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Rating: - The final set of A&C?
There are few comedy teams in movie nowadays, but there was a time when they were all the rage. The Marx Brothers may get the critical praise, but commercially, I doubt any could top Abbott and Costello. I won't say they made classic movies, but they made a lot of fun ones that have been collection in The Best of Abbott and Costello boxed sets. Volume 4 of the set appears to be the last one and includes some of their last movies.

Actually, there are only three true A&C movies in this set. Two of them conclude their monster movie spoofs (the others are in Volume 3). In Abbott and Costello meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the two contend with Boris Karloff who plays both the title villains (in this version, even Jekyll is a fiend). Hyde is more of a straight monster like the Wolf Man. In Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, they are in ancient Egypt and in the possession of a valuable amulet. A cult also wants the amulet and will use the Mummy to assist them. Eventually, there will be two fake mummies along with the real one to keep things going.

The last of the true movies is Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops. The Kops actually don't appear till the end of the movie, which has the pair going to Hollywood to find a con artist. They land roles in a movie which happens to be directed by the con man (in disguise).

All three of these movies show that the stars were reaching the end of their run. While there is still plenty of physical humor, the verbal byplay is missing which was always their best point (after all, they are most remembered for the "Who's on First" routine). The set also contains three features that provide a retrospective look at the pair.

The worst of the three was a theatrical releae, The World of Abbott and Costello. Released in 1965, it is merely a clip film with some good routines highlighted but hampered by unnecessary, unfunny narration. On the other hand, Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld is quite good, with Seinfeld presenting a history of the pair and showing clips from their television show as well as off-screen footage. Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters is also nice, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein; since that movie is in volume 3, it might have been more appropriate to include this final feature as an extra in that set.

Although the four sets include a majority of their movies, there are also a few missing (and mentioned in the Seinfeld feature) including Rio Rita, Africa Screams and Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd. Here's hoping that another set will eventually include these movies; even weak Abbott and Costello is worth watching. Volume 4 is not the pair at their best--and it is the weakest of the four sets--but it still will be a pleasure to watch.

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