Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)

 It really does pain me to say this but the act with these two was just sadly stale by the time we got to "Meet the Mummy". But when Abbott pushes Costello down, or Costello looks right at us a lot more than once, it just feels as if they are desperate to wring whatever little chuckles there might be available in those of us who really do love them. And, trust me, I really wanted to like this one. But that mummy wrap costume not only Eddie Parker wears, but others like Abbott and Michael Ansara (as one of Marie Windsor's henchmen) do when the plot takes a bunch of the cast to an Egyptian princess' tomb, is the absolute drizzling shits. Anytime I see one of the cast in that mummy costume, my heart just breaks. Parker's Mummy is just the pits. The Universal Egyptian sets, though, are fun and I think the general idea of Abbott and Costello trying to keep from being bashed by a Mummy on the rampage seems quite a hoot on paper. There is a gag where Abbott and Costello try to trick each other in holding onto a particular amulet both Marie Windsor and Richard Deacon (a ridiculous casting choice for an Egyptian leader, with a host of servants) desire in the hopes of finding a princess and her treasure where the duo pass the necklace back and forth, including inside a hamburger...Costello eats the amulet, with the comedian having to sell sound effects and the idea of chomping down on metal and eventually nearly choking on it as it goes down. Later Windsor realizes through an X-ray that Costello has what she wants inside him, so he is a hostage (along with Abbott) by gunpoint with her men assisting (with Ansara, including Dan Seymour, an actor in some of the greatest films of all time and recognizable character actor). Deacon is masquerading as a professor in order to gain their trust by leading them on the expedition to the tomb.

The Mummy really doesn't even factor much until the end, and even then that costume is a far cry from the iconic work of Jack Pierce for Universal. I can only guess any actor dressed as a mummy just had to slide into a costume and zip up. I can't really put into words how disappointing the mummy part of the film was to me. And I thought the use of Frankenstein's Monster in "House of Dracula" was abominable. Now Costello lost in a tomb, bumping into mummy skeletal remains, falling through trap doors, trying to avoid Parker's Mummy (when Ansara and Abbott aren't running around, too, trying to either help Costellor or Windsor) at the end, I didn't mind too much. And there is a series of sight gags regarding Costello and the corpse of an archaeologist (his Mummy was supposed to be transported by Abbott and Costello) that I admit drew a few giggles out of me. I mean, even if the film just isn't very good, I smile at Costello because I just find him irresistibly likable and appealing...I can't help it. Abbott, I don't know...I think he tries his best to remain in character, but I just kept getting this vibe that he was over the team comedy act. The bumbling clowns seemingly incapable of avoiding conflict, and yet always escaping peril through slapsticky shenanigans (often obviously contrived) act was exhausted of every laugh there to get. Look, they had a great run. And because of this cast, I could easily watch this again. But, like any good series or act, there is an expiration date. I think the writing was definitely on the wall.

So desperate to get laughs, Abbott and Costello pull the "Who's on First?" out of mothballs and try it with pickaxes and shovels in preparation to dig, remaining hostages of Windsor, Ansara, and Seymour at the tomb. I will say Windsor just looked fantastic to me. Not long after this, she would be a regular in different character roles on "Perry Mason". As a heel, I think she's just fine. Deacon, to me, is just miscast. Oh, he can be a really good asshole. But he just seems a bit on the dull side in this film. Maybe it was because this film just didn't get those juices flowing. 

***this was part of Turner Classics' Summer of the Stars series, recognizing Abbott and Costello for an entire 24 period***

I didn't realize I had this on my Mummy Legacy set. I think I could slide this in during a Mummy marathon and it wouldn't be too difficult. I just wish it didn't remind me that after "Meet the Mummy", Abbott and Costello had one more film and that would be that. And, even sadder, Costello would be dead in four years. He died at such a young age. Still Abbott and Costello gave us some great films. And I have others to look forward to, still.  **/*****