Really Surprised!

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Abbott and Costello had made a lot of money for Universal Studios. They first peaked in the early 40s, then there was a refractory period, then they began to meet Universal's monsters one by one and the money rolled in again until their final decline in the 50s. The studio was apparently reluctant to fund their meeting with Captain Kidd, Kidd not being one of their copyrighted monsters or anything, and besides there was the expense of hiring Charles Laughton as the Bad Captain, and shooting the thing in color.The gags are mostly obvious and rather lame. Perhaps the best is when Costello believes he has Laughton handcuffed and begins to insult him to his face. Laughton briefly wipes his nose and returns his hand to its cuffed position but Costello has noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye, and his laughter gradually turns to tears.A more typical gag: Laughton throws Costello out the door, Costello bumps into a waiter carrying a tray of silverware, and Costello, waiter, and silverware go crashing to the deck, all tangled up. The musical interludes are instantly forgettable. The ex vaudeville team seem as tired as the gags, although Laughton seems to be enjoying himself immensely.I used to get a charge out of all the Abbott and Costello movies when I was a child and, from time to time, find myself in a mood receptive to "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein," which has some suspenseful moments and is coherently structured. That's relatively speaking.For the most part, their movies are best left to the kids under the age of ten, if they can be prodded into watching an old black-and-white comedy.

An underwhelming later entry for the comedy team, this is of interest only because it's a color film which provides a chance to see Charles Laughton yucking it up as the title baddie. But there's very little meat to chew on while watching Bud and Lou act as hapless waiters sailing aboard the ship of the mean old Captain Kidd (Laughton). Of course there are many recycled older gags ... two of them include: Lou accidentally dropping a bar of soap into Kidd's soup and producing bubbles from everyone's mouthes (just how exhausted was that routine by this time?), and also Lou having a chance to rough Kidd up a bit while the pirate's hands are chained behind his back. (This latter bit was so much better performed when it was William Bendix as the recipient back in 1943's WHO DONE IT?). Hillary Brooke is on hand as a tough-acting blonde, easier on the eyes than a crew full of obnoxious men. ** out of ****

While Abbott & Costello don't make much swash buckling in this story, the color in this color feature is horrible, & the musical numbers even worse, they did one thing right.Charles Laughton as Captain Kidd is easily the films greatest asset. The way he plays off Costello is great. Too bad there is not enough of it to save the film. There is way too little of the boys, & way too much horrible music in a short 70 minute film.Sad thing is the idea could have been so much more. This is one film where the tickets were sold on the title, but the viewers were disappointed. While it is not their worst because of Laughton, it is no where near the teams best film.At least it is the boys in color. Besides Jack & The Beanstalk which also has terrible music & color, this is the only other color film they did. Color me blue that a great idea gets wasted.

Abbot and Costello, Without question the greatest comedy team ever, take no prisoners in this mix of Treasure Island, Captain Kidd, Mutiny on the Bounty, Kidnapped! and a few other maritime classics. Oscar-winner Charles Laughton, most of whose roles were comedic in the well-bred English way (not the music hall way!) had no qualms about working with the great Abbot and Costello in this hilarious homage to all those pictures about sailing on the high seas.