GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

classicsoncall Abbott and Costello got to skewer a lot of different film genres like Westerns, horror, high society and the military branches, so I guess it was time to turn their attention to pirates on the high seas. Quite honestly, I don't know how Charles Laughton got maneuvered into appearing here, although if you keep an eye on his facials, he seems to be having a good time in a bunch of spots. Even so far as to descending into slapstick and breaking the fourth wall once to address the viewer directly. Maybe he needed a break in between serious roles.Laughton also portrayed the infamous sea pirate in 1945's "Captain Kidd", but this time he wasn't going up against Randolph Scott. With the comedy duo you're bound to get caught up in all manner of dubious circumstances, and it was no different here. The story is loosely built around the misplacement of a treasure map, with a supporting cast of characters jostling their way through one pratfall after another on the way to Skull Island. Speaking of which, I had to wonder if maybe King Kong might have been right around the corner. Say, that might have been another film for the boys, "Abbott and Costello meet King Kong".If the idea wasn't so far fetched, one might consider this picture to be a musical, there were certainly enough songs in it. I counted six myself, but when all is said and done, none of them were noteworthy or even all that memorable. A couple of them were performed by supporting players Fran Warren (as Lady Jane), and Bill Shirley as her paramour Bruce Martingale, but if you think about it, the pair didn't really seem to be involved in any romance to speak of.Rounding out the cast was a mainstay from the Abbott and Costello TV series, Hillary Brooke, looking fetching as ever as a rival pirate captain. Given her name in the story, I'm surprised the film makers missed a huge opportunity by not referring to her character Bonney as one who lies over the ocean.

LeonLouisRicci Of Interest only to Die-Hard A & C Fans, this is a Bawdy, Bad Rendering of the Duos Comedic Talents with Lame Slapstick and Their Worst Verbal Puns. Charles Laughton and Hillary Brooke Add a bit of Interest but the Movie just Seems like Old Recycled Stuff and the Result is a Good Try but Ultimately Unfunny and Repetitive.Managing to String a Bunch of Forgettable Songs with a Slew of Forgettable Comedy Skits, the Film is most of the time Borderline Awful and Embarrassing. Far from Their Prime and holding on for Dear Life (they shortly went to a TV Series), Abbott and Costello are still Remembered Fondly, but Certainly Not for this Abysmal Adventure.Worth a Watch for A & C Completest Only.

wes-connors In the 17th century, "Death's Head Tavern" waiters Bud Abbott (as Rocky Stonebridge) and Lou Costello (as Oliver "Puddin' head" Feathergill) meet blustery Charles Laughton (as Captain Kidd) and his tall blonde rival Hillary Brooke (as Captain Bonney). Abbott and Lou Costello accidentally obtain a treasure map and use it to join Mr. Laughton and the pirates on a trip to "Skull Island" with young lovers Bill Shirley (as Bruce Martingale) and Fran Warren (as Lady Jane) also venturing forward. This noisy, cluttered musical comedy captures the box office stars and their big name guest at low tide.*** Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (12/27/52) Charles Lamont ~ Lou Costello, Charles Laughton, Bud Abbott, Hillary Brooke

Michael_Elliott Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Two waiters (Bud Abbott, Lou Costello) come across a treasure map, which belongs to the mean Captain Kidd (Charles Laughton). The waiters force the evil pirate to take them with him as he sails towards Skull Island. At one time I voted this one of my least favorite Abbott and Costello films, which is the reason I only watched it once before this viewing here. I must say that the film struck me as being a lot better than I remembered but it's still not one of the duo's best movies. I think the real key to enjoying this film is your appreciation of Laughton. I'm not sure why he did this movie but he certainly steals the film with his stern but mocking performance. Laughton's 1945 film Captain Kidd was a major bust for many people so perhaps the actor wanted a second chance at the part. He certainly adds a lot of class and charm to the role including some very funny sequences at the start when Costello is waiting on him. Both Abbott and Costello are good in their roles but these aren't among their best performances. If you've seen all of their films like I have then you're going to notice that many of the jokes are repeated from earlier films and these do come off rather lame here. They still have plenty of nice moments including a great sequence where Lou starts messing with Kidd after he thinks he has the pirate chained up. Of course he isn't really chained up and this leads to some nice laughs. I doubt people not fans of the cast are going to enjoy anything about the movie but fans should get enough charm out of its 70-minute running time to make it worth viewing.