Who Done It? (1942) User Reviews

A quite shocking radio show

[Spondonman · 7/10 · 28 December 2005]

This has always been one of my favourite Abbott & Costello's, it's a short, frantic murder mystery with plenty of slapstick routines to keep us fans happy. I think the pace of it all and the average volume of Lou's voice probably puts some people off, but hey they can't really be fans then, can they?

A murder is committed in full view in a radio studio, Bud and Lou are on the case unasked as detectives before the "real" ones show up. There's an odd love interest with Patric Knowles and Louise Allbritton, because he comes into the story, departs gallantly saying he won't take charity from a woman, and after the murder also gets involved unasked. Favourite bits: Watt's a volt; Lou in the "clues closet", Lou crashing through glass windows leaving his fleeing shape and even making an impression on a wall - all complete with hat; Alexander 2222.

The marvellous wartime Universal studio atmosphere pervades with some beautiful shadowy lit shots at the radio station - in fact the A&C films I love best are all from this period, replete with the atmosphere the Universal technicians achieved seemingly so effortlessly then. To a fan: one of their best, to an unbeliever: don't trouble yourself or the fans.

A & C return to that other popular entertainment medium of the 1940s

[theowinthrop · 8/10 · 9 December 2005]

We think of Abbott and Costello as burlesque comics, but the medium that gave them the national exposure allowing them to go into film was radio. It was on radio that the sharpness of such routines as "Who's On First" was demonstrated to millions, laying the groundwork for the film audience that Universal benefited by. And it was WHO DONE IT? that was their film about radio. They are soda jerks in a restaurant in the building that a radio station is headquartered in. They both want to break into radio. But when they are finally on the premises of the station, they are among the witnesses (and suspects) at the murder of the station's owner (Thomas Gomez). Due to Costello's continuous ability to make errors, they are suspected of the murder by the two detectives (William Gargan and William Bendix) who are assigned to the case. They are determined to try to solve the case and clear themselves.

Gargan and Bendix were ideal foils for A & C, especially Bendix who meets Costello's dumb with dumber. The nadir for both cops is when they are guarding the front of the office building from Abbott and Costello entering it while the investigation is continuing. Bud and Lou, determined to enter the building, walk in backwards, so the cops think they are seeing them walk out (at least momentarily). Rumor has it that Costello determined never to make another film with Bendix - he was jealous of the latter's getting more laughs than him. It may be true, but then Lou was doing pretty well on his own here.

As it is a war picture, the mystery also deals with a spy ring. The actual perpetrator is a surprise of sorts at the end. A good comedy, I give it 8 out of 10.

Bud and Lou at the Top of Their Game

[TimBoHannon · 7/10 · 4 January 2003]

In 1942, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello capitalized on their smashing success and churned out what is arguably their best effort up to that point. This time around, Bud and Lou play two dim-witted soda jerks trying to work their way into the radio business. When a "whodunit" mystery writer meets them and gives them tickets to that night's play, the duo jump at the opportunity. However, they soon find themselves in the middle of a real murder case when the studio's Executive Director is bumped off in the same manner as the victims in the mystery script. Thanks to one of Bud's bright ideas, they become prime suspects in the case while the murderer targets them as well. Trying to clear their names and solve the case, Bud and Lou embark on a wild chase that evokes laugh after laugh after laugh.

After seeing this film, it is not at all difficult to see why Abbott and Costello were so popular. Every routine is treated like a masterpiece and their comedic delivery is as close to perfect as you will find anywhere. Take the soda bar scene, for example. It's not that the "Muck and Mire" radio script is so inhumanly dumb, but rather Lou's constant heckling of the straight-faced bud that is funny. Then there is the way Lou reacts to everything. The man is just priceless. These guys had comedy nailed like few others ever managed.

Another reason Who Done It? is so great is the supporting cast. Sure Bud and Lou almost get in trouble for pretending to be cops, but it is a wonder that the real ones managed to keep their jobs for more than a day. Williams Bendix as Brannigan is even dumber than Lou! Now that is a first! His buddy is not too bright either. Sure, Bud and Lou nearly get in trouble for pretending to be cops, but the real ones are nearly as bad. Adding even more laughs is Mary Wickes as Juliet Collins. The subplot with her and Lou completes a one-two-three punch that is one of A&C's best ever.

Finally, there cannot be a great Abbott and Costello without a famous routine or two. The "volts are watts" scene is terrific, and who can forget "Alexander 2222"? For fans of Bud and Lou, the best part has to be when they hear "Who's on First?" on the radio and DISLIKE IT! The director managed to create a terrific flow from one wacky sequence to the next. For Bud and Lou in top form, look no further than Who Done It? Laughs guaranteed.

vote for townSEND pHELPs

[slokes · 7/10 · 21 June 2006]

There are better films featuring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, but "Who Done It" is as good a way as any to discover why the comedy pair was one of the 1940s' most consistent box office draws. It's a marvelously elongated piece of slapstick comedy that showcases Bud and Lou in peak form.

