Hold That Ghost (1941) User Reviews

Host that Gold

[Spondonman · 7/10 · 20 August 2006]

Another nice early film from A&C, with a good supporting cast and the usual thickly laid on Universal atmosphere included. I've seen it maybe 10 times now over the decades with no loss of pleasure.

It has Ted Lewis and the Andrews Sisters as pleasant musical bookends to what has previously been described as a Ghosts & Gangsters tale. Add comedy and murder and that's what this is all about, the lid is firmly kept on the romance between Carlson and Ankers - and may I add, she seldom looked lovelier than in here. Favourite routines: Ferdie's bedrooms changing into gaming rooms behind his back, to Chuck's harsh disbelief; The candles moving to the spluttered "Oh Chuck! What Kept You"; the figure of speech gag finished by the gangsters arrival. Abbott got in more face slapping Costello than in other films, and although it's something that never really appealed to me it's not too bad. Joan Davis has some good lines too but wasn't fully exploited. Not in A&C's Top 5, but still a nice b&w inconsequential entertaining spooky old house comedy.

All told, good stuff for A&C fans like me - masochists who already know that they don't like 'em should really try to save themselves the 81 minutes running time + their IMDb commenting time and do the rest of us a favour.

Riotous farce, one of the duo's best

[frankfob · 8/10 · 21 May 2003]

This combination of haunted house scares and A&C slapstick works terrifically, for several reasons--the supporting cast is first-rate, and Joan Davis proved to be the best comic foil Costello ever had, their scenes together sparkle and their chemistry is undeniable; the boys' timing, always a marvel, has seldom been better; and, as in their best film, "A&C Meet Frankenstein," the spooky elements are played exactly that way, and not for laughs, and it works as well as it did in that film. Also, it doesn't have the cheaper, rushed look that many of their later ones had, and director Arthur Lubin--responsible for some of the team's best pictures--keeps things running very smoothly. The boys showcase some of their classic routines, Joan Davis is a joy to watch, the Andrews Sisters' songs don't slow things down ("Aurora" is actually a bright, catchy little number); all combine to make this one of the best Abbott & Costello films. Don't miss it.

Hold That Ghost (1941) ***

[JoeKarlosi · 7/10 · 7 July 2005]

It's nice to catch a break from the two recent "service films" that Bud and Lou made this time, as they go from army and navy men to playing two domestic, unsuccessful waiters-turned-gas station attendants. They unintentionally cross paths with a dying gangster and then become the heirs to his spooky old inn that just may contain a pile of hidden loot somewhere within it. What they didn't count on, however, is that the deceased had some scheming friends who are also hungry for the dough.

HOLD THAT GHOST is often considered close to the best film from Bud and Lou, but I'm not sure I would take it quite that far. It is a good, solid, comedy/spook show that plays on the old tried and true "haunted house" theme; and once more the boys are in top form to deliver the funnies as Abbott keeps trying to calm a very nervous Costello down as he encounters everything from dead bodies to ghosts to revolving rooms to moving candles. What helps boost this one up a notch, aside from the moody setting, is some able assistance from a good supporting cast. There's Richard Carlson as a timid scientist who's oblivious to the longing advances of the pretty Evelyn Ankers (from THE WOLF MAN), and the stand-out antics of Joan Davis, who's really an asset as she plays a "professional radio screamer" who's got some great moments with Lou Costello, including the aforementioned "moving candle" bit, and a charming little dance duet.

Oh yes, and the Andrews Sisters are back for a third time, but this time they're only used at the start and finish. Hey, what can we do? They were hugely popular at that time. And I must confess, I don't mind them concluding the show with one of their better tunes, "Aurora". *** out of ****

Solid A&C Entry

[dougdoepke · 12 May 2012]

The boys inherit a spooky old house with money hidden somewhere inside. Now if only they can find the money before the bad guys do.

