"Lucky" Moore, Allan Jones, an insurance salesmen, sells his friend, Steve, Robert Cummings, a million dollar love insurance policy after his fiancee, Cynthia, Nancy Kelly, calls off their wedding. Complications arise from the presence of Steve's persistent ex-girlfriend Mickey, Peggy Moran, and Lucky's growing love for Cynthia. Add a gangster whose backing the policy and his two henchmen, and you have all the ingredients of a classic screwball comedy. However, it isn't quite a classic. Why? The story is sufficient. The leads are pleasant enough, but none of them quite have the star power to push it to the next level. (The comic lead, Allan Jones, is most famous for playing the straight romantic lead in two Marx Brothers movies. Imagine this film done at the same time at MGM with William Powell in the lead backed up by Myrna Loy. Then we'd have a film that could stand on its own.) This film would be consigned to the mildly-diverting late night cable bin if it weren't for the gangster's two henchmen, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, in their film debut. Bud and Lou give the film energy every time they appear on screen. Unfortunately, it is a different energy than the rest of the film. It's like the plot lurches to a stop to let them do some routines - like the abbreviated version of the "Who's on First" routine. Not that I am complaining. Their material was better than the rest of the movie. It is a good debut, and easy to see why they would be quickly given their own film. Abbott and Costello would not prove to be my favorite comedy team, but they had many highlights ahead of them.
Review of One Night in the Tropics
