User reviews

Following the disappointing returns of "Little Giant," Universal decided to continue the experiment of using Abbott and Costello as separate characters in a film -- but with a few changes. The pathos of "Little Giant" was dropped, and the focus returned to comedy. A stronger plot was created, and the movie was set in part in the 18th century. The end result was "The Time of Their Lives," which must rank high among the best of A&C's films.

Perhaps one reason A&C's characters were not a team again in this film was a feud between Abbott and Costello, but no one is quite sure. The reason was probably due to wanting to try something different. With "Little Giant," this effort failed; with "TOTL," they succeeded because Abbott fits so naturally into both his characters and because the storyline is fresh and different.

The tried-and-true A&C routines are missing, but no one notices because much of the humor derives from situations, which are often funny. The reactions to Costello's hauntings are hilarious, and Bud gets some very genuine laughs. I agree with everyone that if A&C had broken up at this time, Abbott would have made a fine character actor in comedies, in a Eugene Pallette sort of way (though without Pallette's girth.)

Despite the reputation this film enjoys today, 1946 audiences seemed rather tepid towards another A&C situational comedy with the boys not appearing as a team. As a result, this type of film was never again tried by A&C. However, it is a film worthy of viewing and deserves the reputation it enjoys today as one of their finest. 8 out of 10.

Coming after LITTLE GIANT, a film in which Abbott and Costello were NOT a pair and in which Bud Abbott played a dual role, here is the second film that experimented with the A&C format. The film is set in the Revolutionary War period and then in 1946, with Costello playing the same role in both parts, and Abbott playing different roles (although the characters are related, just spread over 170 years!). There are a lot of funny sequences, but the historical angle makes the rest of the film very interesting in its own right. With appearances by such b-movie stalwarts as Kirk Alyn and Rex Lease, a fine supporting cast, and good-looking historical settings,the film is handsome looking and holds up well today. THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES is a nice change-of-pace for the Abbott and Costello fan, and once again shows that Costello was capable of carrying an entire feature film himself--and that Bud Abbott was excellent in character roles, not just as half of a comedy team. Newly reissued on DVD, the film should find an appreciative new audience.

This one had by miles the best plot of any A&C film, and has always been in my Top 5 favourites of theirs. Otoh it isn't the best A&C film as they were again working within a separate framework ('Little Giant' being the other), instead of Abbott & Costello the comedy team this was Abbott, and Costello the comedy actors. With less reliance on the violent slapstick TTOTL can hold its own against other films of this genre, on its own merits. And even though the print is in pristine condition, at the time of writing in 2005 had not been shown on UK TV since 1.10.1977!

The plot - Costello and Reynolds shot by their own side by mistake and also rather vehemently accursed as traitors by the Major in charge in 1780, after 165 years as ghosts they both get the chance to clear themselves of the slur and take their place in Heaven. Although the similar 'Ghost Goes West' is much better in nearly all departments, this also manages exceptionally well to capture the bittersweet and melancholic mixed emotions that this type of storyline could generate.

A marvellous experiment, and one I wish they'd tried a few more times in the following years - instead what followed a few years later was 'Captain Kidd' and 'Jack and the Beanstalk' - no comment!

This enjoyable and rather creative Abbott and Costello feature gives Bud and Lou each a chance to do a lot more on their own, while telling an entertaining story at a good pace. It's different from most of their films, in that Bud and Lou have very few moments when their characters interact. It works quite well, though, and it is certainly among their better movies.

The story takes a little while to set up, but then it begins to move more quickly. Once the prologue is over and the main plot begins, Costello and Marjorie Reynolds are quite entertaining as the two ghosts. There is just enough explanation provided to make the plot work, without going overboard or taking the premise too seriously.

The lengthy sequence with Bud and his friends trying to communicate with Costello and Reynolds provides many of the movie's best moments, and there is plenty of good material in the rest of the film as well. This picture delivers just what you hope for in a light comedy.

