Keep 'Em Flying

The casting of Martha Raye, the gifted comedienne, with Abbot and Costello was a casting hit. Raye had previously been in productions with Bob Hope, but there was no chemistry there, as Hope needed someone a bit more exotic (like Dorothy Lamour) as a romantic foil. Lou Costello, however, is a perfect match for Raye; a marriage made in heaven. Each of their scenes is a classic. Catch the fun with the whole family.

Fun Abbott and Costello movie with the boys following their friend (Dick Foran) into the Air Corps. Foran's character is hard to like and his romantic subplot with pretty Carol Bruce is a bit nauseating. Those are the negatives. The positives are Bud and Lou have several funny bits. Martha Raye is also fun in a dual role. This isn't one of their best but I find myself returning to it more often than some of their classics, so that says something. I love the old planes so that's probably part of it. Anyway give it a look. Abbott and Costello never disappoint.

Abbott & Costello probably needed a rest after completing their third salute to America's (woefully unprepared) armed services in 1941. Following "Buck Privates" and "In the Navy," the comedic duo took on the Army Air Corps. This time they didn't have the bouncy cheerfulness and fine voices of the Andrews Sisters-too bad. There are a fair number of funny moments here but, overall, this last comedy paean to a fighting service has a tired quality and some of the scenes are disjointed. A young Martha Raye is good portraying either two sisters or one seriously schizoid woman, take your pick. A definite period piece, "Keep "Em Flying" heralds America's air arm but anyone with historical knowledge will wince as the obsolete planes go through their paces. And this film was made while Germany and Japan were fielding state-of-the-art combat aircraft. 6/10

After the release of HOLD THAT GHOST, Abbott and Costello went back to their series of service comedies, this time joining the Air Force(oddly enough, they never did a film about the Marines or the Coast Guard). This one(in my opinion) isn't as good as BUCK PRIVATES or IN THE NAVY, but it's still a first rate comedy classic, and worth adding to your collection. Abbott and Costello were in their prime when they made this film, and their timing is still perfect. They're also backed by a fine cast, and an entertaining story. This film is worth seeing for the runaway plane scene alone! And of course the runaway torpedo scene is still a highlight out of any of their films.

Abbott & Costello plays Blackie Benson & Heathcliff, two bumbling assistants to recently fired Air Show stunt pilot Jinx Roberts(played by Dick Foran). With nowhere else to go, they enlist in the Air Force sometime before WWII, where they proceed to turn it upside down with their wild antics. Martha Raye plays twins who cause confusion for the team when they are in a diner, and they are waitresses, then later when they go on a double date in the fun-house. Can they survive their training, and will the Air Force survive them? Funny comedy with good gags and tolerable songs. Does for the Air Force what "Buck Privates" did for the army; too bad about the navy though...

A fun, likable film with a good supporting cast. I have the first volume of the Abbott & Costello collection and I would rank this movie up there with Hold That Ghost as the highlights of the collection. For Keep 'Em Flying, Bud and Lou are friends of Jinx Roberts, a 1940s version of Tom Cruise's Maverick (Top Gun). He does his flying his own way! Good chemistry between the three. Dick Foran plays Jinx. I remembered him from two Universal Studios Mummy films. Then there is great supporting characters played Martha Raye, Carol Bruce, and William Gargan. Raye is especially funny playing twins that befuddle our heroes. I was surprised to find out that Carol Bruce was in Planes, Trains & Automobiles (she plays Joy). I'll have to look for her in it. A pretty decent storyline, maybe a few too many songs, and a hilarious scene involving a runaway torpedo on land. Check it out!

Their fourth starring vehicle of 1941, "Keep 'Em Flying" shows the wear and tear of the duo's busy year. The films production values are more skimpy; evidently by filming on location at Cal-Aero in Ontario, California, the producers felt they could cut costs. This doesn't help A&C's flying sequences with their poor rear projection or the rescue sequence at the end, with all-too-obvious miniatures. The real flying stunt sequences sandwiched around them, however, are done well. What saves the film are A&C's performances and the interplay between Costello and Martha Raye, who plays twins in the film. There are some truly funny moments, but not enough to elevate the film among their best. 6 out of 10.