Pardon My Sarong (1942) User Reviews

Pardon my loving this film

[Spondonman · 8/10 · 2 April 2006]

I've seen Pardon My Sarong over 10 times now and have to consider it one of Bud & Lou's best films, up there with Ride 'em cowboy, Meets Frankenstein, Hold that ghost etc. PMS is more distinctly episodic than most of their others and would present a Plot Coherency Issue with impatient first-comers, but if got through a sparkling atmospheric musical comedy lies within. The early '40's Universal Harmless Escapist Entertainment atmosphere helps a lot though, this must have been made straight after Hellzapoppin - wasn't that front porch outside the maggickan's cabaret show where Hugh Herbert's Eat At Joe's dickie blew up?

The boys are illicitly taking Robert Paige's entertainment troupe from Chicago to LA in a bus - all those women in tow and he falls for one who is out to nobble him. Tip, Tap & Toe provide some amazing dance scenes (not quite a rhythmic brainstorm though), alongside the lilting Ink Spots. Detective William Demarest briefly tries to stop them but gives up the chase when they and the plot veer toward a South Seas island. Here "Lovely Luana" & "Vingo Jingo" are put over by a gorgeous Nan Wynn, while Leif Erickson plays a stinker and Lionel Atwill as usual plays a baddie because he was one.

There's plenty of nicely contrived snappy routines for us aficionados: The old baseball story; Hiding from Demarest; "Back up! Go ahead!"; Sharing a pea for dinner etc. Not a lot for non-fans however - I think a better introduction to A&C for anyone interested would be Meets Frankenstein or maybe Time of their lives. And this one is definitely best watched sober!

Oh Give Me a Home, Where the Frangipani Bloom

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 2 November 2005]

Until the VHS of Pardon My Sarong was released I had never seen the complete film. When I was a lad and WPIX television in New York City used to show Abbott and Costello films every Sunday morning, the film always began with Costello crashing that bus into the harbor. I used to wonder why as prominent an actor like William Demarest had such a brief part.

So when I was a kid I missed the Ink Spots do a number and I missed cop Bill Demarest get bamboozled by A&C. Both Abbott and Costello disguise themselves as a magician and make Demarest the fall guy for some gags. This might be the only time Abbott was ever a comic in any of their films and he was good.

I guess the Chicago Transit company didn't want to put two buses in jeopardy which was why both boys were on the same bus. Millionaire Yachtsman Robert Paige has some how talked these two into leaving their Michigan Avenue route and driving him and a bevy of beauties to Los Angeles for the start of a boat race.

Of course having lost their jobs as bus drivers with this harebrained move the boys sign on with Paige as a yacht crew along with Virginia Bruce who is the sister of one of Paige's rivals and they get blown off course and wind up on an island Dorothy Lamour would be found on if the film had been made at Paramount.

Don't ask me how, but the natives make Costello some kind of Deity and he gets to be the big man on campus there. Of course we also have resident villain Lionel Atwill looking to loot some treasure.

Like Douglass Dumbrille in a few Abbott and Costello films, Atwill looked like he was having a great old time burlesquing his own sinister image, especially in the chase sequence at the end.

One of the best from Abbott and Costello's early Universal days.

"I think we can stand more canvas boys, ease the main dorsal jib and break out the spinnaker."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 26 February 2005]

Two unlikely buddies hijack a bus, stow away on a charter boat, land on an uncharted island, and save the sacred ruby of Mantua. On paper, the concept doesn't seem to work, but with Abbott and Costello, anything is possible. In "Pardon My Sarong", all this and more combine to present a musical comedy that works even after sixty years.

Watching the night club scene, it occurred to me that you never see any act today that features tap dancing, but the efforts of the team of Tic, Tac and Toe make for a very entertaining presentation, combining originality, athleticism and choreography all rolled into one. The musical stylings of The Four Ink Spots are also a treat, and a reasonable alternative to the Andrews Sisters who graced a number of the comedy duo's earlier films.

When I saw this movie as a kid, the Big Stinker routine always made me roar, and surprisingly, it still holds up pretty well today in the chuckle department. It's neatly complemented by the "Tree of Truth" gag, with Lou taking his licks each time he makes a comment.

There's also a bevy of pretty girls around to offset the nefarious deeds of the evil Doctor Varnoff (Lionel Atwill) and his henchmen. It all combines to make an entertaining hour and a half of antic fun for the "moola" team of Abbott and Costello.

