August 6th 1941 - 85 mins - Dir. Arthur Lubin

Bud - Chuck Murray; Lou - Ferdinand Jones

This is my favourite Abbott and Costello film. The film opens with Bud and Lou working as waitors in a top nightclub. There are too many songs squeezed in the first 10 minutes. Ted lewis, then The Andrews Sisters perform. The songs are terribly dated but now I enjoy them cos I have watched this film SO many times, they have grown on me. After the boy's opening scene which is a great reference to the dice scene from 'Buck Privates'. We go to the story: 2 men are talking. One is a crooked lawyer (Bannister) and the other one is a gangster (Charlie Smith). It seems some character, Moose Matson, has beaten Charlie to a 'payrole job'. Now he wants half the cut from The Moose. Moose happens to be in the club and Bannister warns the Moose that unless he pays Charlie the money then Charlie will go to the DA. After another song and routine where the Boys get kicked out of the club, the story continues where they are now gas station attendants (but according to their uniforms, they own the place!?). The some great patter. Ferdy insists one day he'll own a nightclub and have the Andrews Sisters work for him.

Moose matson drives up and while Chuck fills up his car, ferdy climbs in the back to give it a dusting. He comes across a gun and accidently shoots it, attracting the police who just happen to drive past. While asking Ferdy what he is doing, Moose drives off and the force makes Chuck fall into the car and the door closes. There is a high speed chase with the police. The Police shoot 'Moose' and he asks Ferdy (who is now driving) to stop the car. With his final breath he pulls out a will. The will states that he leaves everything he owns to those with him at the 'final moment when the coppers dimmed my lights'. He has money but no one ever figured out where he stores it. 'Moose Matson always said that he kept his money in his head but we never learned what he meant' explains corrupt lawyer Bannister next day to the boys, 'The only tangible asset is a Tavern on highway 128'. Bud and Lou, in short are bequeathed a tavern (hotel) which has money hidden in it. That money is searched for by gangsters. Strangely, Charlie Smith is also in the office and he will acompany the boys to their new property and will officially hand over the key. Smith and Bannister must of joined forces to get Moose's hidden bank role, they now must get rid of the boys.

Bannister arranges a private bus to take them there. The bus picks up 3 other passengers (as well as Charlie), Doctor Jackson, a lady (Norman Lind) and a professional radio screamer (Camille Brewster - played by the excellent Joan Davis, this film must of REALLY helped her career). The bus arrives at the premises later that evening amist rain and thunder. The driver suggests everyone should stay the night as the rain could cause a wash out in the road ahead, everyone gets out and the key doesn't fit. Costello decides to play a battering ram as he does 'when playing Cowboys and Indians' and he charges at the door. Naturally the door opens of it's own accord which sends Lou running through the foyer and smashes into the opposite wall, covering him with cobwebs.

As they all rush in to see if he is OK, the driver of the bus drives off leaving them stranded. All they have is a bag of groceries. The film really takes off here. There are many gags here and Charlie goes down to the cellar on the pretext of lighting a fire though he is really looking for money. He gets murdered. We see only hands appear through the wall which strangle him. During dinner, they notice the water tastes funny. Ferdy and Camille do a superb comic dance (between courses) which is a highlight of the film, they dance to 'the blue danube'.

There are many more gags from here, the girls get scared, the boys look for Charlie Smith, they go upstairs to look for a place to sleep, find hidden rooms etc. They do the changing rooms routine (forget the variation seen in 'Abbott and Costello meet the Killer, Boris Karloff' and 'Abbott and Costello meet the Mummy' - this version is brilliant) and later do the moving candle routine. This is Abbott and Costello at their very best. It is a showcase for both their talents. Abbott obviously has a lot of affection for Costello in these early films and the chemistry between them in oustanding. There are a couple of great reaction shots of Abbott which compliments Costello's comedy perfectly, he was an exceptional straightman (I doubt Lou ever really appreciated his talents). A great shot of Abbott appears through the comic dance. Joan Davis sends Lou crashing through a piano, she is instantly concerned, Abbott, standing at the record player puts his head in his hands but at the last second, you can see him smiling. A lovely moment.

The clash with gangsters at the conclusion after Ferdy finds the money, and scare them away. Dr Jackson says the water has enormous theraputic value. The boys decide to open a helth resort and hire The Andrews Sisters.

Unfortunately, during filming, the returns came in from Buck Privates and the producers were ordered to make a clone of the film. They shelved Hold that Ghost and began work on 'In the Navy'. When that film was finished, they went back to complete this film. Because the Andrews sisters were a great success in the two previous films, they inserted new footage as bookends of Hold that Ghost. Joan Davis had left by now (She was on loan from Fox) so in the new ending her part was written out. there are bad editing mistakes through the film and leaves lots of questions unanswered. The water subplot was never explored enough and how did Dr Jackson manage to finish his experiment so quick?

For all these minor errors, Hold that Ghost is one of their films that stands out well today, the opening numbers are detrimental to the film because they have dated so and only after repeated viewing, do they grow on you. The film's incidental music is superb. Frank Skinner also scored '...Meet Frankenstein' which theme was reused in several later films. Some of the music here was reused for 'Who done it?'.

I consider Arthur Lubin to be their most able director. he was great at directing comedy and reaction shots of both Abbott and Costello are spot on. Unfortunately, the boys got on his nerves so much due to their add libbing and tomfoolery that he only stayed with them for five pictures (the same applied to Erle C. Kenton). That was a big shame. Lubin said that the boys never paid attention to him during the last couple of films - though he enjoyed shooting 'Buck Privates'.

This was the film that started a trend in Abbott and Costello pictures. There is a superb sequence where Lou, Bud and Dr Jackson are looking for the missing Charlie Smith in the tavern, they search the basement (by candle light) and Lou sees a pair of eyes. He is shaking with fear and his performance is so funny as well as realistic that one easily forgets he is acting. It is the all time greatest 'scared routine' I have ever seen. the producers like the scenes where Lou got scared so much that they wanted a scene in every subsequent film where he would tremble with fear. The best example was in their next film, 'Keep 'em flying'. A story about the air force. Half way through the film, Lou finds himself lost in a funhouse with a live gorilla! That sequence had nothing to do with the military tone of the film!

Hold that ghost is simply obligatory to see for Abbott and Costello fans.