Chick (Bud) and Mervin (Lou) are soda jerks at the Radio Center Drug Store, located in the same building where GBS broadcasts radio shows across the country. The pair want to write a mystery, so when the network director is mysteriously murdered on the air, they jump at the chance to solve the case and prove their smarts. Needless to say, this impromptu sleuthing annoys the real police, and Chick and Mervin are soon on the run.

Just about a year into their 16-year run, "Who Done It" finds Abbott and Costello bursting with energy, utilizing the confines of a radio station as background for their trademark pratfalls and patter. Even when the dialogue is less than stellar, it works at sustaining the energy and proving there was nothing too illogical for Abbott and Costello.

"Why wasn't this murder reported yesterday," Mervin demands as he shows up seconds after the murder, playing a cop.

Because it didn't happen yet, is the answer.

"Why wait until the last minute...You're going to get the electric chair, and two years besides!"

Before you can register enough to groan about that one, Chick is educating Mervin on watts and volts. "What's volts?" "Exactly, watts are volts." "That's what I'm trying to find out...Next thing you'll tell me watts is on second!"

Then you get one of the best bits Abbott and Costello ever did on film, the Alexander 2222 routine, where Mervin tries to call the radio station from a drug store across the street and can't get through, even as a bevy of bizarre characters step into the same phone booth to call places like Nome, Alaska and Moscow. "Long distance, get me Brazil. Hello, Brazil. Is this Joe? Hi Joe! How's the coffee business?" There's lots of great silliness here, my favorite being when Lou for no reason bursts into opera.

As theowinthrop notes in his review, this is an interesting Abbott & Costello film for its focus on radio, which broke them as a national phenomenon and where they continued to work throughout their film career. There's a nice bit where Chick and Mervin, behind the counter of their drug store, act out their radio script with ice-cream scoopers ("'The Midget Gets The Chair,' or 'Small Fry'") and clever use of the tools of radio, like recordings that are activated at the wrong moment, and a prop door Mervin mistakes for the real thing. Walk through one door, and you are in a dark office where a murderer lurks, walk through another and you are in the middle of an acrobatic act.

Why is there an acrobatic act being performed at a radio station? Why are Chick and Mervin entrusted with the one piece of evidence by someone who knows they aren't cops? How does Mervin manage to climb up the side of a building after taking a flagpole in the crotch? Watching an Abbott and Costello movie, you have to ignore stuff like that.

But what you get in "Who Done It" is worth the sacrifice. You get a first-rate supporting cast including the memorable Mary Wilkes, Patric Knowles from "The Adventures of Robin Hood," Edmund MacDonald from "Flying Tigers," and most effectively, William Bendix as a dopey detective who actually manages to get himself tricked by Lou. There's also a great finale on the roof of a building that combines laughs and suspense as effectively as anything in the more-heralded "Meets Frankenstein."

Later on, the films got weaker as Lou pushed Bud to the side and showcased himself more as cuddly man-child. But here the pair was still hungry for laughs and experienced enough to understand what worked. They gave the public what they wanted with "Who Done It," and its a tribute to their lasting genius such a light endeavor still holds up today.

Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer

[lugonian · 9/10 · 13 December 2006]

WHO DONE IT? (Universal, 1942), directed by Erle C. Kenton, is a perfect example of how good a comedy can and should be, a fast-paced story with murder mystery combined. The result: 77 minutes of non-stop fun. Starring the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, this is prime Abbott and Costello, and the first to actually showcase them to best advantage, having the movie all to themselves, much to the delight of their fans.

