Deux nigauds dans une île

PARDON MY SARONG (Universal, 1942), directed by Erle C. Kenton, with original screenplay by True Boardman, stars that wacky comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in one of their wildest romps. For their eighth released comedy, they assume the outrageous names of Algernon "Algy" Shaw (Abbott) and Wellington Phlug (Costello), and roles of a couple of bus drivers taking their Michigan Avenue crosstown bus full of passengers for a long distance ride to California while assisting millionaire playboy, Tommy Layton (Robert Paige) to his forthcoming yacht race on time. The president of the Chicago Municipal Bus Company (Charles Lane) hires Detective Kendall (William Demarest) to track down the bus (Number 5111) and its drivers, and through a warrant, have them placed under arrest. As they drive their bus back to Chicago with Kendall by their side, Algy and Wellington somehow end up on Tommy's yacht where they acquire new jobs as his able bodied seamen. Also on board is stowaway Joan (Virginia Bruce), sister of a rival yachtsman, Roger Marshall (William Cabanne), who purposely forces Tommy's yacht to lose its course, drifting around the ocean with limited food supply before turning up on a South Seas island inhabited with native girls, tribesmen, a native chief (Samuel S. Hinds) and the mysterious archaeologist, Doctor Varnoff (Lionel Atwill - taking time away from horror film roles as 1942's THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET, which, too, took place on an unchartered island) with a hidden short wave radio in his cottage. Things get really hectic (and funnier) after this.

Somewhat inspired by the current trend of Paramount's three "Road to" adventure comedies starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, PARDON MY SARONG's only similarities are its wild antics and constant ad-libs between the two central characters. While Abbott is a far cry as the crooning Bing Crosby-type, they each share their conniving ways of bossing around their unsuspecting lifelong pals. As for Costello, he can be just as funny, when situations allow, than the wisecracking Hope, though both can tend to over emphasize themselves as laugh getters. Unlike Bob and Bing, Bud and Lou don't have any serious-minded straight woman in the tradition of "queen of the sarongs" Dorothy Lamour to fight over, but there's Virginia Bruce as the feuding love interest opposite young yachtsman (Robert Paige). The casting of William Demarest and Lionel Atwill separately matching wits with Abbott and Costello certainly add certain interest to the story, such as it is. Other members of the cast include that of Nan Wynn (Luana); Marie McDonald (Ferna); and Jack LaRue (Tabor).

The screen treatment for PARDON MY SARONG is as contrived as its title, but it does allow for some exceptionally hilarious individual scenes during its madcap course of 83 minutes. Though Abbott and Costello routines tend to repeat themselves from time to time, thus going one better with each passing film, there's some material here that's not only first time enactments, but those never repeated again. Those in general are: "The Baseball Story," which has nothing to do with their legendary "Who's on First" routine, but an original concept where Wellington tells one to con a gas station attendant (Irving Bacon) from paying $12.50 for gassing up his bus; Algy and Wellington disguising themselves as magicians to perform failed magic acts on the detective (Demarest); and the dual's definition for the word "stinker" to the tough native, Whaba (hilariously played by Leif Erickson). Much familiar routines as "Back up, go ahead," the switching duped drinks, and "the tree of truth" are also played out to great advantage for guaranteed laugh assurance. And what Abbott and Costello movie isn't complete without a show-stopping chase. Aside from Costello (in zebra striped shirt) being very much rare form here, the climatic surreal chase involving him and his seal friend, Sharky, is truly one of the great highlights.

In traditional 1940s style, song numbers are incorporated into most comedies such as this. With those composed by Don Raye, Gene DePaul, Milton Drake, Ben Oakland, Stanley Cowan and Bobby North, the musical soundtrack includes "Do I Worry?" (sung by The Four Ink Spots); "Shout, Brother, Shout" (Ink Spots, tap dance by Tip, Tap and Toe); "Lovely Luana," "Oh Great One" "Vingle-Jingle" (sung by Nan Wynn) and "Vingle Jungle" (sung during closing credits). While some sources list the Ink Spots signature number of "If I Didn't Care" as part of the movie, it's not visible in the final print.