DEFENDING THOSE MUSICAL NUMBERS

[Gerry_George · 5 October 2004]

People who weren't around in 1942 - as I was - will not appreciate that, although we all loved Bud and Lou, in this fast moving wacky comedy, Forties cinema-goers worldwide wanted bags of *jazzy* Swing Music to help it along...hence the glut of songs and production numbers.

For today's latter-day critics who would seem to be complaining about *too many musical numbers* in this talkie, I would ask you to understand that - at this time - nearly every studio was working overtime to make just such musical films, and indeed it was as if the public's appetite for these lovely melodious lyrics, and catchy rhythmic tunes, could never be satisfied.

So, watch it again, and don't worry about the music: that's what made the world go round in those happier, less smart-assed, less cool and less funky days...days, when *pop* music was there to entertain and unite everyone in the entire family, as opposed to using it as a device to exclude all but one isolated age group, to the detriment of the rest, as would seem to appertain today.

A&C at their peak

[jimtinder · 7/10 · 18 January 2001]

Having returned to Universal following MGM's somewhat disappointing "Rio Rita," Abbott and Costello get back on track with "Pardon My Sarong," sort of their version of the Hope-Crosby "Road" pictures.

A&C play Chicago bus drivers, who through a series of funny machinations, end up on a tropic isle with evil Lionel Atwill. There are many funny moments both at sea and on the island.

If there are people who don't like Abbott and Costello, it is probably because they don't like Abbott's often callous treatment of Costello. While this is part of their characterizations, and is often funny, the screenwriters went admittedly overboard in "Sarong." While Virginia Bruce does stand up to Abbott on Costello's behalf several times, one tasteless gag includes Abbott matter-of-factly giving Costello a gun to shoot himself! Such gags have limited the duo's appeal over time, but if looked upon broadly, "Sarong" is a funny film and shows A&C at their peak, which ran roughly from 1941 to 1945. 7 out of 10.

Bud and Lou get away from their wartime specific comedies for a change

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 21 September 2019]

Hit comedy from Universal Pictures and director Erle C. Kenton. Chicago bus drivers Algy (Bud Abbott) and Wellington (Lou Costello) end up on a yacht with Tommy Layton (Robert Paige) and Joan Marshall (Virginia Bruce) that's participating in a trans-Pacific race. They go off course and end up on a mysterious tropical island with a tribe of natives who fear a haunted cave. Also featuring Lionel Atwill, Leif Erickson, Samuel S. Hinds, Nan Wynn, Marie McDonald, Janet Warren, Eddie Acuff, Sig Arno, Charles Lane, and William Demarest.

One knows what to expect from an Abbott & Costello movie, and this one delivers more of the same. After their run of successful military service comedies, this started a new run of parodies of different genre conventions, and this was meant to emulate the hit Road movies with Hope & Crosby over at Paramount. It was a good call by the producers, as this ended up being one of the biggest hits of 1942. It's silly, with occasional chuckles here and there, but mainly Costello yelling a lot and doing slapstick. There are a few musical numbers, and a lot of "island" girls in skimpy outfits.

Sarong of the Islands

[lugonian · 8/10 · 22 September 2013]

PARDON MY SARONG (Universal, 1942), directed by Erle C. Kenton, with original screenplay by True Boardman, stars that wacky comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in one of their wildest romps. For their eighth released comedy, they assume the outrageous names of Algernon "Algy" Shaw (Abbott) and Wellington Phlug (Costello), and roles of a couple of bus drivers taking their Michigan Avenue crosstown bus full of passengers for a long distance ride to California while assisting millionaire playboy, Tommy Layton (Robert Paige) to his forthcoming yacht race on time. The president of the Chicago Municipal Bus Company (Charles Lane) hires Detective Kendall (William Demarest) to track down the bus (Number 5111) and its drivers, and through a warrant, have them placed under arrest. As they drive their bus back to Chicago with Kendall by their side, Algy and Wellington somehow end up on Tommy's yacht where they acquire new jobs as his able bodied seamen. Also on board is stowaway Joan (Virginia Bruce), sister of a rival yachtsman, Roger Marshall (William Cabanne), who purposely forces Tommy's yacht to lose its course, drifting around the ocean with limited food supply before turning up on a South Seas island inhabited with native girls, tribesmen, a native chief (Samuel S. Hinds) and the mysterious archaeologist, Doctor Varnoff (Lionel Atwill - taking time away from horror film roles as 1942's THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET, which, too, took place on an unchartered island) with a hidden short wave radio in his cottage. Things get really hectic (and funnier) after this.

