As often for Abbott and Costello(A&C) films, the plot is completely daffy. The boys, as mistaken professional messengers, manage to lose $50,000 which they were entrusted with by a Mr. Stewart to deliver to a Mr. Craig. Stewart's plan was the have 2 goons steal the cash from the boys as soon as they got out the office door. Costello put the money in an envelope he got from a nearby cosmetics store mailing out samples of face powder. Unfortunately, in his haste, he somehow got the envelope containing the money mixed up with one containing face powder sample. To escape the clutches of Stewart's goons. instead of taking the money to Craig, Lou wrote Craig's address on the envelope supposedly containing the money, and stuffed it in a mail box just in time. Upon discovering Lou's error, they were at a loss how to find the location of the money. By shear luck, they encountered the lady(Carol)who had received the money. Instead of returning it to the cosmetics store, she had immediately gone on a shopping spree, and had only $2000. left! Thus, the boys weren't much better off than they had been. They got the idea to bet the remaining money on a horse race, betting on a horse recommended by a Julius Cesar, who claimed he had never lost a horse racing bet. Unfortunately, Cesar then changed his mind without the boys knowing, and their horse lost the race. Craig and goons now put more pressure on the boys. They took them to a place where they could make cement, which they were going to encase the boys' legs in, perhaps in preparation for drowning them? Meanwhile, Carol and Cesar were gambling high stakes on something relating to a fish aquarium. Cesar said Carol had won $50,000. from him, and produced the $50,000,he being a wealthy man. Carol was willing to donate her earnings towards solving the boys' problem. They then went to the place Craig's goons had taken the boys, and showed the money. It turned out that Cesar was actually Mr. McBride, to whom Craig owed the $50,000. Thus, Craig simply returned the money to McBride, and the problem was solved.
Some of the humor worked for me, and some, especially verbal humor started by Abbott, didn't strike me as being funny, more like inane. The beginning, with Costello trying out a DIY method of extracting his inflamed tooth, then being dragged by Costello to a lunatic dentist, is funny physical humor, that could have been done in a silent film. As window washers, seems like Lou is always getting his foot stuck in a bucket. Later, when the goons are bearing down on them, Abbott suggests that they do something to get arrested, so they will be safe in jail. But, their attempts are always foiled by some unlikely savior.
This film was produced by their Abbott and Costello Production company, rather than by Universal, which produced most of their films.
Some of the humor worked for me, and some, especially verbal humor started by Abbott, didn't strike me as being funny, more like inane. The beginning, with Costello trying out a DIY method of extracting his inflamed tooth, then being dragged by Costello to a lunatic dentist, is funny physical humor, that could have been done in a silent film. As window washers, seems like Lou is always getting his foot stuck in a bucket. Later, when the goons are bearing down on them, Abbott suggests that they do something to get arrested, so they will be safe in jail. But, their attempts are always foiled by some unlikely savior.
This film was produced by their Abbott and Costello Production company, rather than by Universal, which produced most of their films.