As for horror movie fare, it’s not really there. Or if you need that little something to complete your mummy collection. I would only recommend it if you are an Abbott and Costello fan. Being fond of mummies I was disappointed. Some of the music for the movie was done by Irving Gertz, Henry Mancini and Hans J. Of course the little dance routine is more bollyesque.Īlthough the characters names in the credits are Freddie Franklin and Peter Patterson they refer to each other as Lou and Bud in the movie. More of a bunch of burlesque routines than a movie. There are a lot of sight gags and pratfalls. Unfortunately Abbott and Costello don’t actually meet the mummy until the end of the film. Hyde” as well as playing Lon Chaney’s double in Universal’s mummy films. Released in 1955 and directed by Charles Lamont, Abbott and Costello’s “Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy” is the fourth and last of what is considered Bud and Lou’s monster movies. Semu is after them Rontru is after them and soon the mummy will be after them. Bud and Lou find out that the medallion is cursed. She tells them to meet her at the Cairo Café. Looking for traveling money they want to sell it. The medallion, however, has been left behind and Bud and Lou find it. Before they get there two of Semu’s men kill Dr. Zoomer’s house to apply for the job to accompany the mummy back to America. He wants to resurrect the mummy.īud and Lou go to Dr. The followers of Klaris led by Semu (Richard Deacon) overhear the conversation along with Madame Rontru (Marie Windsor). The mummy is supposed to have a sacred medallion that shows where the treasure of Princess Ara can be found. They smell an opportunity to return to the states. He needs someone to take it back to the states.
Gustav Zoomer discussing the mummy Klaris, guardian to the tomb of Princess Ara. The plot is pretty much garbage and unenthralling and the mummy is completely impotent but the performances of Abbott and Costello and Marie Windsor help move the show.How stupid can your get? How stupid do you want me to be?īud and Lou are stuck in Egypt. Abbott was so sharp in his younger days that he looks bad in comparison here but his worst is still better then most people’s best. Abbott is sharper then he has been in years. He gives a very light and a very funny performance. Costello acts like a man ready to jump off ship and he seems to be lightening his load for his journey. Whatever dysfunction they had in their later years, they do their best here to slug it out. As if sensing that this is their last big blowout together, Costello is very natural with his criticisms of Abbott and Abbott seems almost too real with his abuse of Costello. Abbott gets into mummy’s “wraps” for pretty much no reason other then to have three mummy’s running around at one point. The mummy is a major disappointment as the “bandages” look like a pajama outfit with a bandage pattern. The plot point of Costello eating the amulet (in pieces) and then it appearing intact in his stomach is meaningless here as the whole movie is not for purists. The routine that Costello does with the lady is hilarious and high spirted and the bit with the amulet is well timed. The cult of Klaris is a major bore, ranging from the incredibly non-Egyptian “Egyptian” Richard Deacon to the cult, itself, that features a man who is clearly either Tibetan or Chinese. The opening slapstick gets the movie off on a good foot and the stage act (three women and one man) that performs is INCREDIBLE. The good, clean comedy is a nice breath of fresh air. Even though their chemistry is long since gone, they are still brilliant comedians and they fake their way through the movie with a plethora of stand up bits. It’s more on a final, undisciplined romp for Abbott and Costello. Marjorie Windsor is a terrifically determined villainess and she helps to give the movie some drama and dark charisma but the movie is too unstructured otherwise. Abbott and Costello meet the Mummy is less of a movie then an episode of the Abbott and Costello show.