This film finds Abbott and Costello following their pal into the Army Air Corps. He is in pilot training, the two comedians become ground crewmen. Along the way, Bud and Lou fall for Martha Raye and they BOTH get her, as she plays dual roles in the film--identical twin sisters.
This is the third of Abbott and Costello's service films they made at the beginning of their film careers. Of the three, this is definitely the least appealing and represented a step backwards of sorts for the duo. Like their other early films, the comedians are forced into an awkward role--comic relief and not the main characters (though they do get top billing).
This main character is Dick Foran and he plays a very, very familiar sort of guy--one that is a bit of a cliché. Like so many of William Haines' films in the silent era, Foran plays a know-it-all hot-shot who comes on very strong and doesn't listen to others. Why---because he feels he is already so great he doesn't need to fit in to the team (in this case, the US Army Air Corps). Haines did this sort of film a bazillion times and Jimmy Cagney did a similar role in CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS. And, like Cagney and Haines, by the end of the film, Foran is humbler and ready to play by the rules. This is just all too predictable and takes much of the film's focus away from Abbott and Costello--a major problem with the production.
Another problem in this otherwise amiable film is the extensive use of stunts as well as rear-projection. While this might have worked once or perhaps twice, it was used too often in the film--and made the humor very physical as well as a bit lame (particularly the torpedo scene--uggh!).
All in all, a film that poorly used the talents of this team--with too much Foran, too many stunts and once again too much singing. Very watchable but also not at all among their best work.
By the way, if the diner skit where Bud tells Lou not to order anything since they don't have enough money, this is a re-tread of the Laurel and Hardy skit from MEN O'WAR (1929). The only real difference is that Bud plays more of a jerk in this version and Stanley was a heck of a lot dumber in the original!
This is the third of Abbott and Costello's service films they made at the beginning of their film careers. Of the three, this is definitely the least appealing and represented a step backwards of sorts for the duo. Like their other early films, the comedians are forced into an awkward role--comic relief and not the main characters (though they do get top billing).
This main character is Dick Foran and he plays a very, very familiar sort of guy--one that is a bit of a cliché. Like so many of William Haines' films in the silent era, Foran plays a know-it-all hot-shot who comes on very strong and doesn't listen to others. Why---because he feels he is already so great he doesn't need to fit in to the team (in this case, the US Army Air Corps). Haines did this sort of film a bazillion times and Jimmy Cagney did a similar role in CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS. And, like Cagney and Haines, by the end of the film, Foran is humbler and ready to play by the rules. This is just all too predictable and takes much of the film's focus away from Abbott and Costello--a major problem with the production.
Another problem in this otherwise amiable film is the extensive use of stunts as well as rear-projection. While this might have worked once or perhaps twice, it was used too often in the film--and made the humor very physical as well as a bit lame (particularly the torpedo scene--uggh!).
All in all, a film that poorly used the talents of this team--with too much Foran, too many stunts and once again too much singing. Very watchable but also not at all among their best work.
By the way, if the diner skit where Bud tells Lou not to order anything since they don't have enough money, this is a re-tread of the Laurel and Hardy skit from MEN O'WAR (1929). The only real difference is that Bud plays more of a jerk in this version and Stanley was a heck of a lot dumber in the original!