In the Navy

IN THE NAVY (Universal, 1941), directed by Arthur Lubin, starring the popular comedy team of Abbott and Costello, is a worthy follow-up to their initial success as BUCK PRIVATES (1941), so worthy that its opening credits starts off with a tease as Bud and Lou in sailor suits are seen hoisting the flag on top of the pole reading "Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in BUCK PRIVATES." As the flag waves through the air, Bud looks up and slaps his little partner across the face. Realizing this error, they rope down the flag and replace it with, "Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and Dick Powell IN THE NAVY." An amusing start to Bud and Lou's second peacetime military farce with the "in" joke comprehended by those who have seen BUCK PRIVATES, as well as those familiar with their antics. And now, all hands on deck.

The plot centers upon Russ Raymond (Dick Powell), a popular radio crooner idolized by twenty million sweethearts of swooning dames.(Frank Sinatra would get the same kind of luck a few years later). After the completion of his latest broadcast during the Fliffso Soap Hour, he disappears without a trace until it is discovered that he enlisted in the San Diego Navy Base under his real name of Tommy Halstead. Dorothy Roberts (Claire Dodd), a gal reporter/ photographer for Facts Magazine, also a fan, accepts her new assignment in tracking him down and getting herself the scoop of the year, even to a point as following the fleet, sneaking on board the Alabama ship bound for Honolulu hiding in a crate and sporting sailor attire, thanks to the help of Tommy's shipmates forever "Smokey" Adams (Abbott), an electrician, and Pomeroy Watson (Costello), a baker, both unaware of the ex-crooner's celebrity profile. Problems arise when Dorothy is discovered, putting Tommy in a position as to either "give up the ship" or to "take orders from her."

On the musical program, songs by Don Ray and Gene DePaul feature: "Star Light, Star Bright" (sung by Dick Powell); "You're Off to Sea to See the World," "Give Me Some Skin, My Friend" (sung by The Andrews Sisters); "A Sailor's Life for Me" Tap dance number (performed by The Condos Brothers); "We're in the Navy," "Hula-Ba-Luau," (Andrews Sisters); "Star Light, Star Bright" (reprise by Powell, Andrews Sisters); and "We're in the Navy" (finale, cast).

IN THE NAVY demonstrates itself as another good outing for Bud and Lou. It brings back the Andrews Sisters and Shemp Howard who have made such an impact with them in BUCK PRIVATES. This time, the Andrews Sisters participate in the story instead of just appearing as singing specialties. They continue to play themselves, having Patty acting as Lou's girlfriend, whom he tries to impress by first paying a tough floor manager to a take a punch from him. Lou misses, and manager gives him back his "change" and secondly by Lou's impersonation as sea captain in Horatio Hornblower attire, with Smokey's assistance. Dick Powell, a popular leading actor of Warner Brothers musicals from the 1930s, is no stranger to military life on screen. He earlier starred as a Navy man in SHIPMATES FOREVER (1935) opposite Ruby Keeler, with Dick Foran, featured here as Chief Petty Officer "Dynamite" Dugan, also in the cast. Both make fine straight men to the Abbott and Costello antics consisting of now classic gags as Abbott's lemon bit, Bud and Lou's money exchange, Costello's struggling attempt to get himself on a hammock, his method of mathematics in proving that 7x13=28, among others too numerous to mention. Although the conclusion is a bit weak (one sequence changed to meet with the approval of the U.S. Navy Department prior to release), it does end with a bang, thanks to boy actors Buddy and Butch (Billy Lenhart and Kenneth Brown) as the captain's mischievous nephews. With these kids around, "Abandon ship!"

For its time frame of 86 minutes, this hardly qualifies IN THE NAVY as "B" movie material, regardless of its label from various sources ranking all Abbott & Costello comedies as profitable programmers. Reportedly a much bigger success than BUCK PRIVATES, IN THE NAVY, is still fun to watch, regardless of some overlong sequences earlier in the story, particularly those involving Dodd's stalking Powell while in seclusion in his hotel room, ending with him spanking her across his knee while her camera is set taking multiple snap shots. Much of these opening scenes along with some Abbott and Costello material and song numbers have been severely trimmed for commercial television during the 1960s-80s whenever aired on its usual 90 minute time slot, notably on New York City's own WPIX, Channel 11, the station that played practically every Abbott and Costello movie each Sunday (sometimes Saturday) mornings/ afternoons (1971/72 to 1990), becoming a weekly tradition for nearly 20 years.

