Movie Review: Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
Synopsis: Two newly graduated private investigators, Bud Alexander and Lou Francis, are hired by boxer Tommy Nelson to clear his name after he is framed for murder by the mob. Tommy has taken an invisibility potion to help hide him from the authorities, putting Bud and Lou up against the clock as the potion slowly turns their client insane.
Who's in it? The movie stars Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Arthur Franz, Nancy Guild and Adele Jergens.
Review: It's been a while since I've watched an Abbott & Costello movie and, when I came across Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, I just had to give it a re-watch. While I still think Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is their best pairing against a movie monster(s), this one remains a close second.
As much as I love the comedy duo, their routine was arguably getting a bit repetitive and stale by the 1950s. There are, however, still some films that manage to seem fresh and this is one of those movies.
The thing that impresses me about it is they don't rely as much on the same comedy routines that have been a staple of their other films. There are still some scenes that are familiar because they are simply providing a new twist on an old routine but there are plenty of others that seemed new. It kept the film from becoming predictable and made it all that much more entertaining.
I especially like how the movie gives Costello an opportunity to show off his physical comedy skills during a boxing match. It's one of those scenes that ends up being much more unpredictable than you would expect because, while he has help from an invisible Tommy (Franz), his character, Lou, was just bumbling enough to find a way to still lose.
As far as the overall plot goes, I thought it was a solid. It's obviously a comedy with Abbott & Costello pulling most of the weight but I liked how the film stays true to the Invisible Man legacy by having the potion slowly turn Tommy insane. This in turn kept the film interesting because as Tommy's mental health deteriorated, he became more of a liability than an asset and, at least the first time I watched it, I wondered if he'd even end up being a villain.
My only real complaint about the movie is the ending. It's about what I would expect from an Abbott & Costello film but also seemed to be a bit too goofy, to the point some of it doesn't even make a whole lot of sense. It wasn't anything that made me dislike the movie, I would have just liked to have seen it toned down a bit.
Final Opinion: It's an entertaining movie with a great plot and an even greater comedy pair being able to show off their talents. It's worth watching.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other comedies from the 1950s:
Movie Review: Callaway Went Thataway (1951)
Movie Review: Loose in London (1953)
Movie Review: Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953)
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