The second of three films Bud and Lou did for MGM is an improvement over the first, Rio Rita. The plot, such that it matters, has the boys in the Middle East with singer Marilyn Maxwell trying to help a prince regain his throne from his evil uncle (Douglas Dumbrille). Marilyn provides the pretty. Dumbrille is a good heavy. Some nice music from Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra. Far better than the opera-y stuff from Rio Rita and less obtrusive. The comedy is also better in this one. Although, like the other two MGM films A&C did, some of the best laughs come from other actors NOT Bud and Lou. One of the funnier bits in this one is an old vaudeville routine called "Slowly I Turned" that many of you will probably remember from a famous I Love Lucy episode. Despite being familiar with the bit, I still thought it was pretty funny and performed well in the film by Murray Leonard. It's not the best Abbott and Costello movie but it is enjoyable. If you're new to their work, you'll probably like it a lot more.
Review of Lost in a Harem