I love that spastic dance routine Lou does with Joan Davis. She's a perfect comedic counterpart to Costello, and for me, their bits together are the film's highlights. This is an early A&C effort, and it shows with their spirited performances. It's also one of their better screenplays. Putting them in an old dark house provides all sorts of loony possibilities, like the levitating candles and the fluffy ghost. Carlson and Ankers provide a good normal contrast to the madcap antics, but surprisingly Ankers only gets one lung-bursting scream of the sort she was famous for. Also, catch a more subdued version of the Andrews Sisters, which disappointed me since I was expecting their usual finger-snapping jive. Nonetheless, it's a solid entry for A&C fans.

"I ain't sayin' there is, and I ain't sayin' there ain't..."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 12 January 2005]

"Hold That Ghost" was Abbott and Costello's fourth feature film, and the third in which they were headline billed. Also going three for three with the comedy duo were The Andrews Sisters and Shemp Howard, who previously appeared with the boys in "Buck Privates" and "In the Navy". The film style differs somewhat from the military based films in that Abbott and Costello stay away from the skit routines and go more for the sight gags and one liners.

In the story, Chuck Murray (Bud) and Ferdie Jones (Lou) inherit an abandoned inn from mobster Moose Matson; as stated in the will, they were with Moose at the time of his demise. Of course, Moose's cronies have an interest in the place because the money from his robberies are believed to be hidden there. Moose's assurance that the location of the money is 'in his head' proves to be truer than we realize when first uttered. All of this serves as the basic premise for Bud and Lou to deliver their zany antics in what turns out to be a haunted house, replete with a dead body, levitating candles and observing ghosts.

Adding to the fun of the film is Joan Davis, a wonderful foil for Lou's character who has just the right blend of good looks and snappy attitude. Richard Carlson is the nerdy Doctor Jackson who misses all the romantic signals thrown his way by pretty Norma Lind (Evelyn Ankers).

The opening of "Hold That Ghost" left me considering whether today's concern with political correctness would have allowed the scene to be made today. Crooner Ted Lewis offers a rendition of 'Me and My Shadow' with a black actor (uncredited Ralph Brooks) mimicking his movement, ostensibly as his 'shadow'. As always, The Andrews Sisters are delightfully entertaining, though not as animated as in the Service films.

After 1941's "Hold That Ghost", Abbott and Costello didn't venture into another horror type film until 1948's "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein", possibly their best comedy and my personal favorite by the boys. But then they really got into high gear with the genre with a host of offerings in which they paired with a number of Universal's characters - the Invisible Man, Jekyll and Hyde, and The Mummy. All are a treat and come recommended for Abbott and Costello fans.

One of the duo's funniest films

[FrankDamage · 9/10 · 4 July 2011]

As another reviewer mentioned, I too was unaware that there was an additional 13+ minutes edited from the televised version I had seen so often on WPIX Channel 11 in New York, so long ago as a child. That is until recently. Finally having viewed the full version as an adult, I can speculate with some understanding as to why it might have been cut from the public broadcast (though I've searched for info regarding the specifics and come up empty). That not withstanding, I highly recommend watching which ever version you can find of this funny and well made classic.

Though some more critical viewers may find many of the gags passé and/or corny in this day age, when it was released it was well received by movie goers and critics alike in such notable newspapers of the day as the New York Times and Motion Picture Herald.

Those of us young and/or old who can appreciate the type of comedy that originated during a more innocent era, should be happily delighted with this classic comedic gem from the '40s.

One of A & C's better films

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 5 June 2005]

• Abbott and Costello (A & C) get mixed up with a gangster and become his sole heirs upon his death. The estate consists of an old roadside inn that may or may not be the hiding place for the gangster's money. But, there are a lot of other people who want to get their hands on that money - and some of them may be ghosts.

• I have seen some people who claim that this is the best movie A & C made. While I don't necessarily agree with that, it's a solid effort. The mix of A & C, an old dark house, ghosts, gangsters, and a good supporting cast are a sure fire winner.

