Ride 'Em Cowboy

Fun Abbott & Costello movie has the boys playing peanut vendors at a rodeo who get into trouble with their boss, so they head West and get a job working on a dude ranch. While Bud and Lou are up to their usual antics, singing cowboy Dick Foran tries to win over cowgirl Anne Gwynne. The problem is Foran's not a real cowboy and Gwynne doesn't think much of him. But when he's set to compete in a charity rodeo, she has to teach him to be a real cowboy fast.

Pretty funny with a good supporting cast that includes Douglas Dumbrille, Samuel S. Hinds, Morris Ankrum, and Johnny Mack Brown. Bud and Lou are in good form with funny lines and banter throughout, as well as some nice physical gags. Dick Foran does fine and lovely Anne Gwynne is charming. This one also has several musical numbers. The Merry Macs sings some nice tunes and Ella Fitzgerald, in her film debut, sings "A-Tisket A-Tasket." Even Dick Foran sings a couple of forgettable songs. Not one of A&C's best but pleasant entertainment. While it's true there's more focus on other characters and music than you might want in an Abbott & Costello comedy, rest assured that every time the duo is on screen they are gold.

Ella Fitzgerald, in her first screen role, plays Ruby, who fills several roles as one of the employees of the ranch. At the opening rodeo, she is dressed as a rodeo clown, and comes to Anne's side when she is hurt. Later in the film, she can be seen removing an apron before singing. Ella sings A-Tisket, A-Tasket in the bus, as the ranch crew drives from the railway station to the ranch. Ruby and the other employees interact playfully during the song.

In the one dance scene in the film, a square dance is being held in a barn. The Merry Macs interrupt the square dance caller with the musical question, "What kind of old fashion jive is that you've got?" And end up telling him "Don't be a chump. Do a square dance, but make it jump." They then launch into an upbeat swing tune. The Macs sing "Ruby, Ruby. We want Ruby", and ask her to come out and sing jive. She takes off her apron and sings a few verses. Still singing, she introduces dancers who will "show you how they drop the square. You know. Back in Harlem up on Sugar Hill." Several couples come out and put on quite a display of Lindy Hop. Ruby and the Macs each take a turn with additional verses, and over a dozen couples take the floor doing swing. Well known swing dancers Dean Collins and Jewel McGowan dance along side the other couples in this scene. Although Dean is known for a smooth style of Lindy, he and Jewel perform two "around the block" moves, as well as some energetic kicks during their short time on camera. Most of the songs in the film are cowboy songs, which were very popular at the time. The presence of Ella Fizgerald and swing dancers demonstrates another popular music and dance of the early 1940s.

RIDE 'EM COWBOY (Universal, 1942), directed by Arthur Lubin, places the popular comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in another funny outing, literally, this time set at a dude ranch surrounded by cowboys, Indians, an assortment Universal stock players, and several fine tunes. It also marked the motion picture debut of vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald (appearing as Ruby), singing her signature song, "A Tisket, A Tasket (My Little Yellow Basket)" while resident cowboy star, Johnny Mack Brown, takes time out showing Bud and Lou the ropes in between time of his own Universal western series of the time.

In a story presented on two levels, the first goes to title character "Broncho Bob" Mitchell (Dick Foran), author of best selling western novels, making his introduction as the feature attraction of Greater New York Bennett Rodeo. In spite of his fame and fortune, Martin Manny (Charles Lane), his severest critic, who doubts him to be "a great western hero," intends on exposing him in his next column. Manny's suspicions are proved correct when a bull breaks away, causing Bob to fall from his horse and cover his face in fear while cowgirl Ann Shaw (Anne Gwynne) steps in to bulldog the bull by the horns. Her heroic deed causes her leg injury that keeps her from riding in the finals to win that $1,000 grand prize. The second level moves to pals, Duke (Bud Abbott) and Willoughby (Lou Costello), working as hot dog/ peanut vendors whose antics get them in trouble with the boss (Wade Boteler). After their latest antic, Duke and Willoughby take refuge in a cattle car taking them to the same train as Ann and Broncho Bob while bound for Arizona. While at the Lazy S Ranch in Gower Gulch owned by Ann's father (Samuel S. Hinds), Duke and Willoughby obtain work as hired hands for foreman, Bruce "Alabam" Corman (Johnny Mack Brown) while Ann helps Bob's cowboy hero reputation by training him to ride a horse for the upcoming Frontier Day Celebration before some unexpected situations take place.

