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Although released after IN THE NAVY, this was Abbott and Costello's first film made after BUCK PRIVATES. It's also the first film where they get total top billing(in ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS they were supporting players, in BUCK PRIVATES although they have top billing in the opening credits they do not in the end credits, and in IN THE NAVY they share top billing with Dick Powell). This film was the first of their horror-comedies, and Lou's frightened reactions were so hilarious, all films that followed featured at least one scene where Costello gets scared, no matter what the film was about. The film is a very clever, "Old Dark House" type of film, with an excellent cast. Most notable is the beautiful Evelyn Ankers(one of Universal's most famous scream queens) as one of the strangers trapped in the house with Bud and Lou. Everything about this film is great. No complaints on my part!

This combination of haunted house scares and A&C slapstick works terrifically, for several reasons--the supporting cast is first-rate, and Joan Davis proved to be the best comic foil Costello ever had, their scenes together sparkle and their chemistry is undeniable; the boys' timing, always a marvel, has seldom been better; and, as in their best film, "A&C Meet Frankenstein," the spooky elements are played exactly that way, and not for laughs, and it works as well as it did in that film. Also, it doesn't have the cheaper, rushed look that many of their later ones had, and director Arthur Lubin--responsible for some of the team's best pictures--keeps things running very smoothly. The boys showcase some of their classic routines, Joan Davis is a joy to watch, the Andrews Sisters' songs don't slow things down ("Aurora" is actually a bright, catchy little number); all combine to make this one of the best Abbott & Costello films. Don't miss it.

It's nice to catch a break from the two recent "service films" that Bud and Lou made this time, as they go from army and navy men to playing two domestic, unsuccessful waiters-turned-gas station attendants. They unintentionally cross paths with a dying gangster and then become the heirs to his spooky old inn that just may contain a pile of hidden loot somewhere within it. What they didn't count on, however, is that the deceased had some scheming friends who are also hungry for the dough.

HOLD THAT GHOST is often considered close to the best film from Bud and Lou, but I'm not sure I would take it quite that far. It is a good, solid, comedy/spook show that plays on the old tried and true "haunted house" theme; and once more the boys are in top form to deliver the funnies as Abbott keeps trying to calm a very nervous Costello down as he encounters everything from dead bodies to ghosts to revolving rooms to moving candles. What helps boost this one up a notch, aside from the moody setting, is some able assistance from a good supporting cast. There's Richard Carlson as a timid scientist who's oblivious to the longing advances of the pretty Evelyn Ankers (from THE WOLF MAN), and the stand-out antics of Joan Davis, who's really an asset as she plays a "professional radio screamer" who's got some great moments with Lou Costello, including the aforementioned "moving candle" bit, and a charming little dance duet.

Oh yes, and the Andrews Sisters are back for a third time, but this time they're only used at the start and finish. Hey, what can we do? They were hugely popular at that time. And I must confess, I don't mind them concluding the show with one of their better tunes, "Aurora". *** out of ****

This is a very funny early Abbott and Costello comedy that mixes crooks and ghosts, as Bud and Lou inherit a "haunted" roadhouse from a gangster who may or may not have stashed away a fortune somewhere on the premises. Richard Carlson and Joan Davis are also on hand. The latter is quite funny, the former isn't. Overall, this is one of the better produced A & C efforts, with a real A picture feel to it. The lazy B-style gags hadn't set in yet, and Universal was clearly putting what was for them a lot of money into this one. As a result, Hold That Ghost is not only a good comedy whodunit but also nice to look at.

The boys inherit a spooky old house with money hidden somewhere inside. Now if only they can find the money before the bad guys do.

I love that spastic dance routine Lou does with Joan Davis. She's a perfect comedic counterpart to Costello, and for me, their bits together are the film's highlights. This is an early A&C effort, and it shows with their spirited performances. It's also one of their better screenplays. Putting them in an old dark house provides all sorts of loony possibilities, like the levitating candles and the fluffy ghost. Carlson and Ankers provide a good normal contrast to the madcap antics, but surprisingly Ankers only gets one lung-bursting scream of the sort she was famous for. Also, catch a more subdued version of the Andrews Sisters, which disappointed me since I was expecting their usual finger-snapping jive. Nonetheless, it's a solid entry for A&C fans.