The Noose Hangs High (1948)

Captivating movie !

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

As often for Abbott and Costello(A&C) films, the plot is completely daffy. The boys, as mistaken professional messengers, manage to lose $50,000 which they were entrusted with by a Mr. Stewart to deliver to a Mr. Craig. Stewart's plan was the have 2 goons steal the cash from the boys as soon as they got out the office door. Costello put the money in an envelope he got from a nearby cosmetics store mailing out samples of face powder. Unfortunately, in his haste, he somehow got the envelope containing the money mixed up with one containing face powder sample. To escape the clutches of Stewart's goons. instead of taking the money to Craig, Lou wrote Craig's address on the envelope supposedly containing the money, and stuffed it in a mail box just in time. Upon discovering Lou's error, they were at a loss how to find the location of the money. By shear luck, they encountered the lady(Carol)who had received the money. Instead of returning it to the cosmetics store, she had immediately gone on a shopping spree, and had only $2000. left! Thus, the boys weren't much better off than they had been. They got the idea to bet the remaining money on a horse race, betting on a horse recommended by a Julius Cesar, who claimed he had never lost a horse racing bet. Unfortunately, Cesar then changed his mind without the boys knowing, and their horse lost the race. Craig and goons now put more pressure on the boys. They took them to a place where they could make cement, which they were going to encase the boys' legs in, perhaps in preparation for drowning them? Meanwhile, Carol and Cesar were gambling high stakes on something relating to a fish aquarium. Cesar said Carol had won $50,000. from him, and produced the $50,000,he being a wealthy man. Carol was willing to donate her earnings towards solving the boys' problem. They then went to the place Craig's goons had taken the boys, and showed the money. It turned out that Cesar was actually Mr. McBride, to whom Craig owed the $50,000. Thus, Craig simply returned the money to McBride, and the problem was solved.Some of the humor worked for me, and some, especially verbal humor started by Abbott, didn't strike me as being funny, more like inane. The beginning, with Costello trying out a DIY method of extracting his inflamed tooth, then being dragged by Costello to a lunatic dentist, is funny physical humor, that could have been done in a silent film. As window washers, seems like Lou is always getting his foot stuck in a bucket. Later, when the goons are bearing down on them, Abbott suggests that they do something to get arrested, so they will be safe in jail. But, their attempts are always foiled by some unlikely savior. This film was produced by their Abbott and Costello Production company, rather than by Universal, which produced most of their films.

