SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Fuzzy Wuzzy Released in 1953 - This disappointingly unfunny Abbott & Costello comedy would (thankfully) be the second last time where Universal Studios would incorporate one of their famous monsters into the story in hopes that this would generate some much-needed audience interest into its unbelievably weak and almost humourless plot.Set in London, England (during the Edwardian era), this trifle-of-a-movie was basically a repulsively trite romance story that took place between the characters of Bruce Adams (the handsome, dashing, news-reporter) and Vicky Edwards (the pretty, frilly, women's rights activist).Abbott & Costello's roles in this film as Slim & Tubby (2 American cops studying police tactics in London) are only marginal and repeatedly take a back-seat to the story's focus of Bruce & Vicky's tiresome & contrived courting ritual.Veteran actor Boris Karloff also appears in the story as Dr. Jekyll (but not as Mr. Hyde). As well, his role as this kindly, but strange, mad scientist is greatly overshadowed by the absurdity of Bruce & Vicky cooing away to each other like 2 brain-dead lovebirds.With the exception of a couple of "ok" make-up effects and some well-timed slapstick comedy, this dull film clearly missed the mark on all counts (from its humour, to its horror, to its general audience appeal).This badly-conceived picture was clear evidence that, as a comic duo, Abbott & Costello were at the very brink of approaching the absolute nadir of their movie careers.

TheLittleSongbird Not one of their absolute best and inferior, with the feminist subplot being unnecessary and slowing things down a bit and it does try a little too hard for laughs towards the end. It is however one of their better declining years outings and one of their livelier ones as well. It looks handsome and atmospheric, especially the sets though the film is very competently shot as well. The score is appropriately eerie and jaunty, fitting with the creepier and comedic elements very nicely. The dialogue is witty and the gags on the most part do work especially with in the wax museum and rooftop chase scenes. As well as having comedy, there are some foreboding moments too especially with Karloff as Mr Hyde. The film is solidly directed, and the performances are good. Helen Westcott and Craig Stevens are just okay, but Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are still a great double act and their performances are appropriately pitched. Boris Karloff manages to be both hammy and menacing and most effectively, not everybody can succeed in some way making Dr Jekyll almost as sinister as Mr Hyde but Karloff does and remarkably. Overall, very entertaining and while not Abbott and Costello at their best it is worthy. 8/10 Bethany Cox

MartinHafer This is among the best of Abbott and Costello's films because it is so much fun. It also didn't hurt that it is one of their films that combined monsters with comedy--a sure recipe for success. The first of these films, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN happens to be their best film, but followup films with the Invisible Man, the Mummy and Dr. Jekyll were also among their best films.The film begins with Bud and Lou inexplicably working for the London police. Because they are Bud and Lou, they naturally get fired. So, they spend the rest of the movie trying to solve the big case, a serial killer, in order to get back on the force. The trail takes them to Dr. Henry Jekyll (Boris Karloff) and despite his very pleasant demeanor, he's a real jerk. Underneath this nice facade, this incarnation of Jekyll is quite different from versions of the story starring John Barrymore, Frederic March or Spencer Tracy. Unlike these previous versions, Jekyll is truly evil and likes becoming the monster. In other words, he uses this new guise to kill with impunity because he is a horrible person. However, he really looked little like the movie Mr. Hyde when he transformed. Instead of the usual transformation, this time it looks like they used a rubber mask and it looked more like the Frederic March version of Jekyll combined with the Wolf-Man! The main reason to make his so unrecognizable was because this was a very active role (involving a lot of climbing and stunts) and Karloff was simply too old to handle these rigors. Frankly, though Hyde and Jekyll were quite different, this didn't bother me. So what is so good about the film? Well, the most important plus this film has is no singing!! Hallelujah! Too many of Abbott and Costello's films (particularly the early ones) were heavily padded with songs that distracted the audience unnecessarily and added nothing to the plot. Additionally, like many of their best films, this one was plot and character-driven--not a bunch of semi-related vignettes and Vaudeville routines thrown together. In addition it sure didn't hurt that the ending was quite clever and funny as well--leaving the audience laughing as the credits rolled.Overall, a film I'd place in the top five of the Abbott and Costello films. If you really care, and you might, this is how I'd place them in order from best to worst:1. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN 2. WHO DONE IT? 3. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE 4. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KILLER 5. LITTLE GIANT (yes, I know most people hate this one but I liked it).

JoeKarlosi After ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN this is my next favorite of their "meet the monsters" movies. Thankfully it offers an added treat by starring horror legend Boris Karloff in the part of Dr. Jekyll, though when he's running around London as Mr. Hyde it is actually a stunt man in a monster mask. Bud and Lou are "Slim" and "Tubby" (okay, so the names aren't very original), two Americans who are hired as bumbling police bobbies in England. It isn't long before they're thrown off the force for their incompetence, but they have a plan to try and get their jobs back by trying to apprehend the "monster" that's been loose and murdering people. This would be Mr. Hyde, the savage alter ego of Dr. Jekyll (Karloff). As portrayed in this film, Jekyll is not very innocent himself, as he is rather a schemer who is madly in love with his young ward (Helen Westcott) who is young enough to be his own granddaughter! The comedy of Abbott and Costello this time relies more on slapstick gags than their trademark verbal "routines". Both comedians look like they did during their television show, as this feature was produced at the same time. If you're a fan of Boris Karloff, this film puts him to far better use than he was given in 1949's ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KILLER. It also works as a straight monster movie along with the jokes. *** out of ****