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By
NICK ZEGARAC
"The Best of Abbott & Costello - The Franchise
Collection Volume 2" effectively gathers together
another bumper crop of films that made up the
middle of Bud and Lou's tenure at Universal
Studios. Highlights on this two-disc edition
include the whimsical "The Time of Their Lives"
(1946), a film not well received in its time, but
one that has proven to be an enduring classic in
the A&C canon. Bud plays the dual role of Cuspert
Greenway/Dr. Greenway, a footman in servitude to
master Tom Danbury during the 1800s and his
psychiatrist ancestor set in 1946. Cuspert's
treachery against Horatio (Lou Costello) results
in his death and that of Tom's fiancée, Mistress
Melody (Marjorie Reynolds). From here on the story
leaps forward to present day. Horatio and Melody,
having been cursed upon their murders as traitors
to America's independence, remain bound to Danbury
Acres until crack of doom. But when they begin to
haunt Dr. Greenway and his guests living at the
refurbished historical landmark, a ray of hope
develops that might finally set their spirits
free.
In "Here Come the Co-eds" (1945) Bud and Lou are a
couple of caretakers, hiding out from the police
at Bixby College, an all girl's school. The film
features The Hour Of Enchantment all girl's
orchestra and choir, and a riotous basketball game
in which Lou, after being hit on the head,
believes that he is Daisy Dimple, the world's
greatest female basketball player.
In "Hit the Ice" (1943) -- the boys take off to
Sun Valley for skiing, a prospect that falls apart
when a mob boss decides to hide out at the same
resort.
This collection also features a handful of awful
films. "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap" (1947) is
a genuinely boring film in which Lou attempts to
win the heart of a crotchety widow (Marjorie
Maine) in order to secure her wealthy fortune, but
whose adult children have other ideas. Lou
generally is abused by everyone in the cast and
there's a genuine strain on the relationship
between A&C by this time.
In "The Naughty Nineties" (1945) Bud and Lou are
performers on a riverboat, but the only salvation
from this film is an extended version of the now
legendary "Who's On First" skit. (Footnote: "Who's
on First" is performed in a truncated version in
"One Night In The Tropics" also. That film is
available on "The Best of ... Volume One.")
The bad lot of apples reaches its rotten core with
"Little Giant" (1946), a really boring hodge-podge
in which Lou is a vacuum cleaner salesman working
for Bud. This collection is rounded out by a
couple of mediocre productions; "In Society"
(1944), a trifle in which the boys crash a society
party to help a chorus girl fall in love with a
rich playboy, and "Buck Privates Come Home"
(1947), a rehash of skits from previous films with
the tack on of having Bud and Lou smuggle a little
French girl back to America after the war.
Over all, the transfers in this collection are a
mixed bag in image quality. While some films like
"The Time of Their Lives" exhibit little to no
age-related artifacts, others like "The Wistful
Widow..." have not worn well at all. At its worst
you will get a transfer riddled in age-related
artifacts, minor edge enhancement,
mis-registration and considerable film grain. At
its best, the picture quality is outstanding --
leading me to think that some of these transfers
were blessed with a meticulous digital
restoration, while others got shafted. The audio
for all the films is mono but very nicely
presented. |