• The supporting cast is stronger her than in many of the movies A & C made. On hand are Richard Carlson, Evelyn Ankers, and Marc Lawrence. But Joan Davis comes out looking the best. She's an actress who I've never really cared for, but in Hold That Ghost she makes the perfect companion for A & C. One of my favorite bits is the dance scene with her and Costello. Funny stuff.

The boys back to their best, backed by a great cast!

[opsbooks · 9/10 · 20 January 2005]

I watched 'Hold that Ghost' immediately after 'In the Navy' and noticed improvements in all areas. The boys, given more freedom than before and backed by some wonderful character actors, make this comedy as fresh today as when it was filmed, more than 6 decades ago. Universal, the home of horror, seemed the natural place for ghostly antics, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a dull moment in the movie.

Joan Davis was a wonderful actress and seemed to have found her natural partner in Lou. The two had same great moments together with perhaps the 'Blue Danube' sequence being the funniest. Richard Carson, in a part unlike anything he would portray a decade later, was - despite my misgivings - totally convincing as a nerd - well before that word was invented!

Olsen and Johnson of 'Hellzapoppin' fame would pay tribute to the hilarious 'Oh Chuck!' skit in their own 'Ghost Catchers' a few years later which used a similar - VERY similar! - title sequence.

A Truncated Version

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 11 February 2006]

Way back when I was a lad in the Fifties and Sixties, I used to see what I thought was a complete film of Hold That Ghost. It began with Abbott and Costello as gas station attendants who get themselves innocently involved in a car chase with police, fleeing with fatally wounded gangster William B. Davidson. WPIX Channel 11 in New York cut out the whole beginning sequence of the film with Mischa Auer as a stuck up maitre'd who gets stuck with the boys as relief waiters. As Auer is briefly on in the final scenes his role made more sense to me.

I guess Universal decided the boys needed a break from the Armed Forces so they put them in an alleged haunted house on the trail of Davidson's hidden loot. The terms of the gangster's will are that anyone who is with him when he departs this world becomes his heir. Abbott and Costello inherit a roadside tavern which was a speakeasy back during Prohibition. And it's filled with ghosts from that violent era. Or are they really ghosts?

Lot's of good sight gags in this one. In addition Costello is aided and abetted in his comedy by Joan Davis who with Richard Carlson and Evelyn Ankers. Their waltz to the strains of Strauss's Blue Danube is pretty funny.

Hold That Ghost also has Ted Lewis and the Andrews Sisters in the tradition of Buck Privates and In the Navy as musical entertainment. Ted Lewis sings his theme song of When My Baby Smiles At Me and the Andrews Sisters do Aurora another song identified with them back in the day.

Hold That Ghost is not as funny as the two previous service comedy films but it's still pretty good and hopefully the viewer will get to see the whole thing and not have to wait to get the VHS version of it to do so.

JOAN DAVIS steals the show in this fun romp!

[orgelkraft · 10/10 · 10 July 2013]

I was fortunate enough to see this movie on the big screen at a film festival, in the dark as intended. It is a fun romp for 86 minutes. I think the spooky atmosphere doesn't translates as well to the small screen.. but it's still a treat.

Joan Davis (I Married Joan) steals the show! She was a physical comedy genius. It's too bad her heart problem prevented her from making more for us to enjoy. I agree that this is not the BEST of the Abbott & Costello movies, but it is still one of their great ones.

Made in the days before television, I like to think of these more as a TV series for the theater. This movie would have been part of an entertainment package presented at a movie palace. A very different experience than the typical movie theater you will find at the mall now.

Is Everybody Happy?

