Venusian women at your disposal

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO GO TO MARS (1953)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Between the bumbling Lou Costello who always broke the fourth wall and his sidekick, the straight man Bud Abbott who frequently slapped and shouted at Lou, there were few genuinely iconic comedic duos that tickled the funny bone almost every time they were on screen. I say almost because "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars" is one of their weakest comedic outings with far too many lulls and not enough gags. Even a lot of Lou Costello can go a long way in this one.

This time, Lou runs from the cops after smashing a store window with a remote-controlled rocket spaceship. Lou is apparently an orphan at the Hideaway Orphans Home but that is besides the point. During his getaway, he hides in a delivery truck headed for a top secret base where an actual spaceship is about to be launched to Mars. Of course Lou, who is initially mistaken for a scientist in a rather flat comic bit, ends up in the spaceship with Abbott and off they go to Mars after an accidental launch. Naturally, they get nowhere near there as they land back on Earth in New Orleans yet they both think they are in Mars. You see, it is Mardi Gras and everyone is partying in costumes with gigantic walking heads! Eventually, there is another launch with two bank robbers along for the ride. Oh, yes, and they all end up in Venus!

The movie spends an inordinate amount of time in New Orleans, so much so that the film should've been retitled "Abbott and Costello Go to Venus via New Orleans." Not much of that footage made me laugh and the two thieves (Jack Kruschen and Horace McMahon) are about as one-note as the gags. However, once the team arrives in Venus, the film perks up a little and has a little bounce to it with some terrifically eye-popping sets. Venus is populated by women and Lou is having a tough time impressing the Queen of Venus (Mari Blanchard) when all these other women are cavorting with him. Even Abbott enjoys some of the female action. Still, only the last twenty minutes has more laughs than the rest of the film (though some may scoff at the deliberately sexist humor). I can't really dislike a film too much when the spaceship nearly strikes the Statue of Liberty and the Female Icon of Freedom merely kneels to avoid getting hit. "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars" needed more ballsy humor like that.