Today’s quick review: Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. Hired to deliver two crates to a house of horrors, Chick (Bud Abbott) and Wilbur (Lou Costello) are surprised to discover that the crates contain Dracula (Bela Lugosi) and Frankenstein’s Monster (Glenn Strange). The men are drawn further into trouble when Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney), the Wolfman, approaches them to catch the escaped monsters before it is too late.
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is a classic comedy that sends up the horror genre. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello bring their signature brand of humor to a movie that unites three of the horror genre’s most iconic monsters. The plot is a token one, but it does manage to juggle a fairly broad supporting cast. In spite of the title, the monster with the most screen time is Count Dracula, ably played by Bela Lugosi.
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein has one shtick but does it well. Nearly all of the humor revolves around Lou Costello, whose expressive acting, cluelessness, and knack for physical humor give the film a solid base to build on. The formula is simple: Costello stumbles upon one of the monsters, narrowly avoids it, and reports back to a disbelieving But Abbott. The rest of the cast plays it all straight.
Give Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein a shot when you’re in the mood for old-school comedy. How much you get out of the film will depend heavily on how much you enjoy Lou Costello’s style of comedy. His antics are enough to fill the whole movie almost on their own, but they do make it a hit-or-miss proposition. Skip the movie if you’re looking for wordplay, sophisticated humor, or much of a plot.
For a more comprehensive and iconic parody of the horror genre, check out Young Frankenstein. Those who enjoy Lou Costello’s acting may also be interested in Zero Mostel’s role in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, an elaborate musical comedy.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for fun but one-dimensional comedy.