Somewhat inspired by the current trend of Paramount's three "Road to" adventure comedies starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, PARDON MY SARONG's only similarities are its wild antics and constant ad-libs between the two central characters. While Abbott is a far cry as the crooning Bing Crosby-type, they each share their conniving ways of bossing around their unsuspecting lifelong pals. As for Costello, he can be just as funny, when situations allow, than the wisecracking Hope, though both can tend to over emphasize themselves as laugh getters. Unlike Bob and Bing, Bud and Lou don't have any serious-minded straight woman in the tradition of "queen of the sarongs" Dorothy Lamour to fight over, but there's Virginia Bruce as the feuding love interest opposite young yachtsman (Robert Paige). The casting of William Demarest and Lionel Atwill separately matching wits with Abbott and Costello certainly add certain interest to the story, such as it is. Other members of the cast include that of Nan Wynn (Luana); Marie McDonald (Ferna); and Jack LaRue (Tabor).

The screen treatment for PARDON MY SARONG is as contrived as its title, but it does allow for some exceptionally hilarious individual scenes during its madcap course of 83 minutes. Though Abbott and Costello routines tend to repeat themselves from time to time, thus going one better with each passing film, there's some material here that's not only first time enactments, but those never repeated again. Those in general are: "The Baseball Story," which has nothing to do with their legendary "Who's on First" routine, but an original concept where Wellington tells one to con a gas station attendant (Irving Bacon) from paying $12.50 for gassing up his bus; Algy and Wellington disguising themselves as magicians to perform failed magic acts on the detective (Demarest); and the dual's definition for the word "stinker" to the tough native, Whaba (hilariously played by Leif Erickson). Much familiar routines as "Back up, go ahead," the switching duped drinks, and "the tree of truth" are also played out to great advantage for guaranteed laugh assurance. And what Abbott and Costello movie isn't complete without a show-stopping chase. Aside from Costello (in zebra striped shirt) being very much rare form here, the climatic surreal chase involving him and his seal friend, Sharky, is truly one of the great highlights.

In traditional 1940s style, song numbers are incorporated into most comedies such as this. With those composed by Don Raye, Gene DePaul, Milton Drake, Ben Oakland, Stanley Cowan and Bobby North, the musical soundtrack includes "Do I Worry?" (sung by The Four Ink Spots); "Shout, Brother, Shout" (Ink Spots, tap dance by Tip, Tap and Toe); "Lovely Luana," "Oh Great One" "Vingle-Jingle" (sung by Nan Wynn) and "Vingle Jungle" (sung during closing credits). While some sources list the Ink Spots signature number of "If I Didn't Care" as part of the movie, it's not visible in the final print.

As with all Abbott and Costello comedies produced from 1940 to 1956, PARDON MY SARONG was distributed to home video, and later onto the DVD format. Prior to that, it enjoyed frequent revivals on broadcast television, especially on New York City's WPIX, Channel 11, during its Sunday morning/afternoon lineup (1972-1990). Cable TV presentations include The Comedy Channel (1990s); and American Movie Classics (2001). With PARDON MY SARONG having an offbeat moment as Costello's suicide attempt, the movie overall is certainly impossible not to dislike. (***)

Spotty

[gridoon · 6/10 · 24 June 2007]

Probably not one of Abbott and Costello's shining moments. It's funny in spots ("Go ahead, back up"), but it lacks comic momentum. 5 musical numbers are simply too many for an 80-minute comedy. The numbers are interesting in their own right, but not well-integrated into the story, and not as catchy as some of those in another A & C film of the same period, "In The Navy". And although I have absolutely nothing against Black & White films, the tropical island setting of this one might have benefited from being shot in luscious Technicolor. On the plus side, the special effects are very impressive for their age, and as Luana, the island tribe chief's daughter, Nan Wynn is a dazzling exotic beauty - without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful women I have EVER seen. (**1/2)

Pure silly fun

[rvm-2 · 8/10 · 16 June 2002]

This is pure silliness at its best. If you plan to watch, bring your sense of silly. A native dance turns into a nightclub act; Lou the bus driver gets confused by the instructions "go ahead and back up"; and many other classic bits.

