Combining a touch of horror and film noir within a murder mystery, Abbott and Costello once again add their unique brand of humour to dark subject matter in the 1942 classic comedic caper Who Done It?.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton (Island of Lost Souls), this flick finds straight man Bud Abbott playing Chick Larkin while funny man Lou Costello portrays Mervin Q. Milgrim; together, they are a pair of simple-minded soda jerks on the bottom floor of a popular radio station. Yet, their true dream is to become head writers for a mystery themed radio show – which is why they took the low paying jobs in the highfalutin building.
Finding writer Jimmy Turner (Patric Knowles) and secretary to the boss, Juliet Collins (Mary Wickes), in their midst while working at the soda and ice cream bar, they see this as a prime opportunity to pitch their idea. Turner takes a liking to the funny friends and invites them to a live taping of his program, Murder at Midnight. Not confident enough with the connection made, Chick convinces Mervin to turn on the charm in order to woo well connected Juliet – who might be described as a Plain Jane.
While at the performance, the duo find themselves at the centre of a real life murder, as studio president Colonel J.R. Andrews (Thomas Gomez) is electrocuted just as the program goes on air. Once again jumping at what they see as a perfect chance to further their careers, the two impersonate police officers – as they think this will throw them into the limelight.
Soon though, a pair of dim-witted detectives, Moran (William Gargan) and Branningan (William Bendix), arrive and believe that the impersonators are the real killers – forcing the odd couple to hide out in the building while they continue to follow the cryptic clues (including a scene with a glove that seems eerily similar to the O.J. Simpson case).
Hijinks ensue as Chick and Mervin continuously evade the cops, finding themselves in more and more dire situations. At one point, the pair have to dress up as trapeze artists to hide from the detectives. With the coppers in the same room offstage, Mervin puts on a ridiculous European inflected Stallone-type voice in front of them, which provides him with enough time to sneak onstage. Showing off some of his amazing physical comedy manoeuvres, Costello flips, jumps and forces much skinnier performers to lift him in hilarious ways, making it one of the standout scenes of the film.
You will also find much of their iconic wordplay. In place of their clever ‘Who’s on First’ skit (which does make a surprise cameo in the film), they utilize the words ‘Watts and Volts’ in ingenious ways – an improvised creation not found in the script. You will also find their memorable ‘two tens for a five’ routine reworked in this one, this time using nickels and dimes. Here is the original bit for your enjoyment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOETa1AgIMY
Having three writers on the team, the story was conceived by Stanley Roberts, while also having Edmund Joseph (who went on to write their iconic film The Naughty Nineties in 1945) and longtime Abbott and Costello scribe John Grant (who worked with them from the very beginning) working with him on the project, allowing for a variety of comedy to come out of the script.
I must say that there is something alluring about Who Done It?. Capturing the imaginative and original process of developing the hard-boiled radio mysteries of yesteryear, it not only harkens us back to a simpler time, but also makes us realize that those children and adults who sat together, listening to such well produced broadcasts, had their imaginations firing with all kinds of creative goodness. Much like reading to our children, these forms of audio broadcasts were perfect for stimulating the brain and enlivening our creativity. It is also interesting to note that Abbott and Costello, along with cast members William Bendix, William Gargan, and Walter Tetley (who plays the sneakily sharp, but mean-spirited busboy) all played major roles on radio at one time or another. Not only had the famous duo been introduced to the world by way of the waves (on The Kate Smith Hour), but they also launched their own hit radio show on October 8th, 1942, just prior to the release of this film.
Silly, crazy, creepy and ultimately funny, Who Done It? is a wonderful example of the comedy duo in nimble form. Though a few of the gags fall flat, the movie succeeds through a combination of solid story and cleverly written and performed comedy. Directed by Erle C. Kenton, a man who is now mostly remembered for his horror features (if remembered at all), the filmmaker imbued this comedy with enough shadowy intrigue to make the mystery plot work alongside all the jests. So, discover ‘who done it?’ in this classic piece of drollery – you won’t need any extra help to laugh out loud.