Viuda y sabia

This is one of my favorite Abbott and Costello movies and one of their best. There really isn't that much interplay between Abbott and Costello, despite the basics, as Marjorie Main consumes (or inhales) a lot of the attention. The classic and time consuming routines are also few and far between. The script is one of the tightest in the team's movies and there aren't really any dead spots. The supporting characters are very strong and Abbott and Costello don't have to scene steal to be effective. The plot is thus: Abbott and Costello come to Wagon Gap and shoot off a gun to make a statement. A man falls dead and, faster then you can say "railroad", Costello is made the sole supporter of the dead man's family. Marjorie Main plays the less then weeping widow. She's actually a very talented comedian, her gruff, manly demeanor aside. The townsfolk are seedy vigilantes and provide a hostile setting. The humor is great, with some great, subtle lines and a very funny routine where Costello gets smacked with paint while painting a fence. The best plot twist is Costello being named sheriff because no one will touch him (much less shoot him) as they would have to provide for the gruff and nagging Main. The typical hurricane ending is less chaotic and more pleasing then the regular. A lot of fun and one of my favorite Abbott and Costello movies.

THE WISTFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP (Universal-International, 1947), directed by Charles T. Barton (title not to be confused with similar sounding RUGGLES OF RED GAP (Paramount, 1935) starring Charles Laughton), returns the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello to western setting for the first time since RIDE 'EM COWBOY (1942). With the title role going to Marjorie Main, she also has the distinction of having her name placed above the title along with Abbott and Costello. Casting Main opposite the dual is priceless, for that this character actress with the raspy voice and rough exterior, makes a good opposition for the little tubby Costello. Having already played hillbilly parts in MURDER HE SAYS (Paramount, 1945), and the role of a lifetime as Ma Kettle as introduced in THE EGG AND I (Universal, 1947), who else but Marjorie Main could assume the title role and make it so appealing?

Setting the pace with its opening title: "Montana in the days when men were men - with two exceptions ..." the story introduces the two exceptions being Duke Degan (Bud Abbott) and Chester Woolley (Lou Costello), a couple of city slickers traveling to Californian by way of stagecoach. Being household specialty salesmen from Paterson, New Jersey, their coach stops three miles from the nearest town town of Wagon Gap, forcing the twosome to walk the rest of the way. Entering Red Gap, they find the town lacks law and order, consisting of shootings, flying bullets and barroom brawls. After acquiring a couple of shooting irons, Chester's gunshot into the air ends up with the body of notorious gambler, Fred Hawkins, falling by his side. Accused of the killing, Duke and Chester first find themselves with a noose around their necks before Jim Simpson (William Ching) insists of a fair trial. The trial, set in a bar with Judge Benbow (George Cleveland) presiding, with the hanging party as their jurors, Simpson saves the necks of the twosome from a mock trial by reading a Montana law book where the one responsible for the death of the party must be responsible of the obligation of the deceased, the one being Chester. No sooner do Duke and Chester meet up their responsibility by ending up on the farm of the Widow Hawkins (Marjorie Main), and her seven unruly children: Juanita (Audrey Young), Matt (Bill Clauson), Billy (Bill O'Leary), Sarah (Pamela Wells), Jefferson (Jimmie Bates), Lincoln (Phil Dunn), and Sally (Diane Florentine). The widow takes a liking to Chester to become her next husband, while Duke is assigned as the family guardian. To make sure these men don't sneak away, the widow assigns her vicious German shepherd dog, Wolf, stand guard in their bedroom. Because Chester refuses to marry and become the new father, the widow has him doing all the household chores, forcing Chester to come late for his meals, eaten by the lazy Duke and the Hawkins brew. Later, Chester becomes the town sheriff, using the widow's family photo as protection against those going against his ruling. Further complications ensue as Duke spreads rumor about a railroad going through the widow's land that would make her the richest woman of Wagon Gap. Will Duke and Chester ever get to make it to California? Other cast members include: Gordon Jones (Jake Frame); Peter Thompson (Phil); Glenn Strange ("Lefty") and Dewey Robinson. Audrey Young, as the eldest of the Hawkins children, sings "There's Plenty More Than Time" in the Round-Up Saloon sequence,but not in its entirety.

