https://vimeo.com/312653508Watch HOLD THAT GHOST in the link above.
Like mentioned in the IN THE NAVY review, the majority of HOLD THAT GHOST was filmed before the former but released after due to the success of BUCK PRIVATES. BUCK PRIVATES provided Universal the formula for Abbott and Costello comedies that lasted right around the end of World War II - comedy, romance, and musical numbers, all in relatively even doses. Your mileage on this formula may vary, but those of us who like pure comedy would have to wait until later on to see Bud and Lou do straighter comedy films. HOLD THAT GHOST is interesting in this respect. Since the majority of this was filmed before Universal knew they had a commercially successful formula with BUCK PRIVATES, we actually do get a straightforward comedy for the most part, a horror comedy. All the musical numbers serve as a framing device for the comedy, tacked on at the beginning and the end and filmed much later only because of BUCK PRIVATES success. In other words, The Andrews Sisters were an after thought. We see them for the last time here and compared to most of the other music we get later, I’ll miss them.
I’ve made it known over the years horror comedy is generally not my favorite genre. While I don’t flat out hate it, it does seem a little one note due to the fact we get cheap thrills and scared comedians with not much else. Here, it’s an exception. HOLD THAT GHOST is the CITIZEN KANE of horror comedy, with Bud and Lou’s 1948 entry in the genre being, I don’t know, CASABLANCA. In other words, they both rule, dudes and dudettes. One of the reasons this film works is Universal themselves. Going back to the silent era with their two Chaney blockbusters, Universal knew how to soak in the horror atmosphere and in 1941, they were in the middle of their second great sound horror cycle, which lasted from 1939 - 1946. In addition to being a comedy, this films falls as a borderline entry in this Universal Horror cycle. The second they enter the haunted house, notice how creepy that cobweb is on Lou’s head. Check out how brilliantly done those hands poking out of the wall grabbing its victim are. A great horror cliche done by Universal as far back as 1927 in THE CAT AND THE CANARY. Check out that hallway and the way it’s lit. Other studios of the day did good horror films, but none of them had the atmosphere of Universal and Bud and Lou do reap the benefits of this here.
As far as the comedy itself, we get an actual comic film this time instead of a bunch of fun burlesque routines mixed in between musical and romantic moments. Yes, the one note remains, we get a bunch of thrills with scared reactions, yet this one note has never been in better pitch than here. Lou Costello puts on a performance that rivals the genius of prime Curly Howard during the same era. He just doesn’t let up, a pure ball of energy. The whole candle scene is classic, the way he slowly gets scared, whispers the, “Oh, Chuck” until it gets louder and louder, just wonderful timing. My favorite bit would be Lou’s bedroom going back and forth between his room and a speak easy, totally freaking Lou out and turning back to his normal room just in time so Bud doesn’t believe Lou. There is this one point during the speakeasy part where they’re by a doorway, Lou totally freaking out and Bud getting angry and covering Lou’s mouth - I just lost it from laughter here. Brilliant, brilliant stuff, and it doesn’t let up for an hour.
The rest of the cast is great too. Joan Davis plays a good comic role as Lou’s quasi girlfriend. The dance scene she has with Lou is wonderful. Again, check out the way Universal lit the room for starters. They both work wonderful together, Ms. Davis slashing that water from the ground gracefully and Lou dancing a good mixture of buffoonery and grace. The romantic couple is hardly intrusive for once. In fact, their scenes are quick, both characters are likable and it doesn’t hurt the leading lady is Evelyn Ankers. One of my personal old Hollywood crushes, she was the Christine McIntyre of 40’s Universal Horror. She gets a brief scene with Joan Davis where they work as a mini comedy team and Evelyn plays a fairly good straight woman. Also a great scream as well. Shortly after this, she would be the leading lady in THE WOLF MAN and things would take off from there, that scream coming in handy. The way everybody is thrown together in the cab is a bit rushed, but really, who cares? Once they’re all together in that spooky house we have a wonderful ensemble cast.
Part of me wishes BUCK PRIVATES wasn’t such a hit because maybe we’d get more films like HOLD THAT GHOST early on. A true standout of the early films and a real comedy classic.
