Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)

Adequately amusing, this is another attempt by Abbott and Costello to meet one of the former Universal monsters. Already having met Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, The Wolfman, an invisible man who wasn't quite Claude Rains for his imitators, & a non universal monster in Mr. Hyde, they now had to Egypt where they become involved in another attempt to get ahold of ancient Egyptian treasure. This leaves them into contact with such nefarious characters as femme fatale Marie Windsor and alleged Richard Deacon, they end up in a chase with an alleged mummy locked up in a closed off tomb where nothing scary really happens and you know pretty much what the results are going to be. It's all pretty juvenile and while there are some funny moments, I'm afraid this is more for the kiddie crowd than adult movie crowd. obvious Caucasian chorus girls attempt to be Arabic harem dancers and fail miserably. There certainly is not one moment of authenticity, so you must go into this with an open mind with your eyes taped to the front so they don't roll to the back of your head, and a bag of popcorn to munch on, because this is a perfect Saturday or Sunday matinée film, and little else. I remember Abbott and Costello films fondly from my childhood and even into my early adulthood, and while some of them are much better than others, this one falls somewhere in between. It isn't a disaster, but the humor is a major repeat of everything that they had already done and better. The exotic looking Marie Windsor makes a great villainess and Deacon is properly dour. if it wasn't for the presence of these tractors, I think I would have been totally bored.

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955): Dir: Charles Lamont / Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marie Windsor, Richard Deacon, Dan Seymour: Bud Abbott and Lou Costello have encountered many monsters in their amusing adventures. Here they do not just meet one mummy, but they encounter several with hilarious slapstick hijinks in full affect. They end up in Egypt within a simplistic setup tailored to the duo's antics. It regards the tomb of the mummy and a medallion that winds up in their possession, as well as a treasure that is under search by many. The plot is just an excuse for our heroes to embark upon many slapstick visual elements that often work to comic effect. Director Charles Lamont is accompanied by a detailed structure and a climax that has everyone in and out of doors within the tombs. Abbott is the straight man while Costello is the victim of the slapstick elements. They discover a body for which they are framed for murdering. The medallion ends up in Costello's stomach after a great hamburger switch. Marie Windsor plays the villainess seeking the medallion and treasure and commits numerous double crosses to obtain it. Other roles are the standard villain buffoon thugs or police that fail to connect the dots several times. The result is hardly a classic but the duo provide decent slapstick that unravel much more than a mummy. Score: 7 ½ / 10

Abbott and Costello are in Cairo and get mixed up with a mummy named Klaris (although he was KHaris in earlier films). It also involves a sacred medallion that Klaris wears, a cult that worships him and an evil woman (Marie Windsor) who will stop at nothing to get it.This was the second to last film that Bud and Lou did for Universal and it's just terrible. The guys were easily in their 50s by then and their age is showing. It's full of tired slapstick and routines that were old even back in the 1950s. I didn't even crack a smile once (although the pick/shovel bit is kind of fun). The plot makes little sense and the special effects are terrible. The mummy getup has to be the worst I've ever seen in a mummy movie. Truly laughable. For the most part the acting is lousy too--Richard Deacon is the worst offender. Bud and Lou do what they can but the material isn't there for them. Also Marie Windsor (a brilliant character actress) has nothing to work with. Boring, unfunny and a waste of time. Skip it.

Awfully tired Abbott and Costello comedy, their 28th (and final) film for Universal, benefits from a good supporting cast--although the script is cluttered with villains who don't end up doing much. Two pith helmet-wearing Americans in Cairo get hold of a medallion which points the way to hidden treasure once owned by a princess (but in hieroglyphics!). Soon, they're on the run from the mercenary Madame Rontru and her stooges, plus three roaming mummies guarding the princess's tomb. Lots of frantic activity, but not enough jokes. As the nefarious Madame, Marie Windsor gives the proceedings a much-needed shot in the arm, however Bud and Lou phone their performances in. *1/2 from ****