During the course of its 86 minutes, there's time out for music. Songs by Don Rays and Gene DePaul include: "Give Me My Saddle" (sung by Dick Foran); "Wake Up Jacob" (sung by The Merry Macs); "A Tisket, a Tasket" (sung by Ella Fitzgerald/ music and lyrics by Fitzgerald and Al Feldman); "Beside the Rio Tonto Shore" (sung by The Merry Macs); "I'll Remember April" (sung by Dick Foran); "Rockin' and Reelin'" (The Merry Macs) and "Ride 'Em Cowboy" (sung by chorus). While song interludes might become intrusive for those interested in catching those Abbott and Costello routines, some of them work out quite well, in fact, almost working their way as highlights. Aside from Ella Fitzgerald's aforementioned "A Tisket a Tasket," the impressive tune of "I'll Remember April," was one that usually got edited out of commercial television presentations to provide for some paid advertising during its 90 minute time slot. This haunting number introduced by Foran singing it to Gwynne during a mountain moonlight ride is quite impressive, even more so with cowboy/ cowgirl chorus crooning beautifully in the background. The Merry Macs perform their numbers in true 1940s jive style while one notable sequence, featuring three black tap dancers, is presented too briefly, leaving indication of a show stopping number ending up on the cutting room floor.

While Costello's ad-libs and outbursts might come across as forced sometimes, whatever weakness RIDE 'EM COWBOY may have are redeemed by some fine comedy routines, ranging from Abbott and Costello's abridged reworking their poker game routine introduced in BUCK PRIVATES (1941); Costello's attempt to go swimming while wearing a type of bathing suit unseen since the Mack Sennett silent comedy days; Bud and Lou's entanglement with Indians (lead by Douglass Dumbrille as Jake Rainwater); Costello avoiding marriage to Moonbeam (Jody Gilbert), an overweight Indian Girl; to that great climatic chase between Indians on horseback after Bud and Lou in their jalopy, to laugh-filled results. The amusing "The Crazy House" skit, enacted as part of a dream sequence, originally introduced by Abbott and Costello in their burlesque days, was actually used to better advantage in their 1950s television episode titled "Peace and Quiet" from THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW. Interestingly, "Crazy House," immediately following the "I'll Remember April" number, turned out to be another cut segment from most television prints during the 1960s and 70s.

RIDE 'EM COWBOY, distributed to home video and later DVD, had its share of cable TV broadcasts over the years, namely the Comedy Channel (late 1980s); American Movie Classics (2001) and Turner Classic Movies where it premiered July 25, 2010. While not essentially a western, RIDE 'EM COWBOY will sure to please any Abbott and Costello devotees whether they'd be riding horses, milking cows, or time out for others in the spotlight with song and dance. (***)

With this, their first release of 1942, Abbott and Costello continue in the same vein as their four previous starring successes; they are supposed to be the stars, but are often second fiddle to music and a romantic subplot. Not that that's bad, considering the appearance of the one and only Ella Fitzgerald -- but the formulaic way Universal was treating the team begins to wear thin with each new film.

There are still plenty of laughs, however; enough to rate this a slight improvement over their previous release, "Keep 'Em Flying." A western setting for Abbott and Costello provides enough comedy hijinks to offset the romance. Dick Foran is back, crooning his way into a girl's heart (in this case, it's Anne Gwynne), and really good music is provided by the aforementioned Miss Fitzgerald (though "Cow-Cow Boogie" mysteriously and unacceptably was cut from the final release) and the Merry Macs.

As top box office attractions, it can be understood why Universal stuck by the comedy-romance-music formula. However, it's wearing thin by even 1942 standards. "Ride 'Em Cowboy" is good, but one waits for the film where Abbott and Costello take center stage throughout the film (fortunately it happens before year's end with the release of "Who Done It"). 7 out of 10.

Well obviously not close to that brilliant offering from Stan & Ollie, but this is a nice genre attempt from Bud & Lou.

The guys here are peanut vendors at a rodeo show, after accidentally burning their boss's foot they hide away on a train heading west. They end up at the Lazy S ranch and get work despite the fact that they clearly have no idea what they are letting themselves into.

That's as much as you need to know really, there is the usual mix up of songs, love interest, and pure mania that goes with the decent films from the boys considerably large CV. A running plot strand of the guys on the run from Indian's because Lou has accidentally got engaged to a squaw, makes for some great and humorous scenes, but the stand out sequence takes place at a swimming pool, wonderfully funny part of the film. The film isn't really one to win new fans to the comedic talent of the pair because the running time could be too long for some with this brand of humour, but for those already converted, the film sits nicely up at the top with the best of their work.

A-ticket, a-tasket, a green and yellow basket! 7/10