Most fans of Abbott & Costello, if they don't consider THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES the best film they made consider it among the best films they made. It is an unusual film - their is some interplay between the two in the 18th Century sequences, where Abbott's Cuthbert plays his normal bossy and unscrupulous acquaintance to Costello's patriotic Horatio. To add to their normal problems with each other, they both like the same servant girl. Horatio has one prized possession - a letter from George Washington praising his patriotism. Unfortunately, the servant girl's employer is a large landowner who is a traitor (and a member of Benedict Arnold's conspiracy). The landowner has a girlfriend named Melonie, played by Marjorie Reynolds (probably her best remembered role after Bing Crosby's girlfriend in HOLIDAY INN). Melonie is momentarily in control of the letter, but her boyfriend takes it and hides it inside an expensive clock. Then the patriots arrive - Major Andre has been captured and the conspiracy revealed. Everyone flees, but Costello and Reynolds are shot and killed before they get away. A curse is put over their remains in their grave on the estate that (mistakenly considered) traitors they are doomed to be forever at unrest there.

The ghosts of the two find they literally are stuck their (the special affects are good - they accidentally run through each other and find they are wearing each other's clothing). They see a sign that reveals the curse that was unfairly put on them. Both know if the letter is found they would be released. But time passes. They don't know where the note is, or how to get to it.

Comes the 20th Century and Binnie Barnes, Abbott, and John Shelton show up - Abbott a descendant of the 18th Century scoundrel. They are planning to turn the old estate into an inn. Costello, with two centuries of bile and anger building up in him, torments Abbott (in this film Costello maintains the whip hand for a change). Gradually, with the aid of medium Gale Sondergaard, they learn what happened. And Abbott decides to redeem his family name by freeing the ghosts.

It is surprising that the Arnold Conspiracy is the only incident of the American Revolution that seems to have been properly handled in the movies, both here and in the later THE SCARLET COAT. But that was a more in depth look at the tragedy and heroism of Major John Andre. Here the Arnold conspiracy, while the motor for the plot, is only shown in the first twenty minutes of the film (then it goes modern), and the film (for all the tragedy for Costello and Reynolds in their rightful lifetimes) is mostly comic. The antics of the pair, in particular Costello's campaign against the hapless modern Abbott, is funny - living up to the first part of the pun of the title. For all their anguish at being cursed unfairly, the two ghosts get to enjoy themselves - they do have the time of their lives. The other half of the pun, of course, deals with the key to their salvation: that all important letter - hidden inside an 18th Century timepiece.

There are some genuinely amusing moments throughout THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES and the idea of setting an A&C comedy in the Restoration period is an unusual one, to put it mildly. But not all of it is as spontaneously funny as you might wish it to be, although fans of the duo will probably not complain.

A decided asset is a good cast, including MARJORIE REYNOLDS as Lou's ghost-mate intent on finding a missing letter from George Washington that will prove that she and LOU COSTELLO are not traitors. That's the whole premise of the story in a nutshell--and the cast does what it can with the one-liners to keep things moving. BINNIE BARNES has some sharp lines that she delivers with style and GALE SONDERGAARD excels as a spooky housekeeper. JESS BARKER is wasted in a minor role and ANN GILLIS tends to overact as Lou's temperamental sweetheart but within the framework of an over-the-top comedy, it doesn't matter much.

Fans of the team will enjoy the change of setting and there are enough sight gags based on Lou's invisibility gimmick that will keep his fans entertained. BUD ABBOT does some more serious emoting than usual and does surprisingly well without slapping Costello around, for a change.

Summing up: An unusual A&C comedy that their fans should enjoy--including some surprisingly good special effects.

I won't argue over this Abbott and Costello comedy being called the very best of the duo's pictures simply because it's really the only one with a complete, polished feel--it leaves you entertained and satisfied at the end. Most of the A&C movies are filled with brawling slapstick and loud braying--back and forth with the quips--but this one is sharp and funny, and Bud and Lou play characters instead of constantly resorting to shtick. Costello is mistaken for a traitor and killed, later turning up as a ghost to haunt Abbott, who is a relative of Lou's murderer. Surprisingly good story and terrific supporting cast, amusing script and nimble direction makes this one a pleasure. ***1/2 from ****

Abbott & Costello once again work separately, but with more successful results. Bud plays both Cuthbert & his descendant Dr. Ralph Greenway, who during the Revolutionary War betrays Tinker Horatio Prim(played by Lou) who has in his possession a letter of recommendation from General George Washington. Marjorie Reynolds plays Melody Allen, who learns that someone on the estate they share is a traitor. Unfortunately, due to a tragic misunderstanding, both she and Horatio are killed by their own side, and cursed into becoming ghosts who will be Earthbound to their estate until they find evidence to prove their innocence, which finally arrives in 1946, when new people move in, causing the ghostly duo to go into action once more. Imaginative and funny film with good F/X and performances. One could quibble about story morality and logic, but it all works out quite well in the end.

