Buck Privates

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).

BUCK PRIVATES (1941) **** Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in their first starring film (their debut in "One Night in the Tropics" were supporting comic foils) catapulted them into the stratosphere of movie stardom as the premiere comedy team of the 1940s and this film was the lifesaver for their home studio Universal which was precariously close to bankruptcy until the release of this comic masterpiece with the boys in over their heads as unknowing volunteers in the US Army. Uproariously funny particularly their drill instruction scenes with Bud and Lou improvising ("What time is it?" "None of your business!") Look for frequent co-stars the musical singing siblings The Andrews Sisters (who sing the smash "The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy") and also look for Shemp Howard, of The Three Stooges, in the mess sequence with Lou.

This movie contains the famous bantering and mind games that Bud Abbott always pulled on Lou Costello...this adds to the entertainment value and it is great to watch a movie that is just plain entertaining! This movie also contains the Andrews Sisters, who are so great! I love singing in a movie and the use of it is very well done. This movie also gives you a pretty accurate account of "going into the service" for that time era.The military point of view of "Buck Privates" shows the innocence of so many of our young men and women that enter the service of Uncle Sam.It is very interesting to see how things have changed in the last 60 years,as well,not only in T.V and movies, but in the service, too. Abbott and Costello bring humanity to the stiffness of military regimen in "Buck Privates". The cast that was chosen shows a great chemistry with the comedians. A "must- see" for movie buffs that appreciate the old black & white movies.

I have seen only a few of the Abbott and Costello films, and find in most of them that the films themselves are but an excuse for them to do their (hilarious) routines, with some uninteresting story added in for padding. Since they made no bones about this, and it generally worked, because they did not disguise it (unlike Laurel and Hardy). With many of A&C's pictures, their scenes are always great. I find their TV show to be the purest representation of their humor. BUCK PRIVATES must surely rank not only as the best Abbott and Costello movie, but also as one of the best comedy films of all time. On top of this, it is like an 84-minute slice of American history. The romantic sub-plot in this film is very relevant to audiences of the day and is not trivial or silly (like those in the films of the Marx Bros. and Laurel and Hardy). Lou Costello is hilarious as ever here. Abbott is in full form too. The supporting cast is perfect, especially Nat Pendleton, not to mention a brilliant series of music numbers by the great Andrews Sisters. Their main number, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," is truly a historical moment, and it's a great performance to boot. It's easy to see how this was the most popular comedy of it's day. All in all, I was very impressed by this film. I hope it gets shown more often on TV so new audiences can enjoy this rousing and hilarious movie.

This is one of my favourite outings from Bud & Lou, the start of their phenomenally successful career in the service comedies and one of a series of smile-jerkers from them and Universal. This was also the one that made it for them in the movies and turned them into America's no. 1 box office stars during the War.

They're a couple of street tie-selling con artists who unwittingly join the Army (along with playboy Lee Bowman) in trying to escape the clutches of the Law in the shape of cherubic Nat Pendleton. It's not so easy to escape ones duty however, and so follows a series of unconnected inconsequential adventures learning to be soldiers or lovers all with that special lighthearted wartime Universal treatment. A&C went through their routines with impeccable timing and a professionalism that belied all the slapstick. Favourite bits: playing unintelligible (to me) clubhouse dice; Abbott inoculated and Costello's reaction; the mathematics of borrowing USD 50; the historic performance of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters and then the sudden end to the boogie-woogie boxing match; the unusual deadpan arrangement to Jane Frazee's I Wish You Were Here. The Voice Of Hellzapoppin returns! No kidding but what chance did the Japanese and Germans really have - sorry for identifying who the enemies were in these socially inclusive times, because they weren't in the film - to pit themselves against all this? The American War Machine was awakening, with the might of Hollywood behind it and A&C playing their part with their entertaining flagwavers the same as George Formby did on a smaller scale for the British War effort.

The box office success - and critical praise too - of this took Universal by surprise and they didn't make nearly as much money as they could have, a mistake they never made again with A&C. Recommended, an antidote to now and to me always a joy to behold and hear.