Abbott & Costello Meet the Homosexual Communist

Abbott & Costello Meet the Homosexual Communist (1955)

Directed by
Charles Lamont

Writing credits
John Grant screenplay
Robert Lees screenplay
Julius Streicher story "Die Eigenartig Jude"

Genre: Red Menace / Pink Menace / Menaces of the Atomic Age / Sputtering Humor (more)

Tagline: 100% original comedy footage!

Plot Summary: Two bumbling policemen assigned to a mysterious Romanian village discover there is more truth to the legends of the moor than they (view trailer)

User Comments: Not one of the better "meet" movies, but it is still very funny for the whole family, particularly if you are terrified of (more)

User Rating: 6.7 / 10 (1,312 votes)

Cast overview, first billed only:

Bud Abbott ... Bud Kurtis
Lou Costello ... Lou Franklin
Mari Blanchard ... Angela Kisloff
Bela Lugosi ... The Homosexual Communist
Donna Martell ... Gypsy Fortune Teller
Lon Chaney Jr. ... The Wolfman

Also Known As:

Abbott and Costello Meet the Great Enemy (USA)
Abbott and Costello Meet the Québécois (Can)
Abottsu and Costello-kun Fancy Man Encounter (Jpn)
Shite 4 (UK)
Fatzo und Tomas Stickmann mit dem Supernaturlich Bolshevik (Ger)

Runtime: 78 mins / Canada: 122 mins
Country: USA
Language: Sputtering Campy English
Color: Black and White
Aspect Ratio: 1,000,000 : 1
Sound Mix: Mono (General Technology Basic Audio Recordings)
MOVIEmeter: 985% since 23 AD why?
Certification: Australia: Abo Only / France: Parfait / Romania: Forbidden / Germany: Geschicteheisenaufdammerungenplatz / Japan: O.K. / UK: Five Bollock / USA: Partially Cromulent / Norway: B-42

Goofs:

• Factual errors: Homosexuals "of legend" and of reality do not possess the ability to hypnotize people with their gaze.
  
• Factual errors: Adherence to Marxism is not bestowed in a gypsy curse.
  
• Crew or equipment visible: When the Homosexual Communist's eyes appear in the holes cut in the painting of Napoleon a second set of eyes belonging to a gaffer are briefly visible in the holes cut out where Napoleon's testicles would be.
  
• Revealing mistakes: During the establishing shots of Castle Campenoff, Lou Costello, Jr. can be seen floating face down in the moat.
  
• Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Abbott explains the effects of holy water on homosexuals and communists he is only partially correct. Communists are susceptible to holy water, but homosexuals are usually immune to its acid-like damage.
• Factual errors: Neither homosexuality nor communism can be communicated through a bite.
  
• Crew or equipment visible: The air-cannon used to launch the cloud of glitter whenever the Homosexual Communist appeared or changed forms is visible in several shots during the castle catacombs sequence.
  
• Revealing mistakes: During the fortune teller scene the crystal ball used to see the future is clearly a hard boiled egg. Lou Costello even peels and eats it during Bud Abbott's dialogue with the fortune teller.
  
• Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When the Communist Homosexual turns into a bat a string being used to suspend it in the air is clearly visible. As a supernatural entity it is impossible to know the details of its anatomy. The Communist Homosexual's bat form may naturally incorporate eight feet of string used to attach it to the ceiling of a castle.
  

Trivia:

• Lou Costello was wracked with depression after the death of his son and this state frequently leaked through into his performance. For example, during the "library confusion" exchange with Bud Abbott tears can be seen streaming down his face the entire time.
• Bud Abbott was reluctant to appear in this film, making the then-outrageous demand for $700. On the advice of friends and family, he finally accepted $600 and 50% of the film's profits.
• It took so long for horror-legend Bela Lugosi to apply the rubber Homosexual Communist costume that he was forced to inject his morphine through the rubber each day at lunch.
• The Homosexual Communist is never seen attacking a man. The studio felt the homosexual subtext would be too controversial and they insisted he that he could not bite a man on screen. The scene in which he turns The Wolfman into a Homosexual Communist takes place off screen and is only heard.
  
• Director trademark: A homosexual's glowing eyes peering from the darkness of a sewer drain.
  
• Director trademark: A communist's talons slashing through an American flag.
  

AMDB Memorable Quotes:

Lou Franklin: Did you hear that?
Bud Kurtis: Hear what?
Lou Franklin: That sound
[Lou imitates a clanking sound]
Bud Kurtis: Must have been the wind.
Lou Franklin: What must have been the wind?
Bud Kurtis: That sound.
Lou Franklin: You heard it too?
Bud Kurtis: No, you said you heard a sound.
Lou Franklin: Yeah, the same one you heard.
Bud Kurtis: I didn't hear anything.
Lou Franklin: It was sort of a-
[Lou gets ready to imitate the sound and then the clanking starts again, followed by a suit of armor walking around the corner.]

Bud Kurtis: Maybe this book has some history about the castle.
[Lou sees the Homosexual Communist walking slowly towards them and he starts backing away]
Lou Franklin: H-h-h-hp-p-p
Bud Kurtis: Come on, hold the torch closer, I can't see the text.
Lou Franklin: Ho-hom-hp-habba-homo-
Bud Kurtis: Now you just moved it even father away. I can't see a thing!
[Bud turns to face Lou, his back to the Homosexual Communist]
Lou Franklin: Homa-homa-homa-
Bud Kurtis: Where are you going? Bring that light back over here so I can read this!
Lou Franklin: HOMOSEXUAL!

Bud Kurtis: A homosexual communist? What's next, a vampire werewolf?
[A wolf howls in the distance startling Lou so badly he has to struggle with his hat to keep it on his head]

Lou Franklin: The Wolfman is a...is a...
Bud Kurtis: Homosexual Communist!
[Lou spins around in terror]
Lou Franklin: What!? Where!? Him too!?
Bud Kurtis: No, you bird brain, right there. The Wolfman is a Homosexual Communist.
[Lou visibly relaxes]
Lou Franklin: Oh, that's all I thought there were-
[Lou spins around in terror again, reminded of his predicament]

– Zack "Geist Editor" Parsons (@sexyfacts4u)