During the filming of The Time Of Their Lives and on into Little Giant Bud and Lou had come a cropper in their relationship. It looked like the team might in fact break up at that time. But Universal had both these guys signed to contracts and they weren't going to pay them for doing nothing.

Given the situation both of these films were fashioned so that they were not exactly a comedy team and had only occasional scenes with each other. But in the case of The Time Of Their Lives, Universal came up with one of their best films with roles perfectly suited to their talents.

In Bud Abbott's case it's two roles suitable to his talents. He plays Cuthbert Greenway a butler serving at Danbury Acres in 1780 during the Revolutionary War where the master Jess Barker is in league with Benedict Arnold and his scheme of treason. Abbott has his own scheme afoot, it's to take Anne Gillis away from tinker Horatio Prim who is played by Lou Costello.

It's the usual Abbott and Costello shenanigans with a bit more bite to it as the boys were barely speaking to each other. Abbott tricks the trusting Costello into a trunk and locks it on him and takes Costello's prize possession, a letter of recommendation from George Washington himself as to Costello's honesty and patriotism.

But the revolutionaries foil Arnold's plans as we know and come upon Danbury Acres and shoot both Costello and Marjorie Reynolds who is Barker's fiancé. They are cursed by the major in charge of the troop, Robert Barrat, to be bound to the Danbury Acres until crack of doom unless some evidence is found to prove they ain't traitors. Good thing he at least put an escape clause in.

Fast forward six generations to 1946 and Abbott is now his own great great great grandson, a psychiatrist who's there with friends Binnie Barnes, John Shelton, and Lynn Baggett. Abbott and Shelton are now trying to restore the old mansion.

Of course the ectoplasmic Costello and Reynolds are happy just to have company after 166 years. And Costello seeing his old enemy takes some ages overdue payback on the descendant. For once Abbott becomes the butt of Costello's humor. Not to say the that Costello doesn't get his share of laughs as he comes face to face with a lot of the progress of the past century and two thirds.

The Time Of Their Lives is a charming fantasy where both Bud and Lou successfully manage to transcend their usual roles and still maintain their loyal fan base. Two more members of the cast who make invaluable contributions to the fun are Gale Sondergaard full time housekeeper and part time medium who is the key to solving the ghost's problems and Donald MacBride as the state police trooper who does his patented slow burn routine in the climax when the ghosts takeover his patrol car.

This is one of Abbott&Costello's best films and in fact it's done without any of their burlesque routines, just on characterization alone.

1780, during the revolutionary war, there is a ball on. The master of the estate, Tom Danbery, is a rebel who plots against Washington. Bud plays a tipsy servant who attempts to woo a maid who is in love with Costello, a poor tinker called Horatio Prim. Prim has a letter of recomendation from Washington himself and he and the maid, Nora, plan to elope but Abbott tricks him into getting trapped in a large trunk. Some of Danberry's men show up and discuss their plan, only to discover Nora overlistening. They do away with her. Danberry's fiance, Melody Allen, is wise to the plan and after helping Tinker escape from the trunk asks him to take her to the nearest soldiers standpoint. As they race off on their horses, Washington's men arrive on the scene looking for Danberry. Thinking they are rebels, Prim and Melody race off in the oposite direction. Mistaking them for traitors too, the man shoot them dead on the spot. The Leader curses their souls and bounds them to the grounds for all time till they can proove their innocence. The house is destroyed and the furniture taken away. Danberry has hidden the letter which prooves their innocence in the library clock.

Cut to 1946. The ghosts are still their but the mansion has been restored. A man recovering froma nervous breakdown, his girl and her outspoken Aunt move in with the original butler's descendant (again, played by an outstading Bud). They also have a physic housekeeper, the wonderful Gale Sondergaard.

