Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

USA 1953
produced by
Howard Christie for Universal
directed by Charles Lamont
starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Mari Blanchard, Robert Paige, Horace McMahon, Martha Hyer, Jack Kruschen, Joe Kirk, Jean Willes, Anita Ekberg, James Flavin, Jacke Loughery, Ruth Hampton, Valerie Jackson, Renate Hoy, Jeanne Thompson, Jeri Miller, Judy Hatula, Elsa Edsman
story by D.D. Beauchamp, Howard Christie, screenplay by D.D. Beauchamp, John Grant, music by Henry Mancini, Milton Rosen, Herman Stein

Abbott & Costello

review by
Mike Haberfelner

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Somehow, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello get caught in a rocketship, launch it by accident, and land in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. They believe they have landed on Mars though, and all the people in bizarre masks and outfits do little to nothing to make them think otherwise. Then out heroes stumble uponm two escaped convicts (Horace McMahon, Harry Kruschen) who force them to take them to Mars at gunpoint.

Somehow though, the rocketship takes everyone to Venus, a planet entirely populated by beautiful women, led by man-hating queen Allura (Mari Blanchard). For some reason, Allura finds Costello cute though, and she makes him her king. However, when she catches him thinking of other women (how is he not to, witht he whole planet being populated by beautiful girls?), she decides it's best to send all the men back to earth - where Abbott and Costello get a heroes' welcome, while the convicts get a nice cell.

For many, Abbott and Costello Go to Mars is the worst film the duo has ever made - but though I'm anything but a fan of the two, I think this judgement is rather harsh, this film is nowhere near as abysmal as Jack and the Beanstalk or as repetitive as Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion, to only name two examples. Sure, the plot is as childish as it is inconsequential, but at least Abbott and Costello are allowed a bit of room for character development, character-motivation even. Plus, while most of their routines are not really funny, they are at least not extended endlessly or repeated incessantly throughout the movie. Also, a few nice supporting players that are more than just a backdrop for the boys' tired shenanigans don't hurt the movie one bit either.

That all said, Abbott and Costello Go to Mars is far from a classic, it's just half as bad as I expected it to be.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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