Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)

Two bumbling private eyes help a man wrongly accused of murder who has become invisible to help clear his name.

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Hugh Wedlock Jr. (story), Howard Snyder (story)

Stars:

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Nancy Guild

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bud Abbott	...	Bud Alexander
Lou Costello	...	Lou Francis
Nancy Guild	...	Helen Gray
Arthur Franz	...	Tommy Nelson
Adele Jergens	...	Boots Marsden
Sheldon Leonard	...	Morgan
William Frawley	...	Detective Roberts
Gavin Muir	...	Dr. Philip Gray
Sam Balter	...	Radio Announcer
John Daheim	...	Rocky Hanlon (as John Day)

Storyline

Boxer Tommy Nelson is accused of killing his manager. While detectives Bud and Lou investigate they come across an invisibility formula with which Tommy injects himself rather than face the police. This sparks an idea for trapping gangster Morgan by having Lou fight champ Rocky Hanlon, with Tommy's invisible help.

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Plot Keywords:

femme fatale | damsel in distress | deception | fight referee | police detective | 

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Taglines:

You'll shiver... You'll shudder... You'll shout with laughter!

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Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi | Sport

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

A reporter asks Lou Francis (Lou Costello) who he has fought in the past. Lou replies, "Chuck Lamont, Bud Grant". Charles Lamont is the film's director and John Grant (nicknamed Bud) is the screenwriter.

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Goofs

When Lou goes to see Dr. Turner the psychiatrist, Turner's nameplate misspells his specialty as phychiatry, leaving out the "s".

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Quotes

Dr. James C. Turner, Police Psychiatrist: I know, you saw this man disappear into thin air. Do you always see things?
Lou Francis: Only when my eyes are open.
Dr. James C. Turner, Police Psychiatrist: Did you ever see somebody disappear before?
Lou Francis: Yes sir, I have.
Dr. James C. Turner, Police Psychiatrist: This may explain it, seeing things. When did this happen?
Lou Francis: One day me and my brother were walking down the street... my brother disappeared.
Dr. James C. Turner, Police Psychiatrist: Into thin air?
Lou Francis: No, into a man hole.
Dr. James C. Turner, Police Psychiatrist: How about voices? Do you ever hear strange voices?
Lou Francis: Yes sir.
[...]

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Connections

Follows The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

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Soundtracks

Wiener Blut Waltz
(uncredited)
Music by Johann Strauss

User Reviews

Nice little comedy with clever script...A&C fans will enjoy it...

This entry in the Universal series of A&C comedies ranks with the top half-dozen of their films. The notion of having the pair meet one of Universal's most famous "creatures" is a good one--and somehow, despite some wildly overdone slapstick--it works.

The pair play bumbling detectives who attempt to prove an innocent man (Arthur Franz) has been framed for murder. The special effects are particularly good and were done by the same man, John Fulton, who did the original camera effects for 'The Invisible Man'. A highlight of the film has Costello in the fighting ring being helped by his invisible client.

Nice work by Arthur Franz as the man who takes the serum, Nancy Guild as the feminine interest, Adele Jergens and Sheldon Leonard. Fans of A&C will rank this one among their best.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Meet the Invisible Man

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$627,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1