Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Lee Loeb (story)
John Grant (writer)

Release Date:

June 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Adventure | Horror

Tagline:

It has been said that a man's best friend is his mummy...

Plot:

Bud and Lou find themselves pursued by an Egyptian cult for a special medallion linked to a walking mummy.

Plot Keywords:

Medallion | Mummy | Egypt | Archaeologist | Crypt

Cast

Bud Abbott	...	Himself / Peter Patterson
Lou Costello	...	Himself / Freddie Franklin
Marie Windsor	...	Madame Rontru
Michael Ansara	...	Charlie
Dan Seymour	...	Josef
Richard Deacon	...	Semu
Kurt Katch	...	Dr. Gustav Zoomer
Richard Karlan	...	Hetsut
Mel Welles	...	Iben
George Khoury	...	Habid
Eddie Parker	...	Klaris, the Mummy (as Edwin Parker)
Chandra Kaly and His Dancers	...	Dance Troupe
Peggy King	...	Vocalist

Also Known As:

Meet the Mummy

Runtime:

79 min | Argentina:83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | UK:U | USA:Unrated

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

This was Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's last film for Universal.

Quotes:

Bud Abbott aka Peter Patterson: How stupid can you get?
Lou Costello aka Freddie Franklin: How stupid do you want me to be?

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Mummy's Hand (1940)

Soundtrack:

You Came A Long Way From St. Louis

A good time for their last major movie together

Abbott and Costello meet the Mummy is less of a movie then an episode of the Abbott and Costello show. 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. It's more on a final, undisciplined romp for Abbott and Costello. 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. The good, clean comedy is a nice breath of fresh air. 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 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 routine that Costello does with the lady is hilarious and high spirted and the bit with the amulet is well timed. 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 mummy is a major disappointment as the "bandages" look like a pajama outfit with a bandage pattern. Abbott gets into mummy's "wraps" for pretty much no reason other then to have three mummy's running around at one point. 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. Whatever dysfunction they had in their later years, they do their best here to slug it out. Costello acts like a man ready to jump off ship and he seems to be lightening his load for his journey. He gives a very light and a very funny performance. Abbott is sharper then he has been in years. 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. 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.