THE NOOSE HANGS HIGH (Eagle-Lion, 1948) stars the comedy team of Abbott and Costello in their only independent venture outside their home base of Universal-International. Taking a western-sounding title as "The Noose Hangs High," that might have turned out as a spoof taken out of context from THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (20th-Fox, 1943), but rather than placing the comedic pair as cowboys in a western town with character types, they play a couple of window washers in an unnamed city providing enough material to a slight story, guaranteeing hearty laughs in true Abbott and Costello fashion.Previously filmed by Universal as FOR LOVE OR MONEY (1939), this remake revolves around Theodore "Ted" Higgins (Bud Abbott) and Tommy Hinchcliffe (Lou Costello), employees for the Speedy Service Window Washing Company. Upon completing their day of work by hanging up their uniforms in the hallway closet, Nick Craig (Joseph Calleia), a bookie, mistaking their uniforms for Speedy Messenger Service, hires the unwitting dual to go and collect $50,000 from a Mr. Stewart (Ben Weldon), return it to him, and get $50 a piece for the job. After getting the money, Ted and Tommy notice they're being followed by Sewart's two henchmen hired get back the money. Clever thinking finds Tommy entering the Plaza Mailing Service where face powder samples are mailed out. As he places the money into the envelope, addressing it to Nick Craig, Tommy rushes it into the mailing chute before the thugs catch up with him. Ted and Tommy return to Craig (who by then has realized his error after meeting with the real messengers) telling him of the circumstances, and are soon forced to spend the night under the careful watch of Nick's thugs (Mike Mazurki and Jack Overman) until the envelope arrives. The next day, the letter does arrive, but without the money Craig owes to a J.C. McBride. The angry mobster gives the window washers 24 hours to locate the money. With the use of the company's mailing list, Ted and Tommy eventually track down Carol Blair (Cathy Downs) as the one who received the money. Having only $2,000 of the $50,000, the trio, followed by Nick's men, set out to raise the money by betting on the horses. Along the way they are soon accompanied by an eccentric character calling himself Julius Caesar (Leon Errol), adding more to their troubles.Devotees of Abbott and Costello will generally be please with THE NOOSE HANGS HIGH, considering how they practically have 78 minutes to themselves, never slowing down for an instant. Aside from a generous amount of tried and true Abbott and Costello burlesque routines, they are supported by gangster-types, an odd-ball character and a pretty girl, all simply adding to the situations at hand. Interestingly, some of the most famous Abbott and Costello routines are shared with others. For instance, Abbott performs the "you're not here" routine with Mike Mazurki while the "Mudder and Fodder" routine goes to Costello and Leon Errol. One of my funniest and least performed is the dentist sequence where poor Lou, suffering from a toothache, finds himself at the mercy of Doctor H.G. Richards (Murray Leonard), with thick glasses and belting out a hideous laugh, as he is to try and yank out his bad tooth. This sequence was reworked again in one of the episodes of the TV series, "The Abbott and Costello Show." (1951-52). Fritz Feld is captured in a hilarious bit as a psychiatrist. A true highlight occurs where Abbott and Costello re-enact several of their routines on one scene while dining at the Copper Club. This six minutes alone shows them at their finest. There will never be another team like them again.While the Nick Craig role could have been enacted by Sheldon Leonard, Joseph Calleia shows he's the ideal choice, especially when playing it straight and getting laughs in the process. Cathy Downs makes a likable heroine while Leon Errol, a former headliner in the 1920s and "The Ziegfeld Follies," forgotten by today's standards, demonstrating how his sort of comedy hasn't gone out of style.Formerly displayed on video, THE NOOSE HANGS HIGH can be found on either DVD or occasional broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies. While not as better known of the Abbott and Costello comedies, it's certainly one worth considering. (***)

High rise window washers Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (as Ted Higgins and Homer Hinchcliffe) are mistaken for a speedy messenger service guys. After Mr. Costello's toothache spells trouble for his stunt double, he helps a dentist receive his diploma. Then, he and Mr. Abbott are asked to transport $50,000 for gangster Joseph Calleia (as Nick Craig). Of course, they lose the money, and are ordered to retrieve the cash, or else… Like recent efforts, this film seems a little routine (cough, cough) - but the dip in the past year's box office receipts was immediately alleviated with "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948).**** The Noose Hangs High (4/5/48) Charles Barton ~ Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Cathy Downs, Joseph Calleia

While many A&C fans rate "Meet Frankenstein" as their favorite, Abbott & Costello's 1948 MGM effort, "The Noose Hangs High" is mine.This highly polished gem of a motion picture presents Bud and Lou with a tightly written script. Granted it is a little far-fetched at times, and the boys sure dress well for a couple of window washers. And how Cathy Downs, as a servant, could spend almost $50,000 in one day (in 1948 no less), is incredible.What really makes the film enjoyable is the boys' superb comedic timing. The last routine of the movie, which incorporates "Bore a Hole in the Wall", "Mustard", and "Marry a Little Girl", is the epitome of their career. Bud truly shows why he was known as the greatest straight-man of all time. Earlier in the flick, when Mike Mazurki starts to stumble through the "You're Not Here" bit, Lou's timing pulls the routine through.Being an MGM movie, the production values are a few notches better than the Universal films. "Noose" also doesn't appear on any of the A&C compilations either, but it is now available as a single on DVD. By all means, check it out.