Bud and Lou obviously had a great time making this movie (Lou is hysterically funny). A smile never left my face during the last half of it, even though this a 60+ year old movie now. I'm sure it was popular escapist fun for Allied troops during WWII.

Sexy Comic Romp; Abbot and Costello; Send-Up of Polynesian Films

[silverscreen888 · 7/10 · 14 July 2005]

This is a classic of its sort, and well-remembered. What the viewer needs to know about all comedy-duo films is that they are screwball sub-genre works. In order for a comedic team to be effective in any narrative, one of them or the other has to be behaving not normally but 'normatively'--in the way a normative human should act, at any given time... If both act out-of--character for an adult, the result will be unsustainable parody. This is my favorite Abbot and Costello feature as a writer because, for once the writers, including True Boardman, Nat Perrin and John Grant gave the team a good storyline about whose solid core they can construct their funny routines. The film is a revue with an excuse or a musical played for comedy; or it is a farce with music and comedy; but note that the pace is more leisurely than one would see today, yet the purpose of the film remains clear--to entertain. The entire story-line also is a satirical look at the white-god-in-Polynesia storyline; the "god" here is short, cherubic and gormless Lou Costello. The story begins with two lower-class types in early wartime needing to make off with a city bus, then stowing away on a chartered yacht, and ending up with the others aboard on a uncharted island. Never mind why this is necessary; without all three gimmicks, they would still be on mean streets somewhere scrabbling for dimes. The musical comedy that follows is fantasy, corn, maltreatment of Costello by Abbott, sight-gags, run-ins with beautiful girls, teasing the local bully, a villain nicely-played for laughs, and interactions with the other passengers including a pair of intelligent young-lovers-in-the-making. The plot concerns Costello ending by saving the sacred ruby of Mantua from the bad guys, plus some famous songs, hilarious comedy routines, tap dancing numbers, one very sexy dance number, and Costello's attempts not to be done in by the criminals. "Vingo Jingo" is wonderful, "Lovely Luana" and "Island of the Moon" are well-staged. And much more about this charmingly-photographed film entertains; it was never intended to be taken seriously, but it was intended to take up an hour and a half of escape from WWII--which it is what it still provides, regardless of what one is trying not to notice for a while. The film has many pretty girls, good actors and a variety of visual and musical treats. The production is first-rate by anyone's standards; it was expensive and looks it. Gowns by Vera West, Milton Krasner as cinematographer, art direction by Jack Otterson, set decoration by Russell A. Gausman, and music (both original by Frank Skinner plus new songs and songs that are known) make it a feast for the eye and the ear alike. in my opinion Director Erle C. Kenton also had a good cast to work with. In addition to the comedy leads in top form--they always looked better outdoors--the cast boasts Robert Paige and Virginia Bruce, Lionel Atwill as the villain, William Demarest, Nan Wynn, Leif Ericson extremely funny as the local bully, Samuel S. Hinds, Marie McDonald, Elaine Morey, The Ink Spots, Sig Arno, the dance team of Tip, Tap and Toe, George Chandler and others. This is a very-often-imitated film, and one rediscovered whenever it is shown on television by those unused to an era of professional entertainment; it is perhaps likely to delight anyone who simply starts watching it and finds out how much innocent fun a screwball comedy-musical can be, when set where the sarong is the customary mode of dress.

Pardon My Review.

[AaronCapenBanner · 5/10 · 26 October 2013]

Abbott & Costello play two bumbling bus drivers who accidentally end up stealing their own bus; now fired and on the run from the police, they drive it into the ocean(!) and hitch a lift with a playboy(played by Robert Paige). After some mishaps along the way, they finally arrive on a South Seas island where they encounter a hostile native tribe(with pretty island girls of course!) and a Dr. Varnoff(played by Lionel Atwill) who is really a jewel thief on a mission, and most unappreciative of their intrusion. Virginia Bruce plays a potential love interest. A big hit in 1942, though I'm not sure why, since this is an overly silly film with the usual clichés that haven't worn well, though the one funny bit with "the big stinker" is a highlight, otherwise, the team had made much better films.