Plot summary: Chick Larkin (Bud Abbott) and Marvin Q. Milgrim (Lou Costello) are a couple of soda jerks (no pun intended) at the Radio Center drug store where they hope to interest somebody in using their "Muck and Myer" script to land them jobs as mystery writers for GBS radio. Jimmy Turner (Patric Knowles), a former English college professor, is hired as a new staff writer for the "Murder at Midnight" program, thanks to Jane Little (Louise Allbritton), his former sweetheart and the show's producer. This does not fare well with its Marco Heller (Jerome Cowan), who fears of losing his job as top writer. While Chick and Marvin attend the broadcast of "Murder at Midnight," Colonel J.R. Andrews (Thomas Gomez), executive director and producer, about to make an important announcement, suddenly dies. His physician, Dr. Merek (Ludwig Stossell) diagnoses it as his failing heart but Jimmy discovers the victim was electrocuted and calls it murder. Chick and Marvin take the opportunity to act as detectives to solve the mystery themselves, even when Moran (William Gargan) and Brannigan (William Bendix), take over as investigators and wanting to place the two phoneys under arrest. Later, Marek is found murdered and a mysterious figure is seen roaming about the building. Juliet Collins (Mary Wickes), the script girl and executive secretary to the late Colonel Andrews, assists Chick and Mervin, in spite the fact that Mervin, who she has become interested, is using her to break into the radio business. Juliet even keeps the two from the clutches of the detectives. While doing a little detecting of his own, Jimmy finds a secret panel in Andrews' office consisting of coded messages, learning that a spy had been using the network to relay information over the air. Feeling he has discovered a motive, Jimmy, with the help of Jane, decides to re-enact the "Murder at Midnight" broadcast in order to trap the real killer. Easier said than done with Chick and Marvin around.

With plenty of gags, inside humor and classic A&C routines expertly worked into the plot, WHO DONE IT? has everything going for it, highlighted by atmospheric scenery, a wild roof top chase resembling that of a silent Harold Lloyd comedy (with Costello hanging onto a extended flag pole way above the city streets), and a well-kept secret to the killer's identity, which is enough to categorize this as a top-notch mystery-comedy. Aside from the question of "Who done it?," memorable stunts include Lou's involvement with an obnoxious elevator boy who tricks him into giving him five drinks of lemonade for the price of one; getting duped out of tickets to a broadcast; and by getting short-changed ("give me two dimes for a nickel"). For the record, the obnoxious elevator boy is wonderfully played by Walter Tetley, not by Bud Abbott Jr.

Other key A&C scenes include: "Limberger cheese" (where Lou serves the ultra smelling item to a customer while wearing a gas mask); Lou's facial expressions in fright; the Bud and Lou exchanges of "Votes and Volts," reminiscent to their classic "baseball" routine that's also worked into the plot without them enacting it. See how that's done. The big topper of them all is Lou meeting his match, tricking a dopey detective (William Bendix) into getting himself handcuffed. (This handcuff routine was reworked with Costello and Charles Laughton in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD (1952)). Let's not forget Costello's finest solo routine set in a drug store phone booth across the street from the radio station as he attempts to get through to "Alexander 2222" to claim his $10,000 prize from the "Wheel of Fortune" contest. Never able to get through becomes nerve racking, especially when everyone else is able to make their calls successfully. Character actress Gladys Blake takes part of this priceless bit as the perky operator with the nasal reply of either "The line is busy," or "Number, please?" Although musical interludes could have easily been worked into the script, being set at a radio station and all, and having the popular Andrews Sisters supplying a song or two as part of the radio hour, it wasn't for the benefit not slowing down the pace. With a fine assortment of character actors, Mary Wickes, in a Joan Davis-type performance, is an excellent foil for Costello. Sadly, their second and final collaboration, DANCE WITH ME, HENRY (1956), was far from being the best effort for both.

While not as notable today as ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948), WHO DONE IT is highly recommended viewing. Aside from availability on video cassette and DVD, it's cable TV history consisted of the Comedy Channel during the late 1980s, and American Movie Classics circa 2001. (***1/2)

My Favorite in the A&C Canon

[dweck · 4 October 1999]

By 1942, with the release of "Who Done It?" Universal Studios had learned a thing or two about Abbott and Costello: Namely, that the ridiculous boy-girl subplots and the subpar music (except from the Andrews Sisters) that padded their other features to date where wholly unnecessary. Thankfully, Bud and Lou are given full reign in "Who Done It?" without any extraneous material.

That said, it's easy to see who "Who Done It?" is my favorite of all their features. Not only are "the boys" in top form, but the supporting cast is great as well; Mary Wickes is a perfect foil for Lou (bringing to mind his earlier clowning with Joan Davis in "Hold That Ghost"), and it's a shame the two didn't work together more (even *her* talents couldn't pump any life into "Dance With Me, Henry").

Abbott and Costello comedies are often long on laughs but short on plot. Not the case with "Who Done It?" The ins and outs of a radio spy ring are well crafted, providing appropriate counterpoint to the antics of Bud and Lou.

And what antics there are! Lou is convulsively funny here, from the opening moments where he deals with an obnoxious elevator boy (and "wins" a bet concerning the production of orange juice) to the later chase on the studio rooftop (and clever use of the sign "Vote for Townsend Phelps"). Classic bits--such as the insanity of "Alexander 2222", which reaches a new and self-deprecating conclusion--are here as well.

