Buck Privates (1941)

Director:

Arthur Lubin

Writers:

Arthur T. Horman (screenplay)
John Grant (special material for Abbott and Costello)

Release Date:

31 January 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Bud and Lou enlist in the army in order to escape being hauled off to jail, and soon find themselves in boot camp...

Plot Keywords:

Army | Boxing | Con Artist | Dancing | Military Maneuver

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Lee Bowman	...	Randolph Parker III
Alan Curtis	...	Bob Martin
Bud Abbott	...	Slicker Smith
Lou Costello	...	Herbie Brown
The Andrews Sisters	...	Patty, Maxene, LaVerne
Jane Frazee	...	Judy Gray
Nat Pendleton	...	Sgt. Michael Collins
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Major General Emerson
Harry Strang	...	Sgt. Callahan
Nella Walker	...	Mrs. Parker II
Leonard Elliott	...	Henry
Shemp Howard	...	Chef
M.J. Frankovich	...	Announcer (as Mike Frankovitch)
Dora Clement	...	Miss Durling - Camp Hostess (as Dora Clemant)
Jean Brooks	...	Camp Hostess (as Jeanne Kelly)

Also Known As:

Rookies (UK)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #7029)

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's drill routine ran only two-and-a-half minutes in the script, but was allowed five minutes of screen time because of their ad-libbing. In fact, much of their dialogue in the film was ad-libbed.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," during Patty Andrews' solo, she claps her hands at the end of the line, "He can't blow a note 'til the base and guitar's playing with him," but the slap sound effect misses her gesture by full beat.

Quotes:

Slicker Smith: You're 40 years-old and you're in love with this little girl that's 10 years-old. You're four times as old as that girl and you couldn't marry her, could you?
Herbie Brown: Not unless I come from the mountains.
Slicker Smith: All right- you're 40 years-old, you're four times as old as this girl, and you can't marry her, so you wait five years. By that time the little girl's 15 and you're 45. You're only three times as old as that little girl. So you wait 15 years and when the girl is 30, you're at 60. You're only twice as old as that little girl.
Herbie Brown: She's catching up.
Slicker Smith: Yes, yes. Now here's the question. How long do you have to wait until you and that little girl are the same age?
Herbie Brown: Now what kinda question is that? That's ridiculous!
Slicker Smith: Ridiculous or not, answer the question.
Herbie Brown: If I wait for that girl she'll pass me up. She'll wind up older than I am.
Slicker Smith: What are you talking about?
Herbie Brown: She'll have to wait for me!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Monster A-Go-Go (#5.21)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

When Private Brown Becomes a Captain

Excellent Wartime Comedy

I have seen only a few of the Abbott and Costello films, and find in most of them that the films themselves are but an excuse for them to do their (hilarious) routines, with some uninteresting story added in for padding. Since they made no bones about this, and it generally worked, because they did not disguise it (unlike Laurel and Hardy). With many of A&C's pictures, their scenes are always great. I find their TV show to be the purest representation of their humor. BUCK PRIVATES must surely rank not only as the best Abbott and Costello movie, but also as one of the best comedy films of all time. On top of this, it is like an 84-minute slice of American history. The romantic sub-plot in this film is very relevant to audiences of the day and is not trivial or silly (like those in the films of the Marx Bros. and Laurel and Hardy). Lou Costello is hilarious as ever here. Abbott is in full form too. The supporting cast is perfect, especially Nat Pendleton, not to mention a brilliant series of music numbers by the great Andrews Sisters. Their main number, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," is truly a historical moment, and it's a great performance to boot. It's easy to see how this was the most popular comedy of it's day. All in all, I was very impressed by this film. I hope it gets shown more often on TV so new audiences can enjoy this rousing and hilarious movie.