IN THE NAVY, formerly distributed on video cassette and currently on DVD, has played on cable channels as the Comedy Channel (late 1980s), American Movie Classics (2001) and Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: September 18, 2015). In closing, IN THE NAVY may appear to be knots behind BUCK PRIVATES, but thanks to Abbott and Costello and Dick Powell in the Navy, they sure keep this one afloat. (*** Bells)

The duo's second service comedy of 1941 is also one of their best films. The humor abounds, especially in the sequence where Costello tries to impress the Andrews Sisters by captaining the ship. The comic highlights of the film are the "Lemon Bit" (watch as the boys try to keep a straight face) and Costello's efforts to get into a hammock.

The romantic subplot isn't bad, either, as the always excellent Dick Powell croons his way into Claire Dodd's heart. One may find themself wrapped up in this plotline, unlike most romantic subplots in A&C's films.

Funny material, the Andrews Sisters, a decent plot and an appearance by the one and only Shemp Howard make "In The Navy" an A&C treat. 8 out of 10.

Having just left Laurel & Hardy attempting to sail a boat in Towed in a Hole, I just now rewatched Abbott & Costello as sailors in In the Navy. Also on board is former Warner Bros. Musical star Dick Powell as a popular radio crooner who's anxious to ditch his female fans and Claire Dodd as a newspaper photographer trying to take his picture. Returning with Bud & Lou in this, their third starring film but their second released after Buck Privates (which is mistakenly IDed in the beginning flag-pulling sequence), are Shemp Howard as their foil and The Andrews Sisters who this time, besides doing their singing numbers, also have dialogue with most of the above cast with lead singer Patty, especially, reciting lines, usually with Costello since he's smitten with her in this one. Plenty of funny routines abound and the songs are pretty entertaining. The climax involving Lou and Patty and her siblings possibly involved in a disastrous ship maneuver is not as hilarious as one wants it to be but it's amusing in its own right. Watching this again after 40 years, I looked for eventual set court jester Bobby Barber after looking at the cast list on this site but I didn't recognize him. Consulting the book "Abbott & Costello in Hollywood", I was pleased to see Lou's then two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Carole in the brief baby carriage scene in which she takes her father's message as well as Bud's stunt double Joe LaCava in the "Lemon Bit" routine. I've been highly enjoying revisiting these A & C flicks for review on this site especially in comparison to many Laurel & Hardy films with similar subjects or routines I comment on. So that's a recommendation of In the Navy. Next, I'll review L & H's Them Thar Hills.

Thus continued a standard (and at the time of its release, winning) formula for Abbott & Costello's earliest films which you need to take with a grain or two of salt in order to appreciate them. With IN THE NAVY, Universal wanted to capitalize on the monstrous success of the earlier BUCK PRIVATES, so now we've got another "service comedy" from the team, with some tried and true funny segments that work, scattered along with the now customary dashes of song, dance, and sub-plotting.

In the area of humorous routines, Bud and Lou are a hit with the "Lemon Shell Game," the "Sons of Neptune" initiation prank, Lou trying to get some sleep in a cockeyed hammock, and then Costello later trying to prove to Abbott that "7x13 = 28". We've even got Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges on hand to help out with some of these gags. This is all fine and dandy.

But then again, every once in awhile it's obligatory that the three Andrews Sisters have to pop in with another song and dance number. While I actually didn't mind the ladies in BUCK PRIVATES, I didn't care for any of their songs in this film. Even worse, some time is wasted on a silly romance between lead singer Patty Andrews and chubby little Lou. This doesn't go anywhere and is more of a liability than a help.

Dick Powell gets big billing along with Abbott and Costello, and a good portion of the story deals with his being a successful singer, idolized by hordes of adoring women, who'd like nothing more than to sneak into the navy just to get away from all the fanfare. Unluckily for him, there's a female photographer who's hot on his trail and is determined to spring up with her ever-intrusive camera to snap all the pictures she can of him. This also becomes rather tiring. Yet thankfully, A&C are constantly in their hilarious prime to keep bringing us back to the laughs, which is always the chief reason we keep wanting to watch. **1/2 out of ****

Lou: "I'll fight these men in a field of honor"

Bud: "But they have no honor"

Lou: "That's okay, I ain't got no field!"

One of the earliest Abbott & Costello films, "In the Navy" has a better balance of humor and music than, say, the Marx Brothers outings of the same period. The songs, although dated, are still quite catchy, and there is also a spectacular tap-dancing number by the Condos Brothers (OK, the Hawaiian song is perfectly awful, but at least nobody plays a harp for 10 minutes here). The comedy is visual, verbal, and at times even surreal (Costello draws a line with a piece of chalk on a blackboard - and then hangs his cap on it!). This film is not great cinematic art, but it does offer some great laughs. (**1/2)