Sadly, Universal didn't remain knowledgeable about what to do with A&C for long; soon after, the love stories and drippy songs were back. But "Who Done It?" remains as a testimony to what this incomparable comedy team could achieve on its own.

"If that's a radio script, I'll take vanilla!"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 11 March 2016]

When I plug this film into my list of Abbott and Costello films I've reviewed, it comes out Number #1 using IMDb's ranking system. That surprised me a bit because it beat out a couple of my favorites, "A&C Meet Frankenstein" and "Hold That Ghost". I enjoyed the movie but I didn't think it would have been that popular.

Anyway, this was Abbott and Costello's ninth film and the first with no musical numbers. They portray a pair of soda jerks, operative word being jerks in Lou's case but I mean that in a good way. Aspiring to be mystery writers for a radio station, the boys quickly switch gears when an actual murder is committed during a live broadcast, and decide to play detective to investigate the crime before the homicide squad shows up. It turns out that the murder of Colonel J.R. Andrews (Thomas Gomez) resembles the plot of the radio's 'Steel Chair Murder Case' in which the victim was electrocuted when a switch was thrown on cue.

You can tell Lou is having some genuine fun here, hamming it up with fellow players Patric Knowles, Mary Wickes, and especially Walter Tetley, the elevator boy who constantly outfoxes Lou's character Mervin Milgrim. William Bendix manages to fall victim to Lou's handcuff gag, possibly the only police detective in cinema history more clueless than Costello. Throughout, Bud and Lou offer up some of their zaniest routines, with a couple references to their famous 'Who's on First' bit, but with a twist so they didn't actually have to do it.

Coming out prior to the Second World War, "Who Done It?' cemented Abbott and Costello's reputation as the most popular entertainers of the era. They were always favorites of mine growing up as a kid in the Fifties, the kind of comedians whose routines have a way of staying with you through the decades. There just weren't that many 'who done it' the way these guys did.

Flat-footed, but it still has a lot to offer!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 6 April 2018]

Associate producer: Alex Gottlieb. Copyright 26 October 1942 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at Loew's Criterion: 2 December 1942. U.S. release: 6 November 1942. Australian release: 13 July 1944 (sic). 8 reels. 6,934 feet. 77 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: A couple of dumb soda-jerks try their hand at being detectives.

NOTES: Universal's top-grossing domestic release of 1942, pipping another Abbott & Costello feature also produced by Gottlieb and directed by Kenton, Pardon My Sarong.

COMMENT: Having kidded the Gothic mystery genre in Hold That Ghost (1941), it was inevitable that Abbott and Costello should turn to the straight detective thriller for further inspiration.

After some clever opening titles where they are seen in silhouette, Abbott and Costello do not re-appear for ten minutes or so while the script lays the groundwork for what appears to be an elaborate plot. But when our heroes do come on, they stay on! The plot is virtually forgotten and no further attempt is made to whet our appetites as to the identity of the killer - beyond a rapid series of close-ups before the broadcast - whose motives, when he is revealed, remain somewhat obscure. Nonetheless, despite the directors' failure to generate much atmosphere and his generally lead-footed approach, A&C are in good form and run through just about every one of their standard routines. And there is a stand-out climax which despite its obvious studio construction, is a real seat-gripper.

A good support cast help Abbott and Costello with the laughs, particularly William Bendix as an even dumber detective than Lou. We also enjoyed Walter Tetley's chiselling elevator boy. He makes a great stooge for Lou and it's a shame he's not used after his two opening scenes.

John Grant has supplied the boys with some classic vaudeville routines, including the disappearing water-jet and the famous "Alexander 2222" in which a wonderful collection of goofy oddballs manage to place crazy, long-distance calls whilst the dumbfounded Lou can't even get connected to the broadcasting studio across the street. A pity the direction is so flat, Lou is forced to extract all the humor virtually unaided. Fortunately an appropriate who-done-it atmosphere is occasionally created by Charles Van Enger's moodily noirish lighting. Skinner's music helps too, especially in the satirically observed broadcast scenes.

A good effort, but it could have been richer and funnier with less flat-footed direction.

Top-notch A&C effort...one of their best!!!

[jimtinder · 9/10 · 19 January 2001]

With "Who Done It?", Abbott and Costello reached their comedic peak in films. Convinced of their box-office appeal after six hits in a row, Universal got rid of the tedious romantic subplots and musical numbers and focused on the comedy team. The end result is a comic masterpiece and a film that ranks as one of their very best.

The boys play soda jerks at the lunch counter of a major radio network, dreaming of getting into the radio business. Through a hilarious series of events, Costello becomes a prime suspect in a murder. His reactions in the film are comedically superb; aiding the comedy are some funny routines, including the classic "Alexander 2222" phone bit.

