The biggest drawback here is the acting. Charles Laughton is obnoxious as screams every other word of dialogue and rolls his eyes whenever Bud and Lou start one of their classic routines; while the musical coupling of Leif Erickson and Fran Warren is so wearisome, it prompts viewers to roll their own eyes every time they’re on-screen together. Even Bud, Lou, and their Abbott And Costello Show regular Hillary Brooke don’t seem to be as “in” to the whole production as they should be. Speaking of regulars, the film could have really benefited from a supporting role from Shemp Howard or Joe Besser — to say nothing of snappier musical numbers.
Although it’s a delight to see Abbott And Costello Meet Captain Kidd finally available on DVD (and in an anamorphic widescreen format, to boot!), I have to say that the feature isn’t a great one in my book. Warner’s MOD disc (available exclusively at www.warnerarchive.com) is a barebones affair, sporting nothing in the way of special features. The title boasts the original Mono English soundtrack, with no subtitle options.
Recommended for Abbott & Costello completists only.
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