the Universal Invisible Man (or Woman) films. Lou is delightful throughout. Even though he’s the ghost and supposed to be the scary one, he doesn’t know what’s going on half the time so we get plenty of classic Lou scared reactions.
Gale Sondergaard is also in this film as the lady who is the only one initially aware of the ghostly presence. She, along with Rondo Hatton, was being groomed to be a new horror star in the latter days of Universal Horror but stardom never panned out as the horror films were coming to an end at this time. In her case, she was The Spider Woman, both in her own film and with Sherlock Holmes. She was again used as a horror presence in THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES, being extra creepy speaking in tongues during the fantastic seance scene and summoning up the voice of Melody’s old lover from the old days.
The ending of this film is a wonderful bit of film fantasy. (Spoiler Alert). Horatio and Melody are free and get to go to Heaven, saying goodbye after all those lifetimes together in ghostly form and Horatio promising to have her over for dinner. The Heavenly music and lighting is very effective, and Lou even gets united with his old lover from his Earth life, yet Heaven’s gates closed the day he’s supposed to go in - George Washington’s Birthday being the reason.
So yeah, a truly great movie all around. I am going to call this a straight tie with HOLD THAT GHOST as my favorite Bud and Lou film so far. THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES is structurally the best thing they’ve done while HOLD THAT GHOST is the best representation so far of Bud and Lou’s art. Yes, the one thing THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES isn’t is a good representation of what Bud and Lou are known for. The teamwork and routines we all know and love are not there, but they don’t need to be. THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES is the rare classic in this comedy bubble I’ve reviewed in over the years where men, women and children of all ages should be able to enjoy it. A must see.