Also aiding the film is the interesting lighting in the network building, particularly during the "Murder at Midnight" program. The lighting creates an intense atmosphere, and will seem to many to be a film noir look.

An additional benefit to the film is the fine supporting cast, including William Bendix, Don Porter, and Patric Knowles. Mary Wickes lends her comedic talents in the role of Juliet.

Although the film is one of their shorter ones (76 minutes, as a result of having no musical numbers), it doesn't lack good pacing or humour. A laugh riot throughout. I'm surprised that as of this writing, the film ranks less than a 6 on the IMDB. It definitely deserves a 9 out of 10.

Who Done It? (1942) ***

[JoeKarlosi · 7/10 · 28 April 2008]

Good solid comedy from Abbott and Costello, one of their better early films. Here they play two drugstore soda jerks who really want to be mystery writers for a radio show called "Murder at Midnight". They find themselves in the studio at the time an on-air murder is committed, and then they turn into amateur detectives while helping the police solve the crime.

This leads to some funny material: Lou attempts to get a drink from an uncooperative water fountain; Bud tries to answer Lou's question on "Watt's Volts?"; Lou has to serve a customer a rancid sandwich made of Limburger cheese. One of the greatest bits here is the "Alexander 2222" routine, where Lou has just five minutes to get to a pay telephone to call a nearby radio station to claim some prize money, but can't get through the line while several other patrons call Alaska, Russia, and Brazil with no trouble! Other funny sequences surround Lou and William Bendix, who plays a dopey policeman who gets himself handcuffed and then tormented by Lou; and a scheming elevator boy who continually makes a chump out of a clueless Costello by constantly playing practical jokes on him.

The film is interestingly photographed, with occasional weird angles and shadowy, noirish lighting. Best of all, here's a rare installment for the comedy duo which is totally free of any intrusive musical numbers. *** out of ****

Murder At Midnight

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 25 October 2007]

Who Done It finds our intrepid duo as soda jerks who want to be mystery writers and work on the Murder at Midnight Show. Bud and Lou go to a broadcast just in time to witness the real murder of the head of the network, Thomas Gomez.

So what do our two geniuses think to do? They decide to impersonate police officers and try and capture the criminal themselves. Interfering with a police investigation is an offense unto itself, but when Abbott and Costello do it, it's strictly for laughs.

The two cops who don't think it's that funny are William Gargan and William Bendix. Supposedly Costello was not happy with Bendix playing the dim bulb detective because he was getting more laughs than him. Mary Wickes who plays the secretary of Thomas Gomez also said she did not get along with Costello on the set.

The actual murderer turns out to be a very peripheral character who only had a couple of inconsequential lines before he's unmasked at the end. I tend to think there was probably more of his part, but it was edited out. Not that there are not a host of suspects like Patric Knowles, Jerome Cowan, Don Porter, Ludwig Stossel, and even Wickes and Louise Allbritton.

One actor who did not get any billing, but should have because he was very funny constantly getting the better of poor Costello was Walter Tetley who played the fresh mouthed young elevator operator. What he did to Costello bordered on sadism.

Who Done It is a fine slapstick burlesque of all these mystery films that all the studios were putting out back then. I guess it said that if even Abbott and Costello can solve a case anyone can.

Murder At Midnight.

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 26 October 2013]

Abbott & Costello play two soda jerks(old-fashioned term) named Chick Larkin & Mervin Milgrim who have a great idea for a radio mystery show they are big fans of. Patrick Knowles and Louise Albritten play bickering love interests who can't come to an agreement over his employment, leaving a big opportunity for the guys. Unfortunately, the station manager is murdered in a live radio broadcast, and Chick & Mervin are prime suspects, so they decide to investigate the murder themselves, and unmask the real culprit. Very funny comedy is briskly paced, with no musical numbers for a (welcome) change; the focus is on the comedy, with many memorable and clever scenes, like "Volts & Watts", and the madcap chase finale.

Maybe I don't understand old school comedy.

[boxthirteen86 · 1/10 · 28 July 2018]

The obvious annoying dumbness becomes visible during the time Abbott and Costello were still working at the soda counter. Then continues on throughout the movie. Lou Costello's comedy makes it look like he has some kind of mental disorder. Bud Abbott is like a mental health nurse that Lou Costello made friends with during his time he was still living in the psychiatric ward and Bud helped him escape. Now they found a job at a soda counter for a local radio station and wanted to be writers for a radio program.

