Main Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick Powell, Claire Dodd, The Andrews Sisters
Release Year: 1941
Country: US
Run Time: 85 minutes
Plot
The third of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's starring films, In the Navy was released second; Universal had just made a bundle off Abbott and Costello's Buck Privates, and the studio wanted another "service" comedy put into circulation in a hurry. Abbott and Costello share over-the-title billing with Dick Powell, who plays a popular radio singer. Eager to avoid his screaming fans, Powell enlists in the Navy under an assumed name, hoping to serve his country incognito. Girl reporter Claire Dodd chases after Powell, hoping to secure a photo of the fugitive "idol of millions." So much for the "straight" plot; what are Abbott and Costello up to? Well, Costello plays a ship's cook who wants to impress Patty Andrews of The Andrews Sisters. With his pal Abbott's help, Costello poses as an admiral -- and in so doing nearly destroys the entire American fleet. This climactic sequence ran into trouble when the U.S. Navy decided that it didn't want to be held up to ridicule by showing the bumbling Costello ordering its ships around. To save the climax -- the most expensive portion of the film -- the scriptwriters wrote a new coda, passing off Costello's "admiralty" as a dream sequence. The best Abbott and Costello routines have little if anything to do with the plot: our favorite (indeed, everyone's favorite) is Costello proving to Abbott that 7 X 13 = 28. Those viewers who prefer music to comedy will be thoroughly satisfied by the vocal contributions of Dick Powell and The Andrews Sisters, as well as a lively dance number offered by the Condos Brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Popular crooner Russ Raymond (Dick Powell) abandons his career at its peak and joins the Navy using an alias, Tommy Halstead. However, Dorothy Roberts (Claire Dodd), a reporter, discovers his identity and follows him in the hopes of photographing him and revealing