36 heures à vivre

It's 2016. I'm nearly 60. I've a LOT of comedies (and so-called "comedies") and this is one of the cleverest flicks.

A&C are a favorite and this has some of their best patter, great physical comedy, and subtle double entendres.

Leon Errol is a fine addition to the team as the not-so-menacing über villain who never loses. Cathy Downs is the fetching eye candy who gets caught up in the boy's shenanigans and makes the team a trio. And the older I get, the more I marvel at Bud Abbott's amazing straight man.

Usually when a movie has 7 writers, you're looking at a bomb. Not here. Charles Barton had helmed some other A&C films in the past but this could be his best. And kudos to Walter Schumann's perfect score.

They play two window washer guys who are told to get $50,000. Though, it appears the man who told them wants to kill them. Lou, after putting an envelope mailed to the gangster personally, didn't realize that the envelope was mailed to a woman. It appears the she bought lots of valuable equipment. Now, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello have 24 hours to get the money in time before they are killed. A dentist, who tries to pull Lou's tooth out, is as dumb as Lou. The story appears to be similar to Dumb and Dumber.

Very funny Abbott & Costello comedy that has the boys crossing a bookie (Joseph Calleia) and trying to find a way to pay him back $50,000 of his money they lost. Nicely paced with one great routine after another. I don't think there were any clunkers here. Sometimes the boys used bits that felt stale like they were dusted off vaudeville routines from twenty years before, but not here. Even the reworked gags feel fresh. Bud and Lou are in top form in this one. They had me in stitches. Great support from Calleia, Leon Errol, Mike Mazurki, and Alvin Hammer as a racetrack tout in one of the more subtly funny scenes. It's one of my favorite A&C comedies that didn't have monsters or the supernatural as part of the plot.

In their heyday, Bud Abbot and Lou Costello were so often sought after for personal appearances by adoring fans, studio executives and a host of worthwhile organizations. It's of little wonder as they gave the 40's the much needed laughter of their era. In the movies, they provided audiences with many memorable skits, vaudeville routines and standard films. This movie is one of the least known of all their successful runs. It's called " The Noose Hangs High. " The story is of a couple of window washers, (Bud Abbott and Lou Costello) who are mistaken for a delivery service, entrusted to deliver $50,000 to Nick Craig, a dangerous bookmaker (Joseph Calleia). The tasks goes awry when they inadvertently lose it. The female lead (Cathy Downs) who accidentally receives the money goes on a spending spree and explains she no longer has their money. When the mob boss promises to harms the boys, they all go on a mad quest to find someway to repay the debt. Although the movie does not contain their most memorable routines, it nevertheless has a few like 'better dress, no don't dress!' and 'Here's one for me, one for you, two for me, One, TWO for you.' The film also features big Mike Mazurki and Fritz Feld. This is one film which definitely belongs with anyone's Abbot and Costello collection. Good fun. ****

"The Noose Hangs High" is one of the better of the Abbott and Costello films. The plot isn't particularly original, but the screenplay has a number of diversions. These provide opportunities for the boys to do some of their vaudeville skits. And, another player acts as a shill for some of Lou's jokes.

The script is peppered with occasional extra funny lines, outside of routines. All of that adds up to more laughs and a more entertaining film. The supporting cast in this film all are very good. Cathy Downs does a nice job in the female lead as Carol Blair. Leon Errol is a hoot as J.C. (and Julius Caesar) McBride. Mike Mazurki is Chuck. He is one of the best actors at playing a doofus thug.

An early window-washing scene is reminiscent of the Hollywood comedy of the silent film era. Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton did some daredevil stuff on the heights of buildings. Bud and Lou and company will have one laughing a lot in this funny flick.