Pardon My Sarong was perhaps the most fun of the early Abbott & Costello movies

[tavm · 9/10 · 29 January 2012]

Having reviewed Laurel & Hardy in Pardon Us a few days ago, I'm now commenting on Abbott & Costello's Pardon My Sarong. The significance of these two being submitted so close together is what I'll mention when I'm nearing the end. Right now, I'll just say that this is the funniest of the early A & C vehicles that I've just rewatched on YouTube. And not only are Bud & Lou at the top of their game-how refreshing to see Abbott get a few good laughs himself here-but the rest of the cast, including the romantic leads of Robert Paige and Virginia Bruce seem to be having fun every step of the way. I mean, William Demarest as a cop and Leif Erickson as the "Biggest Stinker of Them All" (LOL) are great foils for the team. And the musical interludes by The Four Ink Spots and Nan Wynn are soooo enjoyable to me! Really, Pardon My Sarong is one of the most fun of the A & C pictures. Okay, so the reason that Pardon Us and Pardon My Sarong have gotten comments from me on the closest of days is because since Black History Month is only a few days away, I've been mentioning the contributions of various performers of color to these movies. So with this one, we have not only The Four Ink Spots (Deek Watson, Charles Fuqua, Hoppy Jones, Bill Kenny) but also a tap dancing trio named Tip, Tap, and Toe (Ted Fraser, Samuel Green, and Ray Winfield who was the innovator of the sliding style of tap as evidenced by the way he glided on that table during The Four Ink Spots second set. Really impressive, that was especially when I watched it a second time!), and the choreographer of those island dances led by Ms. Wynn was Katherine Dunham. They were quite sexy especially "Vingo Jingo". By the way, Ms. Dunham studied and began practicing her art in Chicago, Ill., my birthtown (Chicago was also where the bus driven by Bud and Lou in the picture's beginning came from). One more thing, I always like to acknowledge whenever players from my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, are in other films and TV shows. Here it's Charles Lane as Bud & Lou's superior at the bus terminal and Samuel S. Hinds as one of the natives. They both previously were in A & C's last Universal movie before this one, Ride 'Em Cowboy.

Still stuck with the old formula...too bad as aside from that it's a nice film.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 17 August 2009]

Just recently I began re-watching the films of Abbott and Costello. As a kid, I'd seen just about all of them and now, decades later, I am going through a nostalgic phase seeing them again. I started at the beginning and have already noticed one thing. While the team tries hard and does just fine, Universal Studio (as well as MGM for three films) insisted on sticking the boys with the same tried and true formula--and it handicapped the films. First, they insisted on making Bud and Lou more like supporting players and had an unrelated love story which starred some hunky guy (such as Dick Foran or Dick Powell--two Dicks that were unnecessary in the film). Second, the films were given at least 4 or 5 big production number songs--often in nightclubs but always with lots of gloss and they are certainly not subtle! Heck, in this film, they even did a few numbers like this on a primitive tropical island!!

Well, as I mentioned PARDON MY SARONG above, you can correctly guess that it, too, is one of these early formulaic movies. So, in addition to way too much music, it had a love story involving Virginia Bruce and Robert Paige--two people who had no reason to be in the film. Why, oh why couldn't they just give the film to Abbott and Costello and them alone? Later, this would be the case in many films, but for now this one is yet another that is handicapped at the start--though I must admit that the two Ink Spots songs were more enjoyable than most.

As for the plot, it's not bad and the film is fun. BUT, Universal also severely handicapped the team again by creating the lamest tropical island in the history of film. It's inhabited with people that look like Hollywood extras covered in a dye to make them look "tropical". Along with the women's 1942 hair styles (complete with perms) they looked about as native as Lana Turner!! And, unfortunately, there were some dumb gimmicks added as well that simply looked like dumb gimmicks--such as the terribly unrealistic swordfish and the underwater scene early in the film (it's obviously an aquarium scene with Mollies and Guppies superimposed over Bud, Lou and William Demarest). It's a shame the studio took so many shortcuts, I could have ignored the unnecessary songs and love story but I couldn't ignore the cheesiness. It's also a shame, as the idea of the film is good AND it was nice to see Lou really be a hero by the end of the film. Too bad--a film with a lot of promise that is undone by stupid studio hacks that insisted on formula and didn't trust Abbott and Costello to be funny on their own.