After haunting them, they try and find the letter which prooves their innocence...

This is a more interesting A+C film than a funny one. Great performances by all though Lou tries a little to hard at times. I think it's an interesting perforamce by him as I can see shades of his characters from his early films and also his later films. He fumbles with his hat for the 1st time in this film. Bud is superb. I didn't rate his acting in their last couple of films for universal (especially ...meet the keystone Kops) but here, he shines. All of the supporting are great too.

Both Bud and Lou have memorable opening scenes with Bud, the tipsy waitor and Lou asleep on his horse. Good music, great effects and good fun. It has been labelled as an Abbott and Costello film for those who don't like Abbott and Costello. Fun for all the family!

The boys give us a little bit of a history lesson and a lot of laughs here in their second and last movie not acting as a team. Lou is very funny here without Abbott as his straight man and not having to depend on gags. It turns out to be a very classic 40's comedy that is well directed and features a very good supporting cast. Bud plays two roles in the film and is very funny when being haunted by the ghosts.

This movie offered A&C a good script to work with and they do a great job with it. Marjorie Reynolds turns in a very good role here with Lou as her ghostly partner. Unlike "Little Giant" this movie works with A&C not acting as partners and Lou especially shows some good range as an actor mixing in a more tolerable level of pathos with his standard slapstick comedy. Good fun from beginning to end.

I guess it depends on your fondness for Abbot & Costello as a team but for me this is without question the best film the team ever made with Buck Privates a close second.

The pair share hardly any screen time together due to the demands of the script and also apparently because of behind the scenes tensions between the team. It all works to the film's advantage since it gives a freshness to their material. It also helps that both are paired with compatible partners, Abbot more than one.

Marjorie Reynolds' kindly patience with the sweet but dithering Lou adds a great deal of charm to their scenes, and makes him less buffoonish, as wronged ghosts frustrated by their inability to prove their innocence. In the modern section Bud has a fine bunch of co-stars with two standouts: Gale Sondergaard doing a fun riff on Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca and the delightful Binnie Barnes cracking wise at every opportunity.

The cast is great but they are fortunate to have a decent script with a nice set up to work with. The gentle humor of the tale is a pleasant change from the usual silliness of most A&C films which while initially amusing can wear thin pretty quickly.

The Time Of Their Lives (1946) : Brief Review -

This out-and-out entertaining Ghost-comedy by Abbott and Costello would have even made George Washington's Ghost laugh his belly out. I can't recall how many ghost comedies I have seen, but how many of them have stayed in my mind? Hardly one or two. Or maybe even that's doubtful. And today I came to see this Abbott and Costello horror-comedy, which even forced me to forget those one or two. I mean, even those memorable comedies have been influenced by this, so I'd better keep the original or first copy in my mind rather than the influenced stuff. The Time of Their Lives makes you love ghosts just the way they are, and at the same time, it makes you love those humans who are being helpful to those cursed souls. After being killed by mistake, Harotio and Melody have been buried as traitors. The curse is put on them, which can only be lifted if they are proven innocent. 16 decades later, a psychiatrist and his group come to stay in the same mansion, which is haunted by the prankish ghosts of Harotio and Melody. A night follows some fun banter between ghosts and humans until they start believing each other. Costello plays a very funny ghost. In the beginning, as a human, he throws his signature punches. That "British with buttish" was damn freaking good, man. Then "Odsbodkins"! Just wow. Abbott has a normal but important role, but Marjorie Reynolds is a complete surprise. She over-shines, unexpectedly, but that's enchanting. The rest of the cast does well too. A special mention to Gale Sondergaard for that psychic maid. What a peculiar character, yet so lovable. "Didn't I see you in Rebecca?" and that face she makes.. Ohh, I was in splits there. Charles Barton was surely a fella who was meant to engross himself whenever he teamed up with the legendary comic duo. This is one of his best works with the duo as well as one of his best individual comedies. I am sure if George Washington's ghost had seen it, he would have had his stomach and cheeks in pain.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Very different Abbott and Costello movie is one of their best. It's different because the story is much better than most A&C vehicles and because Bud & Lou barely appear together. Instead, Lou spends most of his time paired up with beautiful Marjorie Reynolds. It works though as the two have great chemistry. It's also different because it spends as much time, if not more, on the dramatic plot than it does on trying to be funny. The story is about two people (Lou Costello, Marjorie Reynolds) during the Revolutionary War who are mistakenly believed to be traitors and killed. Their bodies are dumped into a well and they are cursed to remain bound to the estate until they can prove they aren't traitors. Fast-forward to 1946 and the two ghosts hope the new owner of the estate may be the key to them finding peace at last.

