The Naughty Nineties

The Naughty Nineties (1946) : Brief Review -

The Abbott & Costello Show on the Showboat! One of the greatest verbal comic banters of all time is performed here. Anything that many popular post-60s comedies have shown us was either inspired by the silent classics of Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd or the talkie comedies of WC Fields, Marx Bros, and Abbott & Costello. The Naughty Ninties has given birth to many iconic comic segments that we have been enjoying for years. Be it the mirror segment (quite different from what Max Linder did in the 20s) or the Bear is loose segment, all those iconic gags can be found here. That "Who, what and I don't know" segment is arguably the greatest verbal comic banter I have ever seen in the history of cinema. This film has been noted for that segment mostly. I mean, even I was curious to see the iconic "Who's on First?" segment, and what I saw simply blew my mind. When their captain is swindled out of his riverboat by a trio of gamblers, stage show star Abbott and his bumbling sidekick Costello must put things right. The duo try to save the showboat with their tricks, but fail. In the end, as expected, they get it right, but before that it's a complete knockout comedy riot. Costello rules the film with his signature gags, be they physical or verbal. Abbott, too, is in fine form with many good scenes on his side, while Alan Curtis wins your heart with his conversion. Rita Johnson as a female antagonist fits perfectly for the role. Whether it is her looks or behaviour, she is top-notch in every scene. Lois Collier, Henry Trevor and Joe Sawyer are seen less and don't do anything notable. The Naughty Nineties is a pacy film with a fantastic screenplay and the flawless direction of Jean Yarbrough. There isn't anything that you can hate about this, so it's recommendable.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.