A solid 78 minute Abbott and Costello comedy where their scenes are nearly stolen by Main's performance, the team offers some of their usual gag material as highlights, including a frog jumping from one bowl of soup to another, disrupting the dining area. Their cheating card game, originally performed by Bud and Lou in BUCK PRIVATES (1941), is repeated, with the only difference being performed by Abbott and Main instead of Costello. Other than chasing scenes, usually found in their comedies, Costello playing sheriff requiring respect from a town of toughs is typical, yet amusingly done.

Though not exceptionally a great comedy, THE WISTUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP, is certainly fun to watch. It's a wonder what would have been had Abbott, Costello and Marjorie Main joined forces together in her popular "Ma and Pa Kettle" film series? Seeing this movie comes close to such an idea. Costello sharing antics with Pa Kettle (Percy Kilbride) would have been hilarious. Formerly distributed on video cassette, currently available on DVD. (**1/2)

Two traveling salesmen (guess who) arrive in the lawless frontier town of Wagon Gap where the outlaw boss Gordon Jones and citizen's committee head William Ching are in a power struggle. Poor inept Costello winds up getting framed for a murder and he and Abbott are both about to be hung when Ching discovers a law in Montana Territory about a man who causes the death of another is responsible for the deceased's debts and family. Costello takes the responsibility.

He soon thinks capital punishment even the extralegal kind might be preferable to dealing with Marjorie Main and her squalling band of kids. Think of Costello inheriting the Kettle clan if Pa Kettle had met his demise at Costello's hands and you have some idea what Costello is going through.

But quite by accident it's discovered that Costello has carte blanche in Wagon Gap because no one wants to see any harm come to him or else they might inherit Marjorie Main. Costello carries a picture of her and the clan close to his heart and it's more valuable than a Sherman Tank would have been. He has a very funny scene cooling down a town drunk played by Dewey Robinson after he's made sheriff.

Marjorie Main with her own brand of rustic humor does not yield the film to Bud and Lou. You might also like the performance of George Cleveland as a judge not unlike Samuel S. Hinds in Destry Rides Again.

In fact the whole film has a lot of similarity to Destry and no surprise there since this was originally supposed to be a more serious story that was to have starred James Stewart. When he passed on it, it was rewritten for Abbott and Costello.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap should appeal to both fans of the Kettle family and those of Bud and Lou. Between them they accounted for a big portion of what counted as profits for Universal Studios.

This Abbott & Costello outing is definitely a very much formula Comedy Western done in the late 1940's when all the movies were pretty much formula. Director Charles Barton who worked with the boys more than any other director does pretty well here. Barton never became a household name as a director but anyone who is a fan of the team knows his name was the most frequent one with them.

The best thing about this film is Marjorie Main. She is a major addition to a cast which includes Gordon Jones. Marjorie does comedy well including her Ma Kettle films but in this one she plays off and supports A&C just fine. She is the Widow here and as in the case of the Kettles has a big household of young ones. This is very much in her element of comedy.

While Abbott & Costello do not get a lot of verbal comedy in this, there is enough of them for their fans. Some of the special effects used we OK then but look dated now. At least there is not a lot of musical interruptions to annoy the viewer in this one. Overall, this one is much better than their worst outings.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947)

*** (out of 4)

Duke Egan (Bud Abbott) and Chester Wooley (Lou Costello) go to a small Western town that is nothing but non-stop fights and shootings. The two buy some guns even though neither know what they're doing and when a man falls dead out from the sky they're blamed for it. To set a new policy, the judge orders Wooley to take care of the man's widow (Marjorie Main) and her wild children.

THE WISTFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP has always been one of my favorite non "Meet" movies from Abbott and Costello because of all the hilarious jokes scattered throughout the picture. The duo did quite a few movies set in the old West but this one here is clearly head and shoulders above the rest due to some very well-written jokes and it also giving Costello a chance to act big and tough.

The highlight of the picture happens early on at a dinner sequence where Costello is trying to eat a bowl of soup but the widow's kids have put a frog in it. The back and forth between Costello and the (fake) frog was priceless and the timing was right on the mark. Another hilarious scene is the card playing one where the boys think they've came up with a good way to cheat. Also, a running gag has everyone in town afraid to kill Costello because they'd then have to take over the widow. This allows Costello some great gags where he plays it tough and pushes people around.

The performances are a major plus with both Bud and Lou doing a very good job and playing off each other nicely. Main is also extremely good as the loud and obnoxious widow. Audrey Young, Gordon Jones and George Cleveland are also quite good and you can look for Glenn Strange who had just appeared with the boys in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, playing the monster of course.

THE WISFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP is without question one of the duo's best and funniest films.