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 | Marching Band | Famous Song | Hostess | Romantic Rivalry

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	...	Andrews Sisters
Jane Frazee	...	Judy Gray
Nat Pendleton	...	Sgt. Michael Collins
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Maj. Gen. 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)
Janet Warren	...	Camp Hostess (as Elaine Morey)
Kay Leslie	...	Camp Hostess
Nina Orla	...	Camp Hostess
Dorothy Darrell	...	Camp Hostess
The World Champion Boogie Woogie Dancers	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Laverne Andrews	...	Laverne Andrews
Maxene Andrews	...	Maxene Andrews
Patty Andrews	...	Patty
Robert Wayne	...	Lieutenant
Al Billings	...	Tough Fighter - Maguire's Replacement (uncredited)
Stanley Blystone	...	Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
John Butler	...	Supply Sergeant (uncredited)
John L. Cason	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Charles Coleman	...	Edmunds - Parkers' Butler (uncredited)
Tom Coleman	...	Army Officer (uncredited)
Dean Collins	...	Himself / Dancer (uncredited)
Frank Cook	...	Harmonica and Guitar Player (uncredited)
Pat Costello	...	Recruit Who Slugs Herbie (uncredited)
Frankie Dolan	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Kenne Duncan	...	Sergeant on Sidewalk with Sgt. Collins (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Officer (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Recruiting Sergeant (uncredited)
Lloyd Ford	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Sergeant Leading Recruits Through Train Station (uncredited)
William Gould	...	Recruiting Major (uncredited)
Frank Grandetta	...	Pvt. Maguire - Small Boxer (uncredited)
Eddie Hall	...	Man in Crap Game on Train (uncredited)
William Hall	...	Corporal (uncredited)
Buddy Harris	...	Black Porter on Train (uncredited)
Jerome Harte	...	Corporal (uncredited)
J. Anthony Hughes	...	Capt. Williams (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Capt. Johnson (uncredited)
Charles King Jr.	...	Cadet (uncredited)
Jimmie Lucas	...	Corporal (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Patrol Car Driver (uncredited)
Lyle Moraine	...	Lt. Poole (uncredited)
Will Morgan	...	Lieutenant (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Medical Examiner (uncredited)
Nell O'Day	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Frank Penny	...	Sgt. Marks (uncredited)
Jack Perrin	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Hugh Prince	...	Henry (uncredited)
Don Raye	...	Dick Burnette (uncredited)
Tom Reed	...	Lieutenant (uncredited)
Bob Reeves	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Franklin D. Roosevelt	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Stanley Smith	...	Corporal (uncredited)
Henry L. Stimson	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Tom Tyler	...	Ring Announcer at Boxing Match (uncredited)
Frankie Van	...	Second at Boxing Match (uncredited)
Douglas Wood	...	Randolph Parker II (uncredited)
Carleton Young	...	Supply Sergeant (uncredited)

Directed by
Arthur Lubin

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

Produced by
Alex Gottlieb	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Jerome Ash		(as Jerry Ash)
Milton R. Krasner		(as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Philip Cahn

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gil Valle	....	assistant director
Vernon Keays	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Joseph E. Kenney	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ralph M. DeLacy	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound supervisor
Paul Neal	....	sound technician

Stunts
Pat Costello	....	stunt double: Lou Costello (uncredited)

Music Department
Ted Cain	....	music supervisor
Charles Previn	....	musical director
Vic Schoen	....	vocal arranger
Frank Skinner	....	composer: title music (uncredited)

Other crew
Nick Castle	....	dance director
Jack Voglin	....	military advisor (as Capt. Jack Voglin)
Jaik Rosenstein	....	unit publicity writer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Films Argentina (1941) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray book) (Universal 100th Anniversary) (Collector's Series)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film set)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Providencia Ranch, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Grossing over $4 million, this film gained more money than any film Universal Pictures had produced to that point.

Goofs:

Continuity: Accustomed to performing for live audiences, Abbott & Costello "never did anything the same way twice," as editor Phil Cahn complained. "No two takes were exactly the same," said director Arthur Lubin. Continuity errors were almost inevitable.

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:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

Soundtrack:

Reveille

Universal Soldiers

This is one of my favourite outings from Bud & Lou, the start of their phenomenally successful career in the service comedies and one of a series of smile-jerkers from them and Universal. This was also the one that made it for them in the movies and turned them into America's no. 1 box office stars during the War.

They're a couple of street tie-selling con artists who unwittingly join the Army (along with playboy Lee Bowman) in trying to escape the clutches of the Law in the shape of cherubic Nat Pendleton. It's not so easy to escape ones duty however, and so follows a series of unconnected inconsequential adventures learning to be soldiers or lovers all with that special lighthearted wartime Universal treatment. A&C went through their routines with impeccable timing and a professionalism that belied all the slapstick. Favourite bits: playing unintelligible (to me) clubhouse dice; Abbott inoculated and Costello's reaction; the mathematics of borrowing USD 50; the historic performance of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters and then the sudden end to the boogie-woogie boxing match; the unusual deadpan arrangement to Jane Frazee's I Wish You Were Here. The Voice Of Hellzapoppin returns! No kidding but what chance did the Japanese and Germans really have - sorry for identifying who the enemies were in these socially inclusive times, because they weren't in the film - to pit themselves against all this? The American War Machine was awakening, with the might of Hollywood behind it and A&C playing their part with their entertaining flagwavers the same as George Formby did on a smaller scale for the British War effort.

The box office success - and critical praise too - of this took Universal by surprise and they didn't make nearly as much money as they could have, a mistake they never made again with A&C. Recommended, an antidote to now and to me always a joy to behold and hear.