Silly fun of the corny kind.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 9 April 2016]

A cross-town bus disappears in Detroit and ends up on the road to paradise in this campy farce. Bud and Lou were at the height of their fame when they got on this wild goose chase that has them as the geese and private detective as the hunter. Their journey from the mid west takes them to a south seas island with Caucasians as the native chorus girls and a strange character in Lionel Atwill who has made his home on the island studying the native customs. The minimal romantic plot involves Robert Paige and Virginia Bruce who distract from the gags and songs.

The Ink Spots add some musical sequences while Abbott and Costello are on their cross country journey. A couple of native dances (Hollywood style) help stretch out the running time of the paper thin plot when the gags are on hold. A ton of familiar faces have uncredited roles here, among them Charles Lane as the perplexed bus company owner. Costumes on the island sequences seem closer to Mardi Gras celebrations rather than a Pacific Island, but as the boys would say, "What's sarong with that?"

Adults will be as equally amused as younger audiences as the kids, and who could balk at the constant flow of slapstick? Irving Bacon gets the Costello treatment as a gas station attendant who is bilked out of gas money and change, while an underwater sequence with the bus, and ultimately a seal, creates some laughs as well. It's all topped by a volcano erupting where Lou is given a test to see if he is worthy to become the king of the island. This could be ranked on gag mileage for as fast as they happen, and that makes this one a winner.

The Boys, Lou & Bud, take a island vacation of fun!

[oscar-35 · 20 August 2003]

I wanted to see this film because my grandfather acted in it. His name is James Spencer. This film was very fun to see and watch the entertainment of the war years. I specially enjoyed the songs and dancing in this film. There is very little of that kind of entertainment in today's films. A great shame! "The Boys", Lou & Bud, were never better!

"I'm entitled to half of that bean."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 17 February 2014]

Abbott and Costello play bus drivers who steal their company's bus to chauffeur playboy Robert Paige and his lady friends around. Detective William Demarest chases after them. Through a series of events Bud, Lou, Paige, and Virginia Bruce wind up on a tropical island where Lionel Atwill is up to no good. Among the island natives are Leif Erickson (!) and Samuel S. Hinds (!!), as well as gorgeous Nan Wynn. She sings a couple of nice songs and there's also some great musical numbers from the Ink Spots and Tip, Tap, Toe. Romantic subplot with Paige and Bruce is one of those tired old "she hates him but she really likes him" things. It's putrid and the worst part of the movie. Virginia's nice to look at, though. The comedy is good, with Abbott & Costello getting to do some funny bits with William Demarest in the first half. Once it moves to the island Bud kind of fades into the background and it's Lou's show from then on. This is a pretty good A&C movie. Not their funniest but funny enough with some nice music and a good supporting cast to help out. It's completely impossible for any movie with both William Demarest and Lionel Atwill in it to be bad.

South Sea island won't be the same after A&C

[SimonJack · 7/10 · 18 January 2015]

This is another of the early Bud Abbott and Lou Costello movies that began just before World War II. Even after the films with armed services settings, the Abbott and Costello films continued for a while to include some music and dance performances. "Pardon My Sarong" features The Ink Spots (sometimes known as The Four Ink Spots) singing, and some very fancy and entertaining tap dancing by a trio that went by the name of Tip, Tap and Toe. Those talented African-American dancers had marvelous routines. Each danced with an emphasis that his name indicated. Samuel Green was the tip, Ted Fraser was the tap and Ray Winfield was the toe. Winfield was particularly entertaining as he introduced sliding actions that made it look as though he was moving on butter or oil. Much smoother, even, than moonwalking that came along in the 1980s. The trio had performed for years in vaudeville and would dance in five films in all.

Bud and Lou play Algy Shaw and Wellington Pflug, respectively. How they came up with some of their names in films is anyone's guess. Even that add some humor to their films. Unlike all their films before this, the boys are the center of the plot here. They have more antics that must have involved considerably more trick camera work and some special effects. The supporting cast for their romp across the screen includes Virginia Bruce as Joan and Robert Paige as Tommy. They are a token romantic interest, of sorts. But supporting actors William Demarest and Leif Erickson are more a part of the hijinks and hilarity of the comedy duo.

