Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953)

Very well executed

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Awesome Movie

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

In one of their better 1950s features, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are headed on a little interplanetary trip. But first, there's a little sidebar where the lovable duo land their spaceship in New Orleans in the middle of Mardi Gras--and of course, Bud and Lou think they have landed on Mars.Meanwhile, 2 crooks who just busted out of the clink, find their way onboard the ship, steal a ray gun and hold up a bank and clothing store. Of course, it won't be long before the crooks and A & C come together and thanks to Costello, blast off to the planet of Venus.And what a planet Venus turns out to be--inhabited by some very shapely bathing beauties. Certainly, these are the best looking "aliens" you will come across in a Hollywood movie.And the pleasing aesthetics of the planet Venus lead to Bud, Lou and the crooks getting banished back to Earth, where they receive a heroes welcome and a ticker tape parade.Overall, while the title of this film is rather confusing--maybe someone at Universal thought that "Abbott and Costello go to Venus" didn't have a great ring to it. Regardless, "Mars" is a good way to while away over an hour of your life.

Released in 1953 - This Sci-Fi/Comedy, with its weak storyline and inferior humor, was a clear indication that the end was just around the corner for Abbott & Costello's careers as one of Hollywood's most popular, slapstick comedy-duos.Following "Go To Mars", Abbott & Costello would go on to star in 4 more films together. With all of them being big flops, "Dance With Me, Henry" would be the last, which was released in 1956.Playing characters Lester & Orville (respectively), our 2 dim-witted protagonists are menial lab-workers who are assigned to load supplies onto a high-tech rocket-ship.In a state of bewilderment Orville accidentally hits the ignition switch which immediately launches the rocket into the sky.Believing that they have actually landed on Mars (but it's really New Orleans during Mardi Gras), Orville and Lester don spacesuits and venture out of the rocket to meet the Martians (who are really just regular people wearing wild costumes).In the meantime, 2 escaped convicts, Harry the Horse and Mugsy, find the rocket and after putting on a couple of extra spacesuits, go out and rob a bank.As circumstances turn out, Lester, Orville, Harry and Mugsy, all end up together back inside the rocket and they blast off to Venus where they discover the planet to be inhabited by only scantily-clad women in high-heels. (All men had been banished by Queen Allura long ago) Even though Venus appears to be a heavenly paradise for these men, it doesn't take long for the boys to get themselves back to Earth, where justice is finally served to Harry and Mugsy.This movie actually sounds a lot better than it really is. The whole production was very rushed and noticeably inferior in every aspect.Filmed in b&w, this film had a running time of only 77 minutes.

After having liked Abbott and Costello meet The Invisible Man.I was keen on seeing how this film would be.And,to my very pleasant surprise,i found this to be a very strong comedy,with some great laugh-out-loud moments. The plot:Orville and Lester are two technicians that are doing a final check up on a rocket the is going to to be sent to Mars.(Though neither of them realise that there are two escaped prisoners hiding in the rocket.)Whilst doing the check up,one of them accidentally presses the ignition button!When they eventually land,they discover that they have "landed on Mars".Where,everyone is very tall,and they all have spinning heads,and very long necks (though this is actually people in costume,for the New Orleans Mardi Gras festival.)Due to seeing all of these terrifying things,Orville and Lester quickly rush back to the rocket,where they are held at gun-point,by the escaped prisoners who have been hiding in the ship.The prisoners explain to them that they are still on earth,and,they are then forced by the prisoners to re-start the rocket,and are told to program it to go to Mars.When they decide to land,they all realise the they have not landed on Mars,but,have actually landed on Venus.Luclay everyone becomes very happy,when they all find out the Venus is a planet that is only populated by stunning super-model looking girls!!.Though all of them star to feel a bit uneasy,when they find out why there are no men on the planet... View on the film:The main thing that i feel makes the film very strong is the great screenplay by John Grant and D.D. Beauchamp (who also co created the story with Howard Christie.)Which has lots of strong comedy set-ups,the really suit the great cast in the film (the Mardi Gras bank robbery and the Venus lie detector being two of the highlights.)And,the story is also surprisingly quite original,with having them not get to Mars at all in the film,but instead setting it in New Orleans and on Venus!Final view on the film:A great comedy,with fun performances and a very interesting story.

"Abbott and Costello Go To Mars" is one of the better remembered films from my childhood, along with their romp with Frankenstein, and other Million Dollar Movie favorites like "Godzilla" and "King Kong". Perhaps it was the memorable New Orleans Mardi Gras setting with it's outlandish cast of costumed "martians", it would have been an even better visual treat in color. It's pure and simple fun, and doesn't use a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo to explain space flight, unless you rely on the comments by a couple of Orville's (Costello) young friends in the opening scene.The fact that the boys never do get to Mars is easily overlooked, particularly as they get sidetracked by a couple of bank robbers and take off for Venus. There we get an early look at the 1950's version of a Star Wars type land speeder, and get to see Venusian girls testing their accuracy in a game using saucers that pre-date the Frisbee. Presiding over the man-less Venusian landscape is Queen Allura, portrayed by Mari Blanchard and looking nothing short of gorgeous. Universal could have done a lot worse than populating the movie with an array of Miss Universe contestants.The funniest bit for me was probably meant to be serious; as the boys take off in their rocket for the second time, Dr. Wilson (Robert Paige) needs only about one second on a slide rule device to determine the ship is heading to Venus - huh, how'd he do that? Then there was the comment made by Orville when confronted by a foggy landscape in an unknown world - "Being I can't see a foot in front of me, I'd say it's Los Angeles." Wow, I didn't think L.A. became known for it's smog until the Sixties!It's a shame that as time goes by, movies like "A & C Go To Mars" have less and less of an audience. It's charm lies in it's wholesome fare from a simpler time that doesn't have a message, without pretending to be anything more than fun. I think I'll get me a Venusian balloon.