[BaronBl00d · 7/10 · 14 August 2005]

This time around Bud and Lou play a couple of gas station attendants that just happen to be the last living men a gangster associates with. Turns up gangster Moose Matson(played nicely by William Davidson) has a will leaving all he owns(a dilapidated tavern) to whomever is with him when he dies. Well, we learn Moose was holding out on the whereabouts of a lot of cash to his gangster pals. They trick the boys and some other passengers into staying the night at this old tavern where Moose once sold liquor during prohibition and had gambling salons. Lots of crazy, funny antics ensue with Lou running and screaming for Chuck(Bud), seeing candles move, having his hat removed, and trying to upstage Joan Davis at every turn. Lou doesn't upstage her though. Davis, as a bizarre love interest for Lou, is a classic scene stealer and really shines showing her immense comedic talent. There are some terribly funny scenes with her and Lou, but the dance sequence is far and away the best. Those two made me laugh so hard. Evelyn Ankers is also in attendance and lovely as ever playing not so hard to get with brainy Richard Carlson. This is a fun film with a lot of laughs. The comic pair is in fine form here. My only gripe - and definitely a small one - is having the Andrew Sisters croon a number at the beginning and end after hearing Ted Lewis do whatever Ted Lewis does. It's not bad - just somewhat out of place. In response to Mr. Lewis's trademark question, I was very happy having seen Hold That Ghost.

Still a favorite for laughing out loud

[teachbike · 9/10 · 2 June 2003]

After watching this film for about the 1 thousandth time, I still find I laugh out loud for a good part of it. Costello and Davis could have been a great movie pairing. They play off each other very well. Their puddle dance is still 1 of my favorite bits. Knowing of Costello's athletic prowess makes watching that dance an even better experience. The story is fast paced, funny and even scary a time or two. I still am wondering if Costello was ever able to fully explain the figures of speech to Abbott (the best straight man Hollywood ever had). Any movie that can make me a Mark Lawrence fan for life must be a good one.

A pilot for Scooby Doo?

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 8 September 2006]

I first saw this film before Scooby Doo came out from Hanna Barbara. I really thought when I first saw Scooby Doo that it's creators had watched this movie & then tried to create the same atmosphere. The formats are similar, as we have a haunted house (in this movie it is a road house), a mystery (where is something & why are all these ghosts appearing to try & stop our heroes from finding it?), the bad guys (motive), the good guys(Bud&Lou versus Shaggy & Scooby?), & some music(Lennon Sisters versus Rock Music from Don Kirshner) to make things move along the way. While surely (not Shirley) there are differences, & maybe the idea came from my head, I still think this is where the idea for Scooby Doo came from. Both ideas even have the happy endings. Of course, this might all be just in my head, but that's not a problem. After all, mindless fun is entertaining both ways as Lou Costello & Shaggy are both classics to me. Enjoy this one, as the format is used often, but Bud & Lou did it first.

Difficult To Watch

[mozart-73268 · 3/10 · 30 October 2023]

Hold That Ghost is quite a bad movie! If it were not for the talented Joan Davis, I would have turned it off after a few minutes. I do not understand what the nightclub scene was supposed to be, because it was very disconnected from the plot. The Andrews Sisters were great, but the song they sang was not. With all songs available, they could have chosen a better song.

And that takes me to Lou Costello. I never liked him when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s, and I dislike him more now. In my opinion, he is not funny. He is just a fat, arrogant, obnoxious little man whose antics are so WAY over the top that he becomes annoying. It is a mystery to me why people think he is funny. Regardless, the movie is not worth more than a three star.

Ab-bb-ott! Was that a ghost?

[michaelRokeefe · 9 November 2003]

Arthur Lubin directs this scary comedy with Abbott and Costello inheriting a gangster's abandoned piece of property. A haunted house? Some guys have all the luck. Well paced funny script complete with stormy atmosphere. Hilarious and a little spooky. Joan Davis is a scene stealer. Others in support: Richard Carlson, Evelyn Ankers and Marc Lawrence. Classic Abbott and Costello.

Enjoyable Cast, Lackluster Script

[gftbiloxi · 6/10 · 9 April 2005]

Abbott and Costello were among the most popular comic teams in Hollywood history, and 1941's HOLD THAT GHOST is generally considered one of their better early films.

