ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS
US, 1940, 82 minutes, black and white.
Allan Jones, Nancy Kelly, Robert Cummings, Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Mary Boland, William Frawley, Peggy Moran.
Directed by A.Edward Sutherland.
This film of 1940 was not a success on release, it was in the vein of the screwball comedies of the 1940s but didn’t have the star power and the comic finesse of many of those films.
However, it is remembered as the first film for Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. While they feature in supporting roles, they have many of the routines for which they were to become famous in the movies – even a version of Who’s on first. Another characteristic of the routines was with money, Abbott fleecing Costello, and there is a routine like this in this one. They were also noted for their sparring together, Bud Abbott being the straight man, rather severe in many of his performances and prone to slapping Lou Costello. Costello, on the other hand, was the fall guy, involved in a lot of slapstick comedy, calling on his mother, mixing things up, playing on words.
The pair had been favourites on stage in vaudeville, and then successful on the radio. They were given contracts by Universal and appeared in a number of films in 1941, including Buck Privates, one of their best. They continued in films for another 15 years.
For the screwball comedy, there is Robert Cummings, portraying one of the great dills on the screen, often too stupid for words, infatuated with Cynthia, Nancy Kelly, and taking out love insurance with his friend, Jim, Alan Jones, $1 million if he did not marry Cynthia. Steve and Jim are very wealthy, buddies. In the background is Mickey, Peggy Moran, who is infatuated with Steve and goes to all kinds of tricks to win him back. When she discovers the insurance scheme, she communicates with Cynthia and the two of them try to humiliate the men. The problem is that Steve, despite all appearances, seems to be the object of Mickey’s affection and he loves her. And, of course, Jim falls in love with Cynthia.
A nightclub owner backs the insurance claim – with the touch of criminality, played by William Frawley. but the best contribution to the comedy comes from Mary Boland who had just played Mrs Bennett in Pride and Prejudice with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. She brings her daffy screen presence to comic situations as well is slapstick.
One of the opening setting is New York City, everyone goes on a voyage to a fictitious Caribbean country where there are nightclubs, singing and dancing, bullfights.
There are several songs, especially from Alan Jones, who is best known for singing the Donkey Serenade in The Firefly – and he also appeared as a lead in Showboat and Rose Marie.
But, principally memorable as the first film of Abbott and Costello.