The Best of the Early Abbott and Costello Movies

[Michael_Elliott · 9 March 2016]

Who Done It? (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Chick Larkin (Bud Abbott) and Mervin Milgrim (Lou Costello) are two idiot soda jerks working in a building that's the home of some of the most famous radio mysteries in the world. When a man turns up dead on one of the broadcasts the two pretend to be detectives so that they can solve the case and get into the radio business.

WHO DONE IT? is without question the best of the early Abbott and Costello movies at Universal. This is true for several reasons but the biggest is the fact that the studio finally had enough confidence in them that they didn't need to add musical guests and numbers to the movies. Instead of music we're instead treated to several more jokes and there's no question that it really pays off and sends the duo into a new level of filmmaking.

There are many very funny gags throughout the film but one of the highlights is a sequence where Costello believes he's being shot and stabbed but he's too dumb to realize he just hit a switch to a radio broadcast. There are some other very funny moments at the expense of two real detectives and this leads to William Bendix and Costello having some nice moments together. Both Abbott and Costello are in fine form with their comic timing perfect together. They're also greeted to a nice supporting cast including Patrick Knowles, Louise Allbritton and Mary Wickes.

Fans of Abbott and Costello are certainly going to be entertained by this film but even non-fans should enjoy the actual mystery of the story and the various gags paying homage to the days when radio was king.

Hey Abbott, Who Did This?

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 8 September 2006]

After viewing the recent Universal set of DVD's & looking at this one, I was surprised how much I liked it. I highly recommend the DVD sets from Univerisal because all the films on DVD appear to be pristine prints somehow found in the vaults to be put on them. This film is part of volume 1 & each volume contains 8 films from "the boys". This film is very focused on the comedy & doe not have as much music interrupting it as some of their other films. I especially like the section of self-effacing comedy by Costello when he & Bud are listening to a car radio & they hear themselves doing their "Whose on First?" routine & Costello shuts off the radio & says "I'm sick & tired of listening to those guys." For some reason, this film holds the pace & timing of the comedy better than many of the teams other films. While there are other films of theirs I like, I enjoyed this one more than I expected too.

My favorite Abbott and Costello film!

[wkozak221 · 10/10 · 18 October 2019]

I love Abbott and Costello. This is my favorite out of all their films. Two of my favorite pastimes are mystery movies and old time radio shows. You get 2 for 1! The script is great. The cast is perfect. It moves along at a nice pace. I first saw this when I was 8 years old. I am 61. It still makes me laugh.

"I'll Have a Limburger Cheese Sandwich"

[BaronBl00d · 6/10 · 5 September 2005]

Classic outing for the number one box office duo of the 1940s, Abbott and Costello. This time around Bud and Lou are working in a sandwich shop when they get chummy with a man(Patric Knowles) that has just turned down a job writing radio shows. The boys have their own script and lunacy ensues as they involve themselves in the radio show and a death that happens live on broadcast. Typical Abbott and Costello routines liven up the proceedings with such gems as Lou getting constantly out-smarted by a wise-guy bell boy, Lou making faces to craggy yet very funny Mary Wickes as a love interest, and for me the best scene is where Lou is asked to make a Limburger cheese sandwich. The story is simple in this one, the laughs clean, and most of the scenes very innocuous. Knowles and Louise Albritton play the love couple so typical in A & C movies of this ilk. Wickes holds her own with Lou and shows why she was one of the top female supporting comedic actresses of all time. William Bendix gives a turn as a policeman matching wits with Lou - and losing! This was the first film NOT to feature the Andrew Sisters belting out a couple songs. A pleasantly diverting, funny comedy - mystery starring one of the greatest comedic pairings of the last century.

Silly but very amusing

[Christopher_Reid · 8/10 · 12 February 2016]

I admire and enjoy Costello's manic energy. He may do a lot of the same things again and again but certain humorous ideas never get old. He must execute 30 double-takes throughout the movie but they're all amusing. He's like a child with constant ups and downs of excitement and confusion. He often becomes flustered and then grabs his hat, needs to be held back, bumps his head into something or falls over. It's very silly but the way he does it is inherently funny.

The story here isn't of much consequence. You really have to suspend disbelief because the plot has huge gaps and the characters put up with all kinds of ridiculous things. Abbott and Costello movies seem to function by taking a standard movie format and sticking them in the middle, free to roam and tinker, create any skits or jokes they might imagine.

Here they're thrown into a murder mystery, a whodunnit. They work in an ice cream parlour as a way to be close to a radio station. They like writing murder mysteries and want to get a chance to be on the air. A man is murdered during one of the night shows (about murder) and then they pretend to be detectives investigating the crime. They run into the murderer a number of times as well as many suspects. But even more often they have hijinks with the actual detectives working the case.