Like most Abbott and Costello movies, the film exists exclusively as a set up for the pair's comic routines. By an absurd twist of fate, two gas station attendants fall heir to an isolated and decaying inn previously owned by a gangster--and, as in the usual manner of such films, find themselves stranded at the inn with a sinister guide, a silly scientist, a blonde beauty, a dizzy dame, and a host of half-seen "ghostly" characters who are out to find the dead gangster's loot. Walls slide open, bodies fall from behind curtains, beds unexpectedly turn into craps tables, and candles float in midair. It's all as broad as Abbott and Costello's comic style.

Abbott and Costello are, well, Abbott and Costello: bigger than life, over the top, and never eschewing the obvious if they think it will get a giggle. If you're in the market for sophisticated wit, you're in the wrong store--but at their best and armed with top rate material they could be extremely entertaining. Unfortunately, the script is weak, and you won't find anything here to compare to such classic turns as "Who's On First;" even so, the duo gives it everything they've got, and they manage to lift this excursion from the purely silly to the mildly amusing.

The supporting cast is quite solid here. Evelyn Ankers, best known as the ingenue in the horror classic THE WOLFMAN, is the blonde beauty of note; although the script offers her little, she's an attractive performer. While the motion picture industry gave her little more than occasional character roles, Joan Davis would go on considerable 1950s television fame with the series "I Married Joan," and her broad comic style is a perfect match for the Abbott and Costello brand of comedy--and when she pairs with Lou Costello to dance "The Blue Danube" the result is pure magic.

There is also a brief cameo by "Stooge" Shemp Howard. HOLD THAT GHOST also offers a few musical moments, and film fans will find them particularly interesting, for they give a glimpse of the now-forgotten Ted Lewis performing his classic "Me and My Shadow" routine and early footage of The Andrews Sisters, who perform the seldom heard "Sleepy Serenade" and "Aurora." It's all in good fun, but while mildly amusing this really isn't one of Abbott and Costello's more memorable films. Recommended, but to hardcore fans only.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Great Then and Great Now

[jayraskin1 · 10/10 · 25 November 2007]

I loved this film when I saw it as a kid and now, seeing it for the first time in thirty years, I still love it. Along with "Time of Their Lives" and "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" it is my favorite A and B film.

People have already said how it sparkles throughout. The only thing I have to add is notice how Joan Davis' ghost on the stairs scene echoes Ted Lewis' "Me and My Shadow" number.

No female comedienne has ever matched Joan Davis' marvelous physical comedy, including Lucille Ball in my opinion. (However Molly Shannon and Tea Leoni come close occasionally)

The closing musical number "Aurora" by the Andrew Sisters is marvelous. Besides "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," it is my favorite of theirs. Patty Andrews is still alive at age 89. Its great that she's still around.

Is everybody happy? Yes! An early ghost comedy by Abbott and Costello that haunts you right.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 7/10 · 17 July 2022]

Hold That Ghost (1941) : Brief Review -

Is everybody happy? Yes! An early ghost comedy by Abbott and Costello that haunts you right. Arthur Lubin takes Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's duo for an early ghost-comedy, which is also a gangster-comedy. The film cracks up an easy-looking formula with one of the most difficult gags ever performed in the comedy genre. The film has a setting that supports its theme by chance but not by mistake. After inheriting a fortune from a gangster, two dim-witted service station attendants find themselves stranded in a haunted house. They are joined by an experiment-freak doctor, a screaming radio jockey, and a beautiful girl with no background. The caretaker-cum-driver is murdered, and the group starts looking for the reasons behind it. The peculiar horror things create confusion as well as a hilarious show out there inside the house. Bud Abbott plays a smart fella again, but this time he gets fewer gags and more pass-over scenes. His passing scenes to Costello assist Costello in producing gags that are both funny and enjoyable. "I am not going in there. Ok, I'd like to see you make me," Costello says. As Abbott slaps him, Costello replies, "Ok, you made me." This banter is the biggest USP of the film. One of the girls, Joan Davis (Camille), adds some of her laughs-physical and verbal alike. Her intro scene gives you the idea in the beginning that the film is not just about Abbott and Costello, but it's also about her show. The way she says, "I had a great part in it. Five screams, you know," oh man, that's indeed funny. Richard Carlson as a study freak doctor and Evelyn Ankers as a go-to girl have a quick romance in sweet and short roles. The villains offer nothing new. Robert Lees, Fred Rinaldo and John Grant's writing deserve equal credit as Arthur Lubin's direction for making this one a perfect weekend family entertainer. An unmissable house goof-up for Abbott and Costello fans.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Abbott & Costello's Hold That Ghost is my first entry for Halloween-flavored October