Abbott has a lesser part in dual roles. In 1780, he plays a villainous character who is in love with Lou's girlfriend. In 1946, he plays a descendant of that man who tries to atone for his ancestor's actions by helping the ghosts. He does get to be the brunt of physical comedy for once, which was amusing to see. As I said before, Lou spends most of his time with Reynolds. But it works well due to Reynolds' underrated comedic talents. She wasn't just a pretty face. Also features the great Gale Sondergaard as a housekeeper who believes in ghosts. Any movie with Sondergaard can't be bad. A fun movie that should please anybody who watches it, even if they aren't fans of other Abbott & Costello movies.

You almost wonder with the premise of this one if Bud & Lou got back together in the great beyond & did this one again? The story is set in the American Revolution when Lou becomes a ghost. He is a tinker with a letter from George Washington which has gotten hidden, & until it is found his spirit can't leave. Then there is a shapely woman ghost with him under the same curse. Bud is a traitor who hides the letter. The mansion burns down but the letter survives.

Then we fast forward to the 1940's Bud's Grandson who looks just like Bud comes back to visit the re-built mansion. Lou's ghost haunts him from the get go & this makes some of the funnier moments they have in their films. Lou & Bud argued a lot off screen so here, Lou gets to lay it on Bud & he does so pretty thick.

The support cast in this movie is better than the average A&C film & for once there is not a bunch of music to distract the viewer. All these years later & the film is a little dated, but it is still funny.

I'm not sure why this Abbott and Costello comedy is well liked.

In my opinion, "The Time of Their Lives" shouldn't have been made, considering that Bud and Lou weren't on speaking terms at the time of production.

The screenplay doesn't work for the most part. Neither comedian can succeed as a solo performer, they are sorely missed as a team!

The film provides a few chuckles along the way and the sense of atmosphere isn't out of place. The opening 15 minutes is okay but then it is all downhill.

Growing up in the New York area as a kid, channel 11 (WPIX) used to show the Abbott and Costello movies every Sunday at 11:30 AM. I got to see virtually all of them. Some were OK (Buck Privates) while others were barely watchable (the later ones that start with "Abbott & Costello Meet [INSERT HORROR CHARACTER NAME]).

BUT...I have always noticed that "The Time of Their Lives" is definately very, very different from all of their other films. First of all it has a cohesive, discernable plot that isn't just about hanging the gags on. All of the comedic moments arise from and because of the plot and they work very well. And the resolution of the ghost's predicament (they were wrongly executed) is very satisfying.

It would be interesting to find out how and why this film was made because it differs so radically from the other Abbott & Costello films. Was it a fluke? Did the team seek better material? Did it simply come their way?

See this film. It's very good indeed.

Abbott and Costello may have been feuding in real life but it doesn't hurt TTOTL in which there is only one scene where they fully interact with each other. This film was directed by Charles Barton who also directed their most famous masterpiece "Meet Frankenstein", and the quality of the writing and plot is up to that standard, in fact ahead of its time. Even though it is about the supernatural, the plot is a logical framework like "Meet Frankenstein", which makes the laughs and gags so funny. It's a story of wrongful conviction and final redemption where things are put right. Costello and the supporting cast are terrific, including his female foil, Marjorie Reynolds, but what really stands out is the chemistry between Bud Abbott and Binnie Barnes whose lines with each other are as snappy and fast paced as any Abbott and Costello routine. If Abbott were to take a female partner, she was the one for him. If there is a flaw, it's the inconsistencies about what ghosts can touch, but that's forgivable. It is also a film where Abbott takes a lot of the pratfalls. That's great if you have been dying to see him get paid back for all the times he picks on Costello.