Buck Privates

While this was the Abbott & Costello's second feature, and only Abbott's second film (Costello had appeared in several films as a stuntman and background extra in the late '20s), you sure couldn't tell, as the pair handled themselves like veterans. They are so assured and confident here that they appear to be making up their routines as they go along, although in reality they had polished them to near perfection during their years in vaudeville, burlesque and on the Broadway stage. This film is a terrific example of the flawless timing that not only convulsed their audiences but astounded other comedians (Steve Allen said that he had never seen anyone who could match them). Some criticism has been directed at the duo for the insertion of superfluous and usually second-rate musical numbers in most of their films--a decision made by Universal Pictures which the team had no control over--and while that may be true for several of their subsequent efforts, it isn't here. The numbers are well staged and the songs, especially "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," are infectious. The "plot" about a spoiled rich boy and his servant who enlist in the army is lame, but it doesn't really matter. This is a showcase for Bud and Lou's talents, and they don't disappoint. Director Arthur Lubin said that he pioneered the use of two cameras to cover scenes mainly because Costello was so off-the-wall and bounced all over the place so much that one camera simply couldn't contain him, so he ordered up another camera and had it trained exclusively on Costello. The boys do their best routines here--The Crap Game, The Ten/Forty routine, the Drill routine--and they are a joy to watch. Anyone who thinks that Bud Abbott wasn't the best straight man in the business should watch the Drill routine and check out how he consistently and skillfully reins in Costello whenever Lou's manic energy takes him too far outside the skit while still allowing him the freedom to employ the ad-libs and improvisations he was famous for. Abbott never really got as much credit as he deserved, and this scene alone shows why he deserved it.

Abbott & Costello did make some films that were beneath their talents, and some that were just plain unfunny, but this is definitely not one of them. This is a tremendously enjoyable film. Highly recommended.

BUCK PRIVATES (Universal, 1941), directed by Arthur Lubin, introduces the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello into leading roles, following their debut as secondary characters in ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940). With the exception of Lee Bowman's name listed first in the closing casting credits, it's obvious that this military comedy rightfully belongs to Abbott and Costello. A box-office sensation for a "B" movie upon its release, and Universal's biggest money maker at that time, BUCK PRIVATES marked a whole new beginning in a long series of popular comedies featuring the comic dual.

Prior to the opening credits, the film starts off in documentary style of current events with President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Draft Bill on September 14, 1940, with the enlistment of peacetime buck privates. Once the credits finish rolling on the screen, the movie gets underway first with a brief introduction of draftees Randolph Parker II (Lee Bowman), a millionaire Yale man, and Bob Martin (Alan Curtis), his now ex-chauffeur, entering the Army Recruiting Headquarters draft board, followed by a great opening with the main attractions of the evening: Marty "Slicker" Smith and Herbie Brown (Bud and Lou), former vaudevillians now Time Square street merchants selling dollar neckties for a dime. Joe Collins (Nat Pendleton), an officer of the law, goes after them for peddling without a license, a chase that leads them into an army recruiting center where they mistake it for a movie house playing "You're in the Army Now." While inside, Smith and Brown, believing they have signed up for a raffle drawing, unwittingly enlist themselves into the Army as buck privates. Once transferred to Camp Creely for basic training, guess who turns out to be their sergeant? One guess. His last name is Collins. "Ooooh, boy!!!!"

In between comic highlights by the boys, a handful of popular 1940s tunes, by Hughie Prince and Don Raye include: "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith," (sung by The Andrews Sisters); "Gee, I Wish You Were Here" (sung by Jane Frazee); "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time" (sung by The Andrews Sisters); "When a Private Becomes a Captain" (sung by Lou Costello and recruits); "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy" (Academy Award nominee as best song) "Bounce Me Brother With a Solid Four" and "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith" (sung by The Andrews Sisters).

As much as musical interludes can become intrusions in comedy films, for BUCK PRIVATES, they are delights, especially those introduced by the Andrews Sisters (Laverne, Maxine and Patti). "Apple Blossom Time," slower in tempo, remains memorable, even today. Judy Frazee, a charming screen personality and vocalist, appeared in a great number of "B" musicals throughout the 1940s, all forgotten. Because of her association with this film, it has become the only one featuring her to remain in circulation today. Others in the cast consist of Samuel S. Hinds as Major Emerson; Shemp Howard as the Cook; Mike Frankovitch as himself/radio announcer; and the Boogie-Woogie Dancers of Company B.

Bud and Lou actually participate more on their comic supplements than in the story, such as it is, which goes to Lee Bowman and Alan Curtis. Bowman is the millionaire playboy drafted into the army while his mother (Nella Walker) makes every effort to get him released within a week, however, it is his father (Douglas Wood) who arranges in keeping his pampered girl-chasing son in boot camp for a year in order to make a man out of him. Curtis plays Randy's chauffeur, now enlisted and placed in the same regiment. No longer obligated to his employer, he gives Parker his two week notice with a sock in the jaw. Both men become rivals, especially for the love and affection of Judy Craig (Jane Frazee), Bob's girlfriend, now working as army hostess. A cliché subplot was revamped for Laurel and Hardy's own military comedy, GREAT GUNS (20th-Fox, 1941), but due to the freshness and appeal of Abbott and Costello, BUCK PRIVATES is by far, a better film, thanks to these now famous routines: the dice game; the rifle drill; the boxing match with Costello in the ring with a muscular fighter with their sergeant (Pendleton) as referee; along with several of their other notable skits such as "Go ahead and play," that would be repeated again and again in their future comedies. An almost perfect yet dated comedy, the only dull spot in BUCK PRIVATES is the overlong maneuver sequence near the end where the focus becomes more on Bowman and Curtis than Abbott and Costello.

