“Hold That Ghost” (1941) starring Abbott & Costello / Z-View

Hold That Ghost (1941)

Director:  Arthur Lubin

Screenplay:  Robert Lees, Fred Rinaldo, John Grant

Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Richard Carlson, Joan Davis, Evelyn Ankers, Mischa Auer, Marc Lawrence, Russell Hicks, The Andrews Sisters and Shemp Howard.

Tagline:  A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO! Your blues won’t stand a ghost of a chance…as they top “Buck Privates” and “In the Navy.”!

The Plot…

Chuck (Abbott) and Ferdinand (Costello) dream of someday owning their own nightclub.  Recently they were fired from their jobs as waiters in a high class hot spot.  Now the boys are gas station attendants.

While servicing a car, the police recognize the auto’s owner, gangster Moose Mattson.  Moose takes off with Chuck and Ferdinand in the car.  A high speed shootout takes place.  Moose is mortally wounded.

Chuck and Ferdinand are surprised to learn that Moose’s will leaves them all of Moose’s possessions.  The will specified that whoever was with Moose when he dies gets everything.   Chuck and Ferdinand are now the owners of the Forrester’s Club, a big old spooky rundown tavern.  The place was a hotspot during prohibition.  It is full of secret rooms and hidden passages.

Chuck, Ferdinand and three others find themselves alone at the creepy joint on a dark, stormy night.  Things take a turn for the worse when some of Moose’s gangster friends show up looking for Moose’s hidden loot.  These mugs are more than willing to kill to get what they want.

Let the fun times roll!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Hold That Ghost went into production with the working title Oh, Charlie.   Filming was well underway before the release of Abbott and Costello’s Buck Privates.  When Buck Privates became a huge hit, the pressure was on.  The studio decided to rush into production another service comedy, In The Navy featuring Abbott and Costello.  When that film was a hit, the studio decided to rework Oh, Charlie into Hold That Ghost.  A new opening and closing featuring The Andrews Sisters was added since they appeared in both Buck Privates and In The Navy.  Additional scenes were created and some were reshot.  The changes paid off since Hold That Ghost was a hit.

Hold That Ghost (1941) rates 4 of 5 stars.