Many of their movies feature a famous movie monster like Frankenstein or The Mummy. We still get the aspect of horror in this movie via the murderer. Abbott and Costello remind me of Scooby Doo cartoons, the way Shaggy and Scooby are constantly running into ghosts or monsters and scaring themselves silly. The format seems very similar with a lot of the same gags. Costello often becomes speechless and starts to stutter and then either faints or sprints away.

Highlights would include Costello leaving silhouette outlines after bursting through doors and then getting stuck in a wall, the water bubbler bit, the accidental or intentional playback of radio recordings which someone then thinks is really happening, tricking a police officer into cuffing himself, jumping around on stage during a show as part of a chase sequence. There's also a funny bit about Watts and Volts which is reminiscent of their famous skit about baseball positions. In fact, they overhear their baseball skit on a radio at one point and Costello remarks that he doesn't like it much, that the short fat guy isn't any good.

This isn't a brilliant satire or even a parody of whodunnits, it's purely a lowbrow comedy. But it's got a lot of energy and funny ideas. As long as you're willing to be patient with its silliness and not worry about the story or characters making sense, you should have a very enjoyable time. I found myself laughing at many points without knowing or caring exactly why.

Business as usual - and the business is good

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 15 June 2021]

Mervyn and Chick, currently working as 'soda jerks' have one ambition - to be writers. When the head of a New York radio station is mysteriously murdered, the boys find themselves participating in a real life drama.

I love radio-based mysteries, integrate that into a A & C farce and I'm well happy. It's the usual fun and games with Lou and Abbott getting chased by inept policemen, who really supposed to be trying to find the killer. The slapstick comes thick and fast, so do the gags. It can be less on mystery and repetitive with the policemen chasing our hapless heroes- but the finale rounds up things well; the sequence on top of roof is a gem in itself.

Lou dood it. Watt dude Lou dew?

[weezeralfalfa · 8/10 · 4 September 2017]

Finally, for those who hate musical intrusions into their comedies, here is an early Abbott and Costello(A&C) comedy sans any musical number. As in their other early films, there is a romantic couple in progress, but virtually no time is spent on it.

A&C are attendants at the snack bar in the building were a radio station(GBC) is located. Actually, their ambition is to have scripts for a murder mysteries program accepted for broadcast. Thus, they hope to meet an influential person or 2 at the bar who can help them get started. Lou has problems filling his orders correctly, especially one for a Limburger cheese sandwich. The smell knocks him out, so he dons a gas mask and clothespin over his nose.

A smart aleck bellboy(Walter Tetley) shows up and bets Lou a nickel he can drink lemonade faster than Lou can fill up a new glass. He drinks five glasses before full, and it only cost a nickel. This becomes a running gag, as Walter makes a fool out of Lou several more times before disappearing from the story.

The boys get an invitation to the broadcast of "Murder at Midnight". Before the show begins, the network president, Colonel Andrews, sitting in the back of the room(why?)has an announcement to make. He picks up the microphone and keels over, dead. Initially, it's thought he suffered a heart attack. But, it's noticed that the chair he was sitting on has an all metal frame, and that there is a wire leading from a high voltage outlet to a chair leg. Thus, when he picked up the microphone, that would produce an electrical circuit that would run through his body. Thus, it's concluded he was the victim of a very sneaky murder plot(or maybe a very clever and dramatic suicide?) Sounds highly contrived. Anyway, A&C decide they will try to solve the murder mystery and use that as the basis for a murder script. Unfortunately, the duo soon become prime suspects, at least in the minds of 2 detectives, played by the charismatic William Bendix, and by William Gargan. The remainder of the film largely consists of a cat and mouse chase involving these 2 duos, plus a search for the real murderer.

Patric Knowles, a new staff writer for the program, and his newly reinstated girlfriend, played by Louise Allbritton, producer of the show, form another informal investigation team, snooping around in the deceased's office. Soon, Mr. Andrew's physician is found murdered in Andrews' closet. However, the main focus of the investigation remains directed at the murderer of Mr. Andrews.

Knowles, with the approval of Louise, decides that a reenactment of the "Murder at Midnight" program might reveal the murderer(Makes no sense to me!). Well, this harebrained scheme actually works. Incredibly, the murderer is sitting in the 'electric chair' during the reenactment and dashes out at the appropriate time(Again, this makes no sense to me). A&C soon exit after him, but the cowards hope they are going in the opposite direction from the presumed murderer. If fact, they are following the murderer to the roof. A&C have quite a time trying to escape from or capture the murderer, with Lou 'out on a limb' in the last part.