Because BUCK PRIVATES was such a sensation, it was later reissued in theaters through Realart, and found popularity to a new generation on television and later video cassette by the 1980s. Cable broadcast history consists of American Movie Classics where it premiered New Year's Day 2001 as part of its "Who's on the First" Abbott and Costello marathon, and later on Turner Classic Movies starting in July 2004.

A sequel, BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME (1947) brought forth Bud and Lou, with Nat Pendleton reprising their roles in a highly entertaining comedy that centers upon the characters returning to civilian life, with Pendleton in fine comedic form as their former sergeant returning to his old beat as a cop and after the twosome selling neckties on the street again. So before attempting to watch the sequel, be sure to catch the original, both currently available on DVD. (***)

Abbott and Costello's second feature, "Buck Privates," opened in January 1941. Peacetime conscription was in effect, voted by Congress in late 1940, and only planned to last for one year. Europe was at war, China was being raped (literally) by the Japanese. Americans were torn about the prospect of war-Lindbergh, a hero and a Nazi admirer, together with his America First movement urged isolationism.

"Buck Privates" walks a cautious line. No mention of the raging European war, the bombing of London, the success of German U-boats. No discussion of America's entering a war which, anyway, isn't even directly mentioned. The theme was high-spirited patriotism and preparation. With the Andrew Sisters, Abbott and Costello provide a light-hearted view of conscription and basic training. It almost seems like a Boy Scout experience. (I don't recall Basic Training at Fort Dix in 1965 as being any fun.)

Petty con artists, the duo mistakenly join the Army while trying to evade local police. The cop chasing them winds up as their company noncom. A rich young man and his former and now very resentful working class chauffeur are not only in the same company with the comedians, they're vying for a pretty girl who seems attracted to both. A common formula for movies.

The film tracks the transformation of average young American men from all over the country who share two qualities: they're happy to serve and they're all Caucasian.

With some film from the Louisiana maneuvers, at the time the largest combat training exercise in Army history, the thin and predictable plot develops to the singing/marching end as the now ready recruits prepare to take their places in line units.

Propaganda? Well, Hollywood was starting to get on the patriotic bandwagon but cautiously. No one gets hurt in this film worse than receiving a punch in a barracks brawl or during a prize fight.

Abbott and Costello became picture palace luminaries with this still funny but unsophisticated look at Army life. With tickets costing, usually, two bits "Buck Privates" grossed $4 million, a remarkable box office take for the time. The film drew an Oscar nomination for the Andrews Sisters and their "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" number, a huge hit.

"Buck Privates" is an interesting look at Hollywood's careful treatment of a politically sensitive issue, conscription and the path to war. It showcases two of America's funniest comedians in a series of give-and-take dialogues that became the hallmark of their collaboration. Their routines remain very funny more than six decades later.

8/10 (for its type and time).

Legendary comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello play sidewalk salesmen / con artists Slicker Smith and Herbie Brown, who get into trouble with the law. To avoid being arrested, they cut into a line which they think is for a movie showing. Surprise, surprise...they're now on their way to enlist in the Army! Resigning themselves to their fate, they get another surprise when the cop who tried to arrest them, Michael Collins (Nat Pendleton), turns out to be their drill sergeant!

Bud & Lou earned this initial feature film vehicle for Universal due to their success on radio, and they really make the most of it. These guys really were naturals at their craft, and perform their material breathlessly. In order to get things to feature length, some time is devoted to musical numbers - especially by The Andrews Sisters - and a major subplot about spoiled rich boy Randolph Parker III (Lee Bowman) butting heads with his former employee Bob Martin (Alan Curtis) while they both aggressively pursue camp hostess Judy Gray (the very lovely Jane Frazee). But the movie is never more entertaining than when Bud & Lou are on screen. Some real hilarity comes from the way that they frustrate Collins with their antics; there are inspired moments of silliness. Bud is also a joy as he keeps devising ways to get Lou into trouble - note his ingenious method of helping Lou shed one pound so Lou can meet the maximum weight requirement.

Lively and engaging, "Buck Privates" is directed with brio by Arthur Lubin, features some catchy music ("Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"), and wraps up in a traditional "misfits make good" manner. The supporting cast also includes folks like Samuel S. Hinds, Harry Strang, Nella Walker, Carleton Young, Tom Tyler, and Shemp Howard. It's good fun, and paved the way for further Bud & Lou big screen adventures.

Seven out of 10.

My uncle who later served in France during the second World War was one of those whose lives was interrupted by the peace time draft before the USA entered World War II. It was with some touch of irony that he will mention to this day he never saw any camp hostesses like Jane Frazee or the Andrews Sisters.

But Buck Privates is an Abbott and Costello film, not a serious drama about the first peace time draft in American history. Bud and Lou got in the short run of this film several of their classic routines.

When Universal signed Abbott and Costello on the strength of their running appearances on Kate Smith's Radio Show, they were expecting to do a series of B programmers with them. They never dreamed that these two burlesque comedians would become the national icons that they did.

Shot on a shoestring the film made an exponential profit for Universal studios. Without the usual Hollywood ballyhoo that would have accompanied a major Hollywood production, Buck Privates returned many times the cost of production.

And through the serendipitous casting angel, Buck Privates also included the Andrews Sisters who got to sing three of their standards in this, I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time, You're A Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith, and the immortal Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B.

There are in fact so many musical numbers and so many A&C routines in this short film, there's barely room enough for a plot which involves a playboy Lee Bowman, his former chauffeur AlanCurtis, and Jane Frazee the camp hostess they both want to get better acquainted with. But because of that the film doesn't drag for a second.

Buck Privates set the standard for the films that Bud and Lou did for Universal. No doubt about it, their best work was in the early Forties and Buck Privates is the best of all.