Keep 'Em Flying (1941)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Arthur Lubin

Writers:

Edmund L. Hartmann (story)
True Boardman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 November 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | War

Tagline:

AMERICA'S FAVORITE COMICS with a bombload of belly-laughs!

Plot:

When a barnstorming stunt pilot decides to join the air corps, his two goofball assistants decide to go with him. Since the two are Abbott & Costello, the air corps doesn't know what it's in for. |

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Airforce | Funhouse | Tunnel Of Love | Carnival

Cast

Bud Abbott	...	Blackie Benson
Lou Costello	...	Heathcliff
Martha Raye	...	Gloria Phelps / Barbara Phelps
Carol Bruce	...	Linda Joyce
William Gargan	...	Craig Morrison
Dick Foran	...	Jinx Roberts
Charles Lang	...	Jim 'Jimmy' Joyce
William B. Davidson	...	Gonigle (carnival owner) (as William Davidson)
Truman Bradley	...	Butch (Academy officer)
Loring Smith	...	Maj. Barstow
William Forrest	...	Colonel
Freddie Slack	...	Sideshow pianist
The Six Hits	...	Themselves, The Six Hits

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (PCA #7709) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Cal-Aero Flight Academy, Ontario, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The original trailer was actually a one-reel recruitment short, running about nine minutes, for the Army Air Corps which included clips from this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Benson and Heathcliff's plane lands, it is without landing gear in an area where no planes are near. When Heathcliff gets out of the plane, it is upright, indicating that landing gear is present, and other planes surround theirs.

Quotes:

Blackie Benson: No, you don't want to drink. Remember, every time you go into a barroom, the Devil goes in with you.
Heathcliff: If he does, he buys his own drink.

Movie Connections:

References Buck Privates (1941)

Soundtrack:

You Don't Know What Love Is

Seamless combination of our boys and the Army Air Corps.

As a reviewer wrote elsewhere, the only way to watch Bud and Lou's movies is in sequence. 'Buck Privates' was perhaps a better story, but 'Keep 'em Flying' sees Lou put in probably his finest performance. This time the boys are perfectly integrated into the story and their gags flow along as part of the natural sequence of events.

There is an excellent rapport between Martha Raye and our heroes, which becomes evident in the USO canteen sequence. Not only was Martha a fine singer and dancer, she was a great comedienne. Without giving away the gag, the fact that it runs on so long and still remains funny is testament to the trio - or "quartet's" skill in working together.

Okay, I love this movie and given a limit of 10 movies to take to a desert island, this would be included. But that says something, doesn't it?