Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein: 400th Review

FRAY'S 400TH MOVIE REVIEW* 

It took 6 years, but I have finally written 400 movie reviews!

To celebrate, here is a review of a film by a well-known comedy team.  
100 focused on Monty Python ... 200 featured the Marx Brothers ... and 300 highlighted Broken Lizard.
This time I went with a comedy duo, best known for a joke about baseball...

"People pay McDougal cash to come in here and get scared."
"I'm cheatin' him. I'm gettin' scared for nothin'."

Chick Young (Abbott) and Wilbur Grey (Costello) work at the railway baggage claim.  They receive 2 boxes containing the new exhibits for the McDougal House of Horrors: the Frankenstein Monster (Strange) and the coffin containing Dracula's (Lugosi) remains.  They deliver the boxes and Wilbur discovers that Dracula is alive.  Dracula reanimates the Frankenstein Monster and takes him a castle laboratory.  Dracula, with the help of Dr. Sandra Mornay (Aubert), plans to give the Monster a new brain: Wilbur's brain.  Dr. Mornay is dating Wilbur.

Meanwhile, back at McDougal's House of Horror, Mr. McDougal (Ferguson) believes Chick and Wilbur stole his exhibits and has then arrested.  They are baled-out by a beautiful woman, Joan (Randolph), who is the insurance agent processing McDougal's claim.  And a mysterious stranger, Larry Talbot (Chaney Jr.), is trying to stop Dracula and avoid the next full moon.

That evening everyone is going to a masquerade... can Chick and Wilbur save the day, and Wilbur's brain?

*yes, I already celebrated my 400th post, but this is my 400th movie review.

I have written 418 posts.

The comedic duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello never fails to entertain.  They are best known for the comedy routine "Who's On First?" but this is one of their best known films.  Abbott & Costello have great chemistry and seem to have a blast performing together.  Once again Costello is the loveable, dimwitted goof, while Abbott is the bossy, devious straight-man.  As usual, the formula works well.  Costello's Wilbur is easily terrified, which lends to many comic moments, especially because Abbott's Chick doesn't believe any of it.

While the film is a comedy, all of the monsters are treated with dignity and not made into caricatures (like subsequent comedy films that feature these monsters).  However, horror purists don't include this film in the film cannons for each monster.  Also, all three of the men portraying the monsters have portrayed the Frankenstein Monster on film.  Although Bela Lugosi is best known as Dracula, this was only the second time he played the character on film.

The best film in the Abbott & Costello collection... that I have had the pleasure of seeing numerous times.  It gets better with each viewing.  Check it out!

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) 83 minutes
Director: Charles Barton
Bud Abbott as Chick Young
Lou Costello as Wilbur Grey
Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot / The Wolf Man
Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula
Glenn Strange as The Frankenstein Monster
Lenore Aubert as Dr. Sandra Mornay
Jane Randolph as Joan Raymond
Frank Ferguson as Mr. McDougal
Charles Bradstreet as Professor Stevens