THE NAUGHTY NINETIES (Universal, 1945), directed by Jean Yarbrough, stars the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in their first film in period setting, the 1890s. Somewhat inspired by Edna Ferber's SHOW BOAT, that was later musicalized on Broadway and the basis of two (1929 and 1936) screen adaptations, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES doesn't provide memorable melodies as "Ole Man River" nor its passage of time elements, but mostly sight gags dominating plot and songs to better advantage for Abbott and Costello's world of comedy.
Following the original screenplay by Edmund L. Hartmann, John Grant, Edmund Joseph and Hal Fimbers, the photo-play introduces Captain Sam Jackson (Henry Travers), head of The River Queen Show Boat with entertainment suitable for family and children. Along with his daughter, Caroline (Lois Collier), who sings and acts in its stage productions, Jackson's company includes lead actor, Dexter Broadhurst (Bud Abbott), and his bumbling assistant, Sebastian Dinwiddie (Lou Costello). After the boat docks in St. Louis, Captain Jackson, having encountered Bonita Farrell (Rita Johnson), Crawford (Alan Curtis) and Bailey (Joseph Sawyer), who have recently run out of town by the sheriff (John Hamilton), a trio of card sharks, unknown to him their attempt on acquiring The River Queen and turning it into a gambling casino. While at The Gilded Cage, Captain Jackson loses his River Queen to those crooks, now acting as his new partners. Holding a $15,000 note against the show boat, it is up to Broadhurst and Sebastian to save the River Queen from further ruin. Also in the cast are Joe Kirk (The Croupier); Jack Norton (The Drunk); Sam McDaniel, Edward Gargan, Donald Kerr, among others.
New songs by Edgar Fairchild and Jack Rose include: "The Show Boat is Coming to Town," "My Blushin' Rosie" (by Edgar Smith and John Stromberg); "On a Sunday Afternoon" (sung by Lois Collier); Minstrel Show tap dance; "I Leave My Opium for You," "No Luck Malone," "I Can't Get You Out of My Mind" (sung by Lois Collier); and "Heaven" (performed during the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" segment featuring Lou Costello playing Little Eva). Though set in the 1890s, Lois Collier's rendition and orchestration to "I Can Get You Out of My Mind" definitely belongs to the modern era of 1945.
Of all the Abbott and Costello comedies, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES contains more individual comedy routines than usual. Whether these gags enacted were originated from vaudeville skits or earlier motion pictures featuring other notable comic performers, the try and true routine best associated with Abbott and Costello is their one and only "Who's on First?" performed here in its entirety. Taking place 39 minutes into the story, this seven minute enactment remains fresh and funny. Though the team performed this routine on radio and later television, they used it briefly for their debut film, ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940). The segment where Costello's Sebastian auditions by singing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and mistaking Abbott's Broadhurst behind him giving orders to his stage crew and not to him, was similarly enacted by Louise Fazenda and Teddy Hart in READY, WILLING AND ABLE (Warner Brothers, 1937) starring Ruby Keeler. The "life saver" bit was earlier done by Groucho Marx to Thelma Todd in HORSE FEATHERS (Paramount, 1932), while the mirror routine between Costello and Joseph Sawyer is lifted from Groucho and Harpo Marx's classic DUCK SOUP (Paramount, 1933). Let's not overlook the head clunking gag originated from Harold Lloyd's classic, THE KID BROTHER (Paramount, 1927), and the "cat meal" sequence borrowed from The Three Stooges. Amazing how much gag material got squeezed into this 76 minutes.
While not exactly a comedy masterpiece, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES is a delight to fans of the comedy team, particularly their "Who's on First?" Along with frequent commercial television broadcasts from the 1960s to 1980s, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES, formerly distributed on video cassette and cable television's American Movie Classics (2000-2001), is available on DVD as part of Universal's Abbott and Costello classic film collection. (**1/2)
Following the original screenplay by Edmund L. Hartmann, John Grant, Edmund Joseph and Hal Fimbers, the photo-play introduces Captain Sam Jackson (Henry Travers), head of The River Queen Show Boat with entertainment suitable for family and children. Along with his daughter, Caroline (Lois Collier), who sings and acts in its stage productions, Jackson's company includes lead actor, Dexter Broadhurst (Bud Abbott), and his bumbling assistant, Sebastian Dinwiddie (Lou Costello). After the boat docks in St. Louis, Captain Jackson, having encountered Bonita Farrell (Rita Johnson), Crawford (Alan Curtis) and Bailey (Joseph Sawyer), who have recently run out of town by the sheriff (John Hamilton), a trio of card sharks, unknown to him their attempt on acquiring The River Queen and turning it into a gambling casino. While at The Gilded Cage, Captain Jackson loses his River Queen to those crooks, now acting as his new partners. Holding a $15,000 note against the show boat, it is up to Broadhurst and Sebastian to save the River Queen from further ruin. Also in the cast are Joe Kirk (The Croupier); Jack Norton (The Drunk); Sam McDaniel, Edward Gargan, Donald Kerr, among others.
New songs by Edgar Fairchild and Jack Rose include: "The Show Boat is Coming to Town," "My Blushin' Rosie" (by Edgar Smith and John Stromberg); "On a Sunday Afternoon" (sung by Lois Collier); Minstrel Show tap dance; "I Leave My Opium for You," "No Luck Malone," "I Can't Get You Out of My Mind" (sung by Lois Collier); and "Heaven" (performed during the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" segment featuring Lou Costello playing Little Eva). Though set in the 1890s, Lois Collier's rendition and orchestration to "I Can Get You Out of My Mind" definitely belongs to the modern era of 1945.
Of all the Abbott and Costello comedies, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES contains more individual comedy routines than usual. Whether these gags enacted were originated from vaudeville skits or earlier motion pictures featuring other notable comic performers, the try and true routine best associated with Abbott and Costello is their one and only "Who's on First?" performed here in its entirety. Taking place 39 minutes into the story, this seven minute enactment remains fresh and funny. Though the team performed this routine on radio and later television, they used it briefly for their debut film, ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940). The segment where Costello's Sebastian auditions by singing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and mistaking Abbott's Broadhurst behind him giving orders to his stage crew and not to him, was similarly enacted by Louise Fazenda and Teddy Hart in READY, WILLING AND ABLE (Warner Brothers, 1937) starring Ruby Keeler. The "life saver" bit was earlier done by Groucho Marx to Thelma Todd in HORSE FEATHERS (Paramount, 1932), while the mirror routine between Costello and Joseph Sawyer is lifted from Groucho and Harpo Marx's classic DUCK SOUP (Paramount, 1933). Let's not overlook the head clunking gag originated from Harold Lloyd's classic, THE KID BROTHER (Paramount, 1927), and the "cat meal" sequence borrowed from The Three Stooges. Amazing how much gag material got squeezed into this 76 minutes.
While not exactly a comedy masterpiece, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES is a delight to fans of the comedy team, particularly their "Who's on First?" Along with frequent commercial television broadcasts from the 1960s to 1980s, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES, formerly distributed on video cassette and cable television's American Movie Classics (2000-2001), is available on DVD as part of Universal's Abbott and Costello classic film collection. (**1/2)