In Society

In Society (1944)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Abbott and Costello play plummers who are accidentally invited to a rich person's house for the weekend where they much try to become part of society. Apparently A&C were causing a lot of troubles for the production of this thing due to a contract issue and the final results really show. This certainly isn't their worst film but it's certainly middle of the ground stuff. Most of the jokes just don't flow right as they seemed rushed and forced. Still, there are several minor laughs that keep this thing going for fans.

"In Society" has a promising set-up - Abbott and Costello as bumbling plumbers who get invited by mistake to a high-society weekend party and try to act as if they belong there - but the film doesn't exploit this premise for all it's worth. At its best, the film approaches the surreal craziness of the Marx Brothers movies (the flooded room, the Susquehannah Hat Company sketch, etc.). But there are too many songs, 4 to be specific in a 70-minute movie (though at least one of them, "No bout adout it", has likably crazy lyrics - "I sove you lo much, I mean I love you so much"), the back projection during the big chase scenes couldn't be more obvious, and Abbott's character is thoroughly obnoxious. (**)

Abbott and Costello are plumbers who accidentally get themselves invited to a High Society social event. Like so many of their films, this one's got a good amount of funny bits to enjoy, but they also come at the price of enduring some musical interruptions (at least Marion Hutton sings "No Bout Adoubt It" better than she can deliver dialogue). But ignoring those, some of the best gags in this movie include: Bud and Lou trashing a ritzy bathroom with their plumbing incompetence; a hilarious sequence where a policeman beats Costello up for blowing a car's horn late at night while Abbott doesn't lift a finger to help (they often revamped this routine in other films as well as their TV show, but it was never better done than it is here); Costello jumps in a pool to save a man's life and gets berated for it; and the classic highlight of the picture -- the "Bagel Street" bit where Lou attempts to get directions to the Susquehannah Hat Company from all sorts of nutty people he meets on the street. **1/2 out of ****

While I can't say this movie was on a par with "Hold That Ghost" or "Time of Their Lives", it was still funny and entertaining. Bud and Lou play Eddie and Albert, two plumbers who are hired to fix the sink at a wealthy estate during a costume party, (where Arthur Treacher plays the butler) and are driven there by cab driver Elsie Hemmerdingle (Marion Hutton), whom Albert's been dating. She, however, soon loses her heart to Peter Evans (Kirby Grant), who mistakes her for one of the elites, thinking her uniform is a costume. Meanwhile, Albert makes a shambles out of the bathroom, as Murphy's Law prevails!

Some highlights of the film are the two numbers Marion sings: "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" and "No Doubt About It", and a crazy chase on a firetruck, as Eddie and Albert seek to clear their name of stealing a priceless painting.

Not a bad way to pass the time.

After previously reviewing Laurel & Hardy crashing High Society in From Soup to Nuts and Another Fine Mess, we're now seeing Bud Abbott & Lou Costello In Society. They're plumbers called to fix a sink leak in a mansion. With Abbott ordering Costello around, there's no way that will go well! Despite that, they accidentally get invited to a society party along with their cab driver friend Elsie (Marion Hutton, Betty's sister). Also coming, a loan shark (Thomas Gomez) and his chauffeur (Murray Leonard) are following along to steal a valuable painting. I'll stop there and just say some of the scenes are uneven due to obvious rear projection footage involving some chase scenes and at least one song-among many being performed usually by Marion-sung by Kirby Grant is one too many. Still, there's still some infectious fun especially when the "Bagel Street" routine is being performed. Some of the players above had or will team with Bud & Lou in other films which would also include Anne Gillis playing a rival for Grant here. Also, a couple of players associated with Laurel & Hardy also appear here-Dorothy Granger and Charlie Hall, though I admit I didn't recognize the latter anywhere in the picture. In summary, In Society is still worth a look for any A & C fan. With that, my next review will be Laurel & Hardy's Swiss Miss.