During one segment, where Lou is trying to escape the detectives, he suddenly is part of a gymnastics team practicing their routine, somewhere in the radio station building(Why would they be there?).When Lou jumps on a seesaw from a height, it breaks, and he goes through the floor. ...Then, Lou gets retarded detective Bendix to demonstrate on himself how his handcuffs work, and Lou won't use his key to open them...While traveling in the back of a van, the boys hear a radio announcement that Lou has won $10,000. from a radio program, if he calls Alexander 2222 within 5 min.(ridiculous). So, they hop out of the van, into the drug store across from the radio station. Lou is very frustrated trying to call from a pay phone, with busy signals and waiting for other users. So, they dash over to the radio station building and arrive just under the time limit(Surely, they took longer than 5 min. to do all this!).

Before identified, the presumed murderer shows up as a shadowy figure periodically, taking on the aurora of a ghost, in the boys' minds...Then, Lou accidentally activates a record player that has a murder mystery recorded on the record. Lou thinks he is the intended victim.

There are many other comical tidbits. I am disappointed that the initial murder scene, identification of the murderer, and certain other scenes important to the plot are so contrived. This film is 5-10 min. shorter than the other early A&C films, perhaps due to the absence of any musical numbers(were such deleted?).

Live radio is murder!

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 9 April 2016]

Two soda jerks desperate to break into radio to have their murder mysteries produced end up investigating the real deal in this amusing slapstick comedy that is one of Abbott and Costello's funniest. Filled with gag after gag and some great comedy performances, this jump into slapstick from the start and never lets go. Lou's getting hoodwinked by a juvenile telegram boy, first losing five cents and a bunch of glasses of orange juice, and later tickets to a radio show he believed were for a previous performance, as well as falling for the old two dimes for a nickel gag.

More comedy is provided by a young Mary Wickes as the radio station secretary, and there are also amusing gags involving various takes on the old "Who on First?", including one where Lou wins a radio, turns it on and hears the real Abbott and Costello doing the routine, and being turned off by having to hear this again over and over again. Unlike other Abbott and Costello movies, this one doesn't have any musical numbers, but it focuses more on plot for a change and that makes it a bit better than some of the musical comedies they had done up to that time.

One of Abbott and Costello's Best Movies

[utgard14 · 8/10 · 20 February 2014]

This is one of my favorite Abbott and Costello movies. Bud and Lou play aspiring writers trying to get a job at a radio station writing murder mysteries. When a real murder occurs at the station, the boys rush to investigate because Bud thinks this will land them the jobs. Top supporting cast includes Patric Knowles, William Bendix, Thomas Gomez, Mary Wickes, Jerome Cowan, and Louise Allbritton. Louise is gorgeous here. A year later she would have black hair in Son of Dracula and look like a completely different person. She looks so much better as a blonde. Walter Tetley is great as a teenage elevator operator who has several funny bits with Lou throughout the movie. Really good movie. Abbott and Costello had great success combining comedy with other genres, particularly horror and mystery. This is one of their best and probably in their top five.

Frantic, funny farce that misses the opportunity to be even funnier

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 11 April 2008]

This Abbott and Costello spoof of whodunits contains some laugh-out-loud moments ("I was holding the gun backwards!"), but IMO would have been even funnier if it had focused more on the "A & C posing as detectives" idea: the scene where they "interrogate" the suspects ("what kind of murder is this without a butler?") is possibly the highlight of the film and predates by decades similar scenes in the "Pink Panther" sequels. But the rest of the movie has the boys mostly trying to evade the real policemen rather than investigating the crime(s). Luckily, "Who Done It?" is not just a succession of comic routines - it also has a functional mystery plot and a well-done climactic set piece with Bud and Lou trapped alone with the killer on the roof of a skyscraper. (**1/2)

Chick and Mervin turn detectives to solve murder at midnight.

[chand-suhas · 5/10 · 9 April 2024]

Chick and Mervin are aspiring writers, hoping to get their break at the radio station. They are working as soda jerks and they pitch in their idea to the newly employed writer at the radio station. He invites them to attend the Murder at Midnight show which eventually turns into a murder mystery with the death of the Colonel by execution. To impress everyone, the duo turn into pretend detectives and when the real detectives arrive, the duo become their prime suspects. How does the duo uncover the Who done it mystery and also clear their names forms rest of the story.

This is a straight forward murder mystery and after the initial gag with Chick (Bud Abbott) and Mervin (Lou Costello) which works so well with it's well timed humor, turns into a murder mystery with the duo taking the lead. It soon gets over the top and the duo even get to do their baseball gag bit. The first one works and the second one which is just a self reference is just about okay. It turns into Costello's show but ends up being repetitive until getting revived in the climax on the roof. May be it's time factor, certain jokes simply felt over the top and didn't work well with me. The simple gags were highly effective than the physical ones.