Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man

Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man

Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Nancy Guild, Arthur Franz

Directed by Charles Lamont

The comedic duo of Abbott and Costello appear again in yet another celebration of the Universal Monsters. This time, the action centers around a murder mystery, with a dash of sci fi thrown in for good measure. And although aspects of the plot are new, this film could almost be seen as a remake of “The Invisible Man Returns”. Though Claude Rains original interpretation of the character could be incredibly creepy at times, in this instance it’s played more for fun, even though this version of the Invisible Man still shares some of the original’s megalomaniacal qualities. And although the same delusions of power are present in the character, when balanced with the antics of Abbot and Costello, it becomes rather harmless. We do take the character’s intentions quite seriously but we also realize that there’s no way that they could come to any fruition, especially when bogged down by Costello’s actions. The effects utilized in making the Invisible Man come to life are pretty amazing, even by today’s standards. One re-materialization sequence is especially effective in where we see the circulatory system appear, followed by a muscular structure, and then finally, a complete and whole face. In fact, this one sequence was so good for its day that I briefly considered making it the “Money Shot”. It is one small gruesome bit that feels out of place with the rest of the film. However, all in all, this movie remains a fun experience, from a setup boxing match to drunken revelry in a nightclub. I must admit that the previous effort, “Abbot and Costello Meets Frankenstein” felt a bit more fresh and original. Nonetheless, this one is still worth a watch. There are laughs to be found here.

The plot follows Abbott and Costello as they graduate from a school for Private Detectives. Their first case is one for which they are ill prepared, a boxer named Tommy Nelson who has been framed for murder. To escape the police, Nelson injects himself with a scientist’s serum, which allows him to become invisible. You can guess where this goes as Abbott, Costello, and Nelson attempt to avoid the police and clear Nelsons name. Some particularly funny sequences involve a police psychiatrist, disappearing drinks, and punches from thin air. Let’s just say that keeping a drunk man, who just happens to be invisible, out of trouble has never seemed so difficult and humorous. Yup, it comes with my recommendation.

The Money Shot: Antics with floating celery, including the statement, “I used to juggle”. It’s a very short part of a much larger sequence. But it does set the tone for the rest of the scene to follow.