[tavm · 9/10 · 1 October 2009]

With today being the first of the month that Halloween takes place in, I thought I'd devote all the days before All Hallows Eve to various movies of horror, suspense, or any comedy with a combination of the two. So with that, I decided to rewatch Abbott & Costello's Hold That Ghost which I first saw 30 years ago when I was 11 or 12 staying home late Saturday watching TV at midnight. It was my first time that I observed Bud & Lou in live-action, having previously seen them in Hanna-Barbera's cartoon series when I vacationed the year before in New York City. Anyway, I was a little amused at their antics then but now I find them hilarious especially Lou with his constantly getting soooo excited when he's scared! Unlike the previous two movies-Buck Privates and In the Navy-they're not the only ones getting big laughs. Joan Davis also gets her lion's share in slapstick and facial reactions whether with Costello-gotta love their classical-rumba dance skit-or by herself when going down the stairs with a ghost behind her. There's also Shemp Howard in an amusing cameo as a soda jerk. And the screenplay by Robert Lees & Fred Rinaldo (with additions by A & C's own John Grant) also provides some witty banter with the romantic leads Richard Carlson and Evelyn Ankers. By the way, while Ms. Davis plays a screamer actress on radio (though she rarely does it when actually scared), Ms. Ankers-who would spend most of her Universal career in horror flicks-would become "Queen of the Screamers (or Horrors depending on the source)" as a result of this and subsequent movies. Oh, and if you're wondering why musical acts Ted Lewis and The Andrews Sisters appear in the beginning and end, well, when Universal previewed this movie, according to Maxene Andrews, when the audience filled the preview cards they asked, "Where are The Andrews Sisters?" as they had enjoyed them previously in Buck Privates. (In the Navy-and Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne's participation in it-would be hastily filmed while this haunted house comedy would be temporarily halted.) Because of their spots, they don't interrupt the flow of the comedy which includes such classic bits like the "Moving Candle", "Changing Room", and Lou's ad-libs with a stuffed moose's head. All in all, Hold That Ghost is a most enjoyable Abbott & Costello movie with great contributions from Joan Davis.

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a better Halloween movie

[cricketbat · 6/10 · 23 November 2018]

Hold that Ghost isn't particularly scary, nor does it make a lot of sense, but it's still endearing. Abbott and Costello are a fantastic comedy duo with impeccable timing, even if the humor is a bit dated now. However, I do think that Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a better Halloween movie than this one.

Hilarious

[cabasaexpert351 · 9/10 · 28 May 2008]

This movie is hilarious. Abbot and Costello are so funny together in this film. This film is about two guys who work at a gas station and are with a very rich man when he dies and inherits his hotel. The driver who brings them and a few other people to the hotel ends up driving off leaving them stranded at this hotel. Knowing that somewhere in the hotel is this man's fortune a few men try to chase them out of the house by tricking them into thinking the hotel is haunted. This movie will keep you laughing hysterically. Anyone who has a sense of humor I'm pretty sure would love this movie. If you are a fan of Abbot and Costello then you will definitely love this movie.

Bud & Lou in their prime

[BrianG · 7/10 · 29 June 2000]

As several posters have said, this is one of Abbott & Costello's best films. It's consistently hilarious, there's a real chemistry between Lou and Joan Davis, who plays a professional radio screamer--just what you need when you're forced to stay in a haunted house overnight--and the physical and verbal gags are first-rate. Although a low-budget film, it doesn't have the cheap look that their later films have, and a first-rate supporting cast helps things along immensely. This film is evidence of why A&C were the top box office comedy team in the early and mid '40s. Highly recommended.

