Master Minds

This is definitely one of the better entries in the Bowery Boys movies, full of clever plot devices which seem to be borrowed heavily from other even scarier Abbot and Costello movies like A & C MEET FRANKENSTEIN. In this one, Huntz Hall and Glenn Strange are forced to switch brains (and personalities) by mad doctor Alan Napier.

The result is some really hilarious acting from Hall and Strange. Glenn has much more to do than he usually did in those Universal horror films he often appeared in. When he apes the mannerisms of Huntz Hall (with Hall's high pitched voice and giggle), he's hilarious.

The other Bowery Boys go through their usual paces, but it's a fun film from start to finish with Glenn Strange really given a chance to show what a good character actor he was.

If you're a fan of the Boys, this is of their best.

I have to chime in with the other two users in singling out Glenn Strange's performance as the high point of this movie. Sure there are lots of the usual Bowery Boys hi-jinks to keep their fans amused, but it's when the hulking Strange shows up in full monster make-up doing a dead-on Huntz Hall impression that this movie really takes off. Who knew the one time Frankenstein monster had this kind of comedy talent in him? Probably my favorite of the series for just that reason.

(I need three more lines to get this posted, which is really a shame because it would be nice to be able to compliment an actor's performance without having to resort to padding --- although since I'm not padding this with "junk words" I hope it will be considered a valid submission. If not, forgive me. I did my best. I myself think brevity is an asset and would like to see it encouraged.)

Sach goes into a trance and starts predicting the future. Slip uses him as a fortune teller in a carnival sideshow. Mad scientist Dr. Druzik kidnaps Sach for his monstrous experiment, Atlas.

This is The Bowery Boys, Freaky Friday style. The first half is fun but then it goes body swapping. Atlas in Sach body doesn't really work because it's not Sach. The mannerisms are all corrupted. Then they keep switching the minds back and forth. Sach should stay a monster until they switch bodies again. Sach acting like a monster does hold more potential for comedy. Here's how to make it even better. Have both Sach and Slip get kidnapped. Slip is the one getting body swapped and Sach helps him escape. Sach would be walking around with a monster Slip and maybe Sach could befriend the wild beast. That would be the best comedy.

Master Minds (1949)

*** (out of 4)

The Bowery Boys find out they have a money-maker when Sach (Huntz Hall) eats sugar and gets a toothache, which causes him to be able to predict the future. This starts out find until a mad scientist (Alan Napier) sees him in the paper and decides to kidnap him so that he can put Sach's brain into the body of a monster (Glenn Strange). The sixteenth entry in the series is probably the best one to date thanks in large part to a somewhat clever screenplay and some terrific supporting performances. I don't think there's any doubt that this film was inspired by ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN but that's okay because the jokes here work extremely well. I don't think this film is going to appeal to everyone like A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN but if you're a fan of the Bowery Boys then this here is a must see. What makes the film work so well is the performance of Strange who easily steals the film. He's done up in some ape man like make-up, which looks incredibly well. I guess this should be expected since Monogram also did a good job in THE APE MAN and RETURN OF THE APE MAN. I really did enjoy the look of the monster but what makes the comedy work so well is the performance by Strange. The entire plot works around this monster having the brain of Sach so it's up to Strange to give us those Hall mannerisms, which he does perfectly. That silly walk, arm swings and the various other bits and pieces are perfectly pulled off by Strange and it's downright hilarious. Seeing the tall Strange bouncing around like Sach and flicking his arm was so perfectly done that at times I had tears running down my face. Hall also turns in a strong performance as he has to play himself again but also gets to play the tough, animal-like character. The scene where Hall is in a trance predicting the future has some terrific jokes and especially the one aimed at the man who will become rich at the age of 21. Leo Gorcey and Gabriel Dell are on hand as well and get a few good moments. Bernard Gorcey also gets some funny moments as Louie. The film runs a brief 64-minutes and there's no doubt that it borrows somewhat heavily from other films but that really doesn't take away from the charm and it especially doesn't kill any of the laughs. Not every joke works but the majority of them do and that's what makes this one of the best of the series. Strange and Hall really should have taken this act into other movies.

No doubt inspired by the success of Abbott&Costello Meet Frankenstein, the folks at Monogram Pictures did a nice reworking of the plot at albeit a lower budget for the Bowery Boys in Master Minds.

Although with the rest of the human race eating too much sugar is a guarantee of diabetes, with Horace DeBussy Jones it gives psychic powers that are positively diabolic. They intrigue Alan Napier who is conducting the usual mad scientist experiments and he manages to electrically transfer Huntz Hall's brain into the body of Frankenstein creature Glenn Strange and vice versa.

If I were unkind I'd say that Universal Pictures and A&C were ripped off by the Bowery Boys. That doesn't mean this particular comedy wasn't good in fact seeing Glenn Strange with Huntz Hall mannerisms imitated and Huntz Hall voice coming from him is positively hilarious. Added to the rest of the Bowery Boy monkeyshines, Master Minds is one of the best of the series.