Ghosts on the Loose

Slapstick meets Bela Lugosi in this all-but-forgotten 1943 comedy. Just think about that statement... Comedy, Bela Lugosi. And that right there is why I allowed myself to splurge 2 bucks for a used VHS copy, because the very concept made me crack a smile.

But although Lugosi's performance can't be argued with, the plot underpinning his role certainly doesn't help to elevate this film to award-winning, or even memorable, status. There isn't any "bad" acting from anyone on the cast. It would be more accurate to say that each part was played with about as much talent and gusto as it required. While Lugosi can just walk on screen and be effective by looking like himself, the other parts are a little trickier. There is a doofus, a few cronies, a guy getting married, or a very flat Ava Gardner, so take your pick. There isn't much depth behind those parts that a halfhack drama student couldn't pull off with a hangover, so they are adequately acted.

But all criticisms of writing and the very nature of crackerjack comedy aside, the whole thing was pretty good. There are plenty of gags and stupid lines to keep anyone with at least half a heart interested. Paintings with moving eyes, secret passages, etc. The gags get old from the start but some of the lines just snap off like popcorn and I appreciate that type of writing. It's an older, fast-talking style that Hollywood tends to ignore nowadays, if people are even writing like that any longer, but I doubt it; there's too much interest in color film, sex and violence to make dialogue important.

This film has no blood, no senseless violence, no gratuitous sex, and no crass language. Don't get me wrong, there is an upside (heh). So I'm not going to pretend that I'm too cool to say this wasn't any good, because it's funny, simple, and downright ridiculous. All I mean to say is that when those factors are combined in a script today, they doubtlessly create a tasteless, fluffy PG sleeper not worth the price of the ticket. This movie is different, however, just don't expect a cinematic masterpiece. Expect it to be what the title suggests, a simple and stupid comedy starring Bela Lugosi as a secret Nazi, and you've got to love that.

The Director, William Beaudine, also known as, "One-Take Beaudine, believed in filming one take of one scene. Get it right the first time. Bela Lugosi, as a gag, said a bad four-letter word in the first take of one specific scene. Bela Lugosi standing still as a portrait, while sneeezing expelled the expletive. Director William Beaudine kept the take in the film. This may be the first time a very bad expletive word had ever been heard and used in a film, with the exception of Gone With The Wind (1939), in which Clark Gable said in his memorable last line, used the word "damn", Bela Lugosi used the word "shit" uncalled for and not in the script. Ghosts On The Loose was released in 1943.

This isn't the best East Side Kids Movie ever made, but it is a decent film. If your gonna buy this movie for Bela Lugosi being in it, then don't. It gives him a minor role as being in charge of a Nazi spy group. If your looking for a film that has The East Side Kids in it and Lugosi then buy Spooks Run Wild.

The movie spends about 30 min on a wedding for Glimpy's sister, then it goes to the little bit of haunting in the movie. Still the movie is good.

If your looking for a creepy Lugosi film don't buy this. But if your looking for a film to add to your East Side Kids collection then check this one out.

The main problem with "Ghosts on the Loose" is that it's outdated. Today's audience doesn't know the norms of 1943 society so we can't fully appreciate when the East Side Kids break these rules with their comical lines and antics. The characters use a lot of slang and terms that are over 60 years old. We can't get the full impact of these lines. Things really weren't the same back then. We can still get quite a bit of humor out of this movie but unless we were alive during that time, I don't think we can possibly catch everything. I still found this to be an entertaining movie and still funny. What I liked the most was seeing this film in a historical perspective. I'd like to get a few "East Side Kids" films under my belt and see the comedy of the 40s. It's always interesting to see anything with Bela Lugosi in it and he does have a staring role in this. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that this is one of Ava Gardner's early movies. As entertainment I would have to say that "Ghosts on the Loose" is an OK movie. It lost a lot of its appeal over the years but is still good for a few laughs. As an historical piece of cinematic history, it's priceless.

It is wrong to critize this film, it was a funny and enjoyable movie in the 1940's and it will remain a classic film in our libraries for many generations to come.

Bela Lugosi played a straight role as a Nazi, which he was proud of performing instead of his Horror roles. Ava Garnder received her first film credit and looked slim and trim and gave a great performance, the East Side Kids gave this film class all by itself, they are a talent to be long remembered.