As with all Abbott and Costello comedies produced from 1940 to 1956, PARDON MY SARONG was distributed to home video, and later onto the DVD format. Prior to that, it enjoyed frequent revivals on broadcast television, especially on New York City's WPIX, Channel 11, during its Sunday morning/afternoon lineup (1972-1990). Cable TV presentations include The Comedy Channel (1990s); and American Movie Classics (2001). With PARDON MY SARONG having an offbeat moment as Costello's suicide attempt, the movie overall is certainly impossible not to dislike. (***)

Hit comedy from Universal Pictures and director Erle C. Kenton. Chicago bus drivers Algy (Bud Abbott) and Wellington (Lou Costello) end up on a yacht with Tommy Layton (Robert Paige) and Joan Marshall (Virginia Bruce) that's participating in a trans-Pacific race. They go off course and end up on a mysterious tropical island with a tribe of natives who fear a haunted cave. Also featuring Lionel Atwill, Leif Erickson, Samuel S. Hinds, Nan Wynn, Marie McDonald, Janet Warren, Eddie Acuff, Sig Arno, Charles Lane, and William Demarest.

One knows what to expect from an Abbott & Costello movie, and this one delivers more of the same. After their run of successful military service comedies, this started a new run of parodies of different genre conventions, and this was meant to emulate the hit Road movies with Hope & Crosby over at Paramount. It was a good call by the producers, as this ended up being one of the biggest hits of 1942. It's silly, with occasional chuckles here and there, but mainly Costello yelling a lot and doing slapstick. There are a few musical numbers, and a lot of "island" girls in skimpy outfits.

I've seen Pardon My Sarong over 10 times now and have to consider it one of Bud & Lou's best films, up there with Ride 'em cowboy, Meets Frankenstein, Hold that ghost etc. PMS is more distinctly episodic than most of their others and would present a Plot Coherency Issue with impatient first-comers, but if got through a sparkling atmospheric musical comedy lies within. The early '40's Universal Harmless Escapist Entertainment atmosphere helps a lot though, this must have been made straight after Hellzapoppin - wasn't that front porch outside the maggickan's cabaret show where Hugh Herbert's Eat At Joe's dickie blew up?

The boys are illicitly taking Robert Paige's entertainment troupe from Chicago to LA in a bus - all those women in tow and he falls for one who is out to nobble him. Tip, Tap & Toe provide some amazing dance scenes (not quite a rhythmic brainstorm though), alongside the lilting Ink Spots. Detective William Demarest briefly tries to stop them but gives up the chase when they and the plot veer toward a South Seas island. Here "Lovely Luana" & "Vingo Jingo" are put over by a gorgeous Nan Wynn, while Leif Erickson plays a stinker and Lionel Atwill as usual plays a baddie because he was one.

There's plenty of nicely contrived snappy routines for us aficionados: The old baseball story; Hiding from Demarest; "Back up! Go ahead!"; Sharing a pea for dinner etc. Not a lot for non-fans however - I think a better introduction to A&C for anyone interested would be Meets Frankenstein or maybe Time of their lives. And this one is definitely best watched sober!

Having returned to Universal following MGM's somewhat disappointing "Rio Rita," Abbott and Costello get back on track with "Pardon My Sarong," sort of their version of the Hope-Crosby "Road" pictures.

A&C play Chicago bus drivers, who through a series of funny machinations, end up on a tropic isle with evil Lionel Atwill. There are many funny moments both at sea and on the island.

If there are people who don't like Abbott and Costello, it is probably because they don't like Abbott's often callous treatment of Costello. While this is part of their characterizations, and is often funny, the screenwriters went admittedly overboard in "Sarong." While Virginia Bruce does stand up to Abbott on Costello's behalf several times, one tasteless gag includes Abbott matter-of-factly giving Costello a gun to shoot himself! Such gags have limited the duo's appeal over time, but if looked upon broadly, "Sarong" is a funny film and shows A&C at their peak, which ran roughly from 1941 to 1945. 7 out of 10.

People who weren't around in 1942 - as I was - will not appreciate that, although we all loved Bud and Lou, in this fast moving wacky comedy, Forties cinema-goers worldwide wanted bags of *jazzy* Swing Music to help it along...hence the glut of songs and production numbers.

For today's latter-day critics who would seem to be complaining about *too many musical numbers* in this talkie, I would ask you to understand that - at this time - nearly every studio was working overtime to make just such musical films, and indeed it was as if the public's appetite for these lovely melodious lyrics, and catchy rhythmic tunes, could never be satisfied.

So, watch it again, and don't worry about the music: that's what made the world go round in those happier, less smart-assed, less cool and less funky days...days, when *pop* music was there to entertain and unite everyone in the entire family, as opposed to using it as a device to exclude all but one isolated age group, to the detriment of the rest, as would seem to appertain today.