Absolutely the best A&C flick of all times!

[jhumlong · 10/10 · 7 March 2002]

Having seen "Hold That Ghost" so many times that I can't remember, the affection I hold for this film since early childhood is undescribable. From the starting shots in the Chez Glamor to the last shot with Costello getting caught "stuffing his pockets with the opening nite receipts", it is a laugh a minute. Yes, the "moving candle gag is old, but the movie still plays well today. I would have loved to meet the boys out in Hollywood, but when Lou died, I was still in high school. I do remember reading about it but his passing didn't really affect me until years later when Bud died in 1974. This is when it sank in the we had lost the "best comedy pair of the 20th century". I remember the Saturday afternoon matinee's and standing in line for the double features an paying my 14 cents for the best time a boy of 10 could have. At that time the films were all Realart Releases, but it seemed as if they were new productions. When A&C meet Frankenstein, That was the first new film I saw A&C in (1949). If you haven't seen Hold That Ghost, do you self a favor and rent or better yet buy the VHS video for the graphics on the box. There great too!

Vintage Abbott and Costello

[Scrooge-3 · 6/10 · 26 May 1999]

This is a delightful film, full of vintage Abbott and Costello slapstick, wordplay, and misinterpretations. The only drawback is having to sit through Ted Lewis's "singing." The Andrews Sisters are fine, as always, in the framing sequences, although their presence is a bit contrived. Look for a cameo by Shemp Howard.

Is everybody happy? No, Ted, everybody is not!

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 20 April 2017]

Hold That Ghost opens with ten minutes of nightclub cabaret from popular acts of the day Ted Lewis and The Andrews Sisters. Lewis, sporting a stupid crumpled top hat at a jaunty angle, is absolutely awful, with an irritating drawling singing style and a routine that is just a tad racist, his theme song, 'Me and My Shadow', seeing his every move mimicked by a black man (his shadow, so to speak). The Andrews Sisters are slightly less intolerable, but neither act adds anything to the plot.

Also working at the nightclub are relief waiters Chuck (Bud Abbott) and Ferdie (Lou Costello), who are quickly fired for unprofessional behaviour but who soon find jobs at a service station (that, for some strange reason, seems to be named after it's newest employees). After gangster Moose Matson (William B. Davidson) pulls into the station for some gas, the pair find themselves unwittingly involved in a police chase that ends with Matson being shot and killed. As he dies, the gangster drops his last will and testament that stipulates that those who are with him when he croaks will be his beneficiaries, which leaves Chuck and Ferdie the proud new owners of a dilapidated inn.

Travelling to inspect their inheritence on a stormy night, the inn's proud new owners find themselves providing shelter for several other travellers (played by Richard Carlson, Marc Lawrence, Joan Davis and Evelyn Ankers), unaware that Moose Matson's thugs are also in the building searching for their boss's hidden fortune.

This set up allows for lots of routine haunted house shenanigans, complete with creepy cobwebby corridors, secret rooms and hidden dangers, and for its stars to run through their comedic routines, both slapstick and verbal, Abbot the stoic straight man and Costello the nervous bumbling fool. Fans of Abbot and Costello's vaudeville style will have a blast, but I found it all rather stale and creakier than the shutters on the old inn's windows. Costello's repeated whistling between his teeth becomes extremely irritating and certain scenes are very laboured (the room changing gag is played out again and again, and the candle scene goes on far too long). Even Costello's much touted dance scene with Joan Davis left me distinctly unimpressed.

The lovely Evelyn Ankers is the film's one shining light amidst all of the gloomy old dark house nonsense: extremely easy on the eye, her radiance makes up somewhat for the weak humour and predictability of the script.

The film closes with the good guys finding the hidden fortune. What do they do with the money? Why, hire Ted Lewis and The Andrew Sisters to perform at their new health retreat, of course. Pah!