A couple of the very funny scenes are the biggest stinker on the island; the familiar switching cups of a drugged drink; and Bud and Lou in an artillery relay sequence shooting huge coconuts at the bad guys with a big slingshot atop the palm trees. This all makes for good fun and a movie the whole family can enjoy. Some reviewers think it's the best of the A&C films, but I think two or three are much funnier. With the number of antics here, the movie appears choppy at times.

Abbott and Costello visit the South Seas: lots of laughs, songs and dancing.

[weezeralfalfa · 9/10 · 28 August 2017]

Another wacky Abbott and Costello(A&C) musical comedy, also costarring Robert Paige as Tommy: a wealthy playboy, and Virginia Bruce, as Joan, who has an initial adversarial relationship with Tommy, which turns romantic("They hate each other enough to get married", observed Costello).

Tommy has illicitly hired a Chicago city bus to take himself an a bevy of gorgeous girls to Los Angeles. Costello, and his assistant, Abbott, are the drivers. Tommy will get his yacht ready for a coming race to Hawaii. The boys have a runin with Detective Kendall(William Demarest) just after they arrive, with some comical means of attempted escape, until they are captured. They are supposed to drive the bus back to Chicago, but instead accidentally drive it off a floating pier, thereby losing Kendall. They surface and are picked up by Tommy and Joan on his yacht, and are made deckhands, in spite of their lack of experience. They pick up a seal('sharky')along the way, who pops up every now and then through the rest of the film. They barely survive a terrible storm, losing all their sails. Fortunately, they come upon a small habitable island. They soon meet some natives, which they fear, and initially try to fight them. But, soon it's plain they like Costello for some reason, and the pair are conducted to the village. Meanwhile, Tommy and Joan are exploring on their own, and come across the cabin of an eccentric geologist, so he says,: Dr. Varnoff. The natives sing and dance for them. They demand that Costello wear a necklace with a special large jewel that is supposed to protect him from danger when he visits a mysterious temple on the side of the volcano. The last 5 men to go there never returned. He goes alone, but Abbott soon starts after him, in case he needs help. There, Costello , and sometimes Abbott, are chased all over the temple and surrounding jungle by 5 incredibly stupid goons, evidently sent by Dr. Varnoff, to steal the magical jewel. After they escape from these men, Costello spots Dr. Varnoff in a speed boat with Joan. He guesses that the doctor is up to no good, and swims toward the boat at a phenomenal rate. Eventually, he reaches the boat and has an eventful tussle with the doctor, eventually besting him. After this madcap adventure, Costello returns to claim his prize: the hand of the chief's daughter: Luana(Nan Wynn). He has to make up his mind whether to stay on the island with her or return to western civilization with his friends.

The musical numbers were composed by several authors, the island songs being composed by Dan Raye and Gene de Paul. The Ink Spots sang several songs in the night club where Tommy brought his bevy of babes, upon their arrival in L.A.. The acrobatic dancing team of Tip, Tap, and Toe performed their amazing skill for one of these songs, one of the film highlights for me. ...Then, when the gang was on the island, two songs were sung by the beautiful Nan Wynn, accompanied by much dancing by both men and women(separately). "Lovely Luana" is a languid Hawaiian-styled ballad, while Vingo Jingo is a jazzy number. Perhaps too much time was spent on the dancing natives, for a primarily comedic film.

If you like A&C films, this is one of their better efforts, despite its insane screen play. It's available in several A&C DVD collections.

Pardon My Sarong review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 7 May 2020]

Abbott & Costello wash up on a desert island with love interest Robert Paige and Virginia Bruce and stumble upon dastardly jewel thief Lionel Atwill. The second highest grossing movie of 1942 sees Universal continuing to support their top acts with decent scripts, but the routine is starting to feel a little familiar. Worth checking out for Leif Erickson dressed as a drag queen's take on the Statue of Liberty.

Great comedy

[Russell Dodd · 8/10 · 20 October 1999]

Abbott and Costello are both hilarious in this tale of Bus drivers who end up on a tropical island. They take their time to get there but it's great fun. A few good songs help this out too. Many funny moments and very funny finale.

Most enjoyable comedy which, in my opinion, is impossible to dislike.

Very Entertaining

[www1125 · 8/10 · 13 April 2011]

I found this to be one of Bud and Lou's best films. This film has several settings, from a bus, a gas station, a nightclub, a theater, a pier, a boat in the middle of the ocean, an island, a temple inside a volcano, a dangerous jungle in the middle of the island, and finally a runaway boat. Abbott and Costello, still in their prime, have some really good moments in this one, including the two of them posing as a magician in order to escape from a detective.

Also on hand is horror star Lionel Atwill, who plays his usual villainous role straight in contrast to Bud and Lou's antics. The Temple/Jungle chase scene is a real highlight, and the final battle between Lou and Atwill is very well done, and finishes nicely. Above average A&C film!

Classic!! You'll get hooked!!

[Astro_Nut · 6 July 2006]

One evening, I was flipping channels; bored as bored can be when a black and white film caught my eye. (It was the scene with the gas station attendant.) I watched until the scene with the dancers. Then I got bored and was flipping channels again. I went on the computer ate food ETC, when I went to watch TV again. All the sudden, four people were on some island. I was shocked, confused and mesmerized. I watch the rest of the film. At the end, I bitterly cursed myself for ever changing channels. I watched the whole movie a year later. That's when I got hooked. I now can't wait for the CBC to show a classic movie with our lovable heroes, Bud and Lou!!!

Glad I'm not the only one on here who thinks this is one of the best Abbott & Costello movies...

[asc85 · 9/10 · 12 May 2019]

This film never seemed to get the acclaim as one of the best Abbott & Costello films out there...but I think it really is. Although a totally different A & C vehicle, I put this right up there with "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein," which I know is generally considered one of their best. There's plenty of great one-liners and set-ups in this movie. My favorite is the "stinker" scene, which I am genuinely surprised has never popped up again in modern film comedies (at least that I know about). I also liked the scene in the first minutes of the movie with the New York Yankees baseball story.

Unfortunately, no one really talks very much about Abbott & Costello anymore, but if you've never seen this one, it's really good.

An amazing comedy!

[mwhiteman-34062 · 10/10 · 24 October 2019]

I'm a huge fan of Abbott and Costello and I can tell you that this is one of their finest movies.

Lou Costello was born on March 6th, 1906

[PCC0921 · 8/10 · 2 February 2022]

Pardon My Sarong (1942), is a classic reason why Abbott and Costello were huge in the 1940s. They arrived at the right time, while a country needed a cheering up from the real-life war that was going on. Part of the golden age of Hollywood, Bud and Lou's brand of comedy and delivery, was perfect for those needs. This film came out at the height of their careers and has all the ingredients for a good time, even today. Going by a template that was working great for them, the story has the boys themselves, a strong male lead, his romantic interest, the bad guys, an unscrupulous plot of some kind, centered around an event or setting, plenty of skits/acts from Bud and Lou mixed in with musical breaks. This one is a textbook example of the golden age Abbott and Costello film. This one shows them at near perfection, being their 8th film attempt.

Working as bus drivers, who are lured by playboy yacht racer, Tommy Layton (Robert Paige, who returns to the A&C movies in Abbott and Costello Go To Mars (1953), to drive him to the race, states away, as quickly as possible. Well, as usual, this is a stupid idea on the side of the boys and they are now wanted men. While trying to escape Detective Kendall (William Demarest), they become stowaways on Layton's yacht. After Lou (Wellington), gets them off course and a woman, Joan Marshall (Virginia Bruce), who's brother is a competing yacht racer, who she thinks was swindled by Layton, sabotages the compass, the next thing you know, they are all castaways on a Pacific island, being chased by cannibals, native girls and jewel thieves. In his usual charming bad guy mode, Lionel Atwill stars as the head jewel thief, Varnoff.

One of the quiet complaints I've heard, over many decades, involving the Abbott and Costello movies, as well as, some of the other comedy teams of the time period, was the interjection of musical acts in between the rest of the story. I can understand that to a point, because it can date the movies really badly. As an audience member, you want to try and immerse yourself in the time period that the film was produced, but when it becomes too thick, some might reject it. I just want to reassure you that this film has a great collection of musical interludes that pop up throughout. Internationally hit jazz group, the Ink Spots, put on a great show with tap dancing stars, "Tip, Tap and Toe", with a couple of catchy, knee taping tunes. Nan Wynn, who plays Lou's native-girl of desire, gives us a great rendition of "Vingo Jingo", which uses a lot of that fast paced jitterbug pace with some thundering drums and trumpets. You will definitely be able to get through the musical moments in this one, if that is a concern for you.

8.1 (B MyGrade) = 8 IMDB.