Their last film, uses the team in non-comedic team roles. Not the first time, but it really stands out here. For an A&C fan, worth looking to see the changes that they went through as a team and all. Mostly this is a Lou vehicle, worth a look, but certainly not a classic.
Not their funniest, nor worst, but appropriate final film.
Dance With Me, Henry was the last film the great comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello made together, and far from their worst. Costello is the proprietor of Kiddyland, an amusement park, an appropriate character for his child like comedy style. Abbott is his gambling partner.
The main part of the plot concerns crooks Abbott is indebted to, but there's a subplot about orphans and Costello losing custody of his kids due to a nosy, prim social worker played to perfection by the great character actress Mary Wickes (Who Done It?, On Moonlight Bay, Father Dowling Mysteries).
The supporting cast also includes former child star Gigi Perreau, Robert Shayne (who played Inspector Henderson on Superman) as the district attorney, and, as the Priest at the orphanage, Frank Wilcox, recognizable from numerous TV guest shots like Brewster on The Beverly Hillbillies, Wally's principal on Leave It To Beaver, and a judge on Perry Mason.
Much of the comedy in this one may seem hackneyed or aimed at children - such as the extensive chase through the amusement park at the end - but there is some good original comedy as well, such as when Lou, suspected of murdering the DA, is questioned by cops, and gradually through the long, intense interrogation, he breaks down each cop, one after another. Plus, it's the only A & C film with rock music, or at least Rythm & Blues.
Dance With Me Henry is an appropirate final film for the great team, with higher production values than many of their other later films, certainly far better than Africa Screams, for instance, but more memorable for the characters they play than for laughs.
A Sad Swan Song
The last Abbott and Costello picture together is a sad, unfunny vehicle that is difficult to watch. When this film was made the team was off the screen for over one year and this outing was supposed to be their comeback film. Next to Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Cops, this is the team's worst film and finds its way into film collections solely because it is the team's last film together.
It's indeed great to have the last few films on this final collection (Jekyll and Hyde in particular), but why is this volume with less discs and less movies MORE expensive than the other volumes? And even worse, neither the packaging nor the discs themselves give ANY indication as to which movies are on which sides of each disc. You have to pop them into your dvd player and wait for the menu to come up to find out. Blatant mistreatment of these precious films...
More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Bud Abbott - Lou Costello - Boris Karloff Director(s): Charles Lamont DVD Release Date: Released the 04 October 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Bob Hope is in top form in this Technicolor parody of pirate pictures, doing his best vaudeville shtick as an inept performer trying to save princess Virginia Mayo from the evil clutches of governor Walter Slezak and pirate Victor McLaglen. It's all ridiculous fun, of course, but if you're a fan of Hope, you never tire of his self-effacing gags and double-entendres. His out-of-place show biz jabs were always clever, and they're all the funnier in this period setting--particularly the Bing Crosby jokes. But Walter Brennan nearly steals the film as a wacky pirate scheming to steal buried treasure, and tattooing the map on Hope's chest. Yet the two best routines are when Hope tries to conceal his chest while taking a bath with Slezak, and when he tries to impersonate McLaglen as "the Hook."... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Bob Hope - Virginia Mayo Director(s): Sidney Lanfield - David Butler DVD Release Date: Released the 17 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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In 1952 Superman flew right into the hearts and minds of the American TV audience faster than a speeding bullet. Though most people were already familiar with man of steel through his comic books, as well as the popular radio show, it was the new medium's Adventures of Superman that transformed our resident Kryptonian into a timeless icon. For many young baby boomers, Superman was the ultimate symbol of truth, justice and the American way. After watching this nostalgic trip back in time it is easy to see why: George Reeves. Reeves is the quintessential Superman. He is kind, confident, smart, always does the right thing and can literally do anything physically. Even Reeves' Clark Kent is cool, even cocky without any of the trademarked shy, clumsy and hickish traits the character... More Info about this DVD Director(s): George Blair - Philip Ford - Lee Sholem DVD Release Date: Released the 18 October 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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THE BELA LUGOSI COLLECTION, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, is the first Universal DVD I have bought in a while that was a dual density single disk with no technical problems. After having to return two different copies of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS to Amazon.com because of technical glitches from two-sided printing, this technically flawless disk is a most welcome addition to the home of anyone who loves Mr. Lugosi. But I am still knocking it down one star because of laziness on the part of Universal in not having Sara Karloff or Bela Lugosi, Jr. chatting about their fathers. Or not having any real bonus material. Boris Karloff stars in three of these five movies, including one that has Lugosi in only a small role. Visual and sound quality are outstanding on all... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Boris Karloff - Bela Lugosi - David Manners - Julie Bishop Director(s): Edgar G. Ulmer DVD Release Date: Released the 06 September 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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