IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
The manager of Kay Kyser's band books them for a birthday bash for an heiress at a spooky mansion, where sinister forces try to kill her.The manager of Kay Kyser's band books them for a birthday bash for an heiress at a spooky mansion, where sinister forces try to kill her.The manager of Kay Kyser's band books them for a birthday bash for an heiress at a spooky mansion, where sinister forces try to kill her.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
Kay Kyser Band
- Kay Kyser's Band
- (as Kay Kyser's Band)
M.A. Bogue
- Ish Kabibble
- (as Ish Kabibble)
Mary Bovard
- Mary
- (uncredited)
Jeff Corey
- Mr. Corey
- (uncredited)
Louise Currie
- Marion
- (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
- Lady in Taxi
- (uncredited)
Lyman Gandee
- Member of Kay Kyser Band
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
This movie is genuinely routine as those WWII comedies featuring popular band leaders & their comedic and/or horror foes.. But this one stands above most of the others in it's genre, mainly due to Horror Legends Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre...and Comedy relief from the one & only Ish Kabibble, Kay Kyser's one true maniac...(Check out Ish's haircut, seems like he influenced Jerry Lewis' Nutty Professor hairdo & Jim Carrey's Dumb & Dumber.) The plot is irritating at times, although the safest thing to do is to forget about the plot & enjoy these legends of horror change licks with Ish, Kay & the rest of the house full of guests. I recommend this movie to anyone not wanting to get lost in a story line from hell but to just sit back, with the family and enjoy a moment in time that only our parents or grandparents could remember, I truly enjoyed the innocence of a time lost watching this Comedy/Horror diamond in the rough. Ish Kabibble to all and to all an Ish Kabibble.
I liked this movie, I have seen it at least 5 times so far. Let's be fair to the movie,it is not Gone With The Wind, it is a B movie, but a really cute one. Kay Kaiser is always Great.
This movie has a GREAT gimmick called the Sonovox. It is similar to the electronic voice box of today, but with much better fidelity. Two small very high powered speakers are held against the upper throat, and you just mouth the words, the speakers provide the voice. Peter Frampton used a variation of this for one of his songs.
There is a wonderful demonstration of the Sonovox at the end of the movie.
Also the big band numbers are great. The two main singers "Handsome" Harry Babbitt and "Gorgeous" Ginny Simms have very fine voices and sing very fine songs in the movie. Yes "The Bad Humor Man" is silly but "WHO CARES"?
The three "horror" stars are great too, Bela Lugosi steals the show, Peter Lorre smokes up a storm, and Boris Karloff is oddly restrained. If you like Big Band music and Old Movies, I think you will like this one.
This movie has a GREAT gimmick called the Sonovox. It is similar to the electronic voice box of today, but with much better fidelity. Two small very high powered speakers are held against the upper throat, and you just mouth the words, the speakers provide the voice. Peter Frampton used a variation of this for one of his songs.
There is a wonderful demonstration of the Sonovox at the end of the movie.
Also the big band numbers are great. The two main singers "Handsome" Harry Babbitt and "Gorgeous" Ginny Simms have very fine voices and sing very fine songs in the movie. Yes "The Bad Humor Man" is silly but "WHO CARES"?
The three "horror" stars are great too, Bela Lugosi steals the show, Peter Lorre smokes up a storm, and Boris Karloff is oddly restrained. If you like Big Band music and Old Movies, I think you will like this one.
In a previous post I expressed my opinion (heavily influenced by the Maltin guide) that this movie sucked. Subsequent viewings have radically changed my mind. This is a NICE little picture!
It's one of those so-corny-it's-hep 1940s comedy-horror farces that came into fashion with "The Ghost Breakers" and reached its full flowering with "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." Here, Kay Kyser and his Kollege provide rather more palatable comedy relief than Bob Hope or Bud and Lou, as well as some first-class musical interludes. Horror fans may regret that Lugosi and Karloff are not given quite as much screen time as Ish Kabibble, but will be pleased to find they are both handled with warmth, delicacy and a certain gravitas befitting such grand gentlemen of the cinema. As for the top-billed "bad humor man" Peter Lorre, in no other film has his exotic decadence been showcased so deliciously.
It's one of those so-corny-it's-hep 1940s comedy-horror farces that came into fashion with "The Ghost Breakers" and reached its full flowering with "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." Here, Kay Kyser and his Kollege provide rather more palatable comedy relief than Bob Hope or Bud and Lou, as well as some first-class musical interludes. Horror fans may regret that Lugosi and Karloff are not given quite as much screen time as Ish Kabibble, but will be pleased to find they are both handled with warmth, delicacy and a certain gravitas befitting such grand gentlemen of the cinema. As for the top-billed "bad humor man" Peter Lorre, in no other film has his exotic decadence been showcased so deliciously.
I've loved this movie since childhood! Even if you're not sure who the heck this "Kay Kayser" is, you will love the performances of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Peter Lorre (who steals every scene he's in). The musical numbers are catchy enough to insinuate themselves into your head when you least expect it, and the one-liners come fast and thick. Ish Kabbible just slays me every time I watch it; he does great deadpan with those Eddie Cantor eyes.... And the dog Prince provides yet more comedic antics!
All in all, this is a great movie that the whole family can enjoy. From quick repartee to visual slapstick, it delivers from beginning to end. A refreshing break from the heavy-handed comedy too often found today.
I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!
All in all, this is a great movie that the whole family can enjoy. From quick repartee to visual slapstick, it delivers from beginning to end. A refreshing break from the heavy-handed comedy too often found today.
I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!
Yeah, it's pretty corny and most people won't like it -- but it's my kind of film! OK! Kay Kyser and his band invited to perform in a spooky old mansion may not be a show stopper; but throw in Bela Logosi, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre -- play it for laughs, and you've got a surprisingly good film. Karloff, and especially Lorre, are a maniacal hoot! Had they been more screen time this would be a super Halloween film must. I'll give it a *7 1/2*. If others don't like it, well to bad! :)
Did you know
- TriviaFilmed August 8-October 11 1940, the 7th of 8 features to star Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, and the only time that fellow Hungarians Lugosi and Peter Lorre ever shared the screen.
- Quotes
'Prof. Karl Fenninger': [Rhetorically] Why do I have to waste my time outwitting morons?
- Crazy credits"The College of Musical Knowledge" is an on-screen opening acting credit, but its members are the studio audience, since Kay Kyser refers to them as "students."
- ConnectionsFeatured in TJ and the All Night Theatre: You'll Find Out (1980)
- Soundtracks(I've Grown So Lonely) Thinking of You
(1926) (uncredited)
(Kay Kyser's theme song)
Music by Walter Donaldson
Lyrics by Paul Ash
Played during the opening credits and at Kyser's radio show
- How long is You'll Find Out?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $353,000 (estimated)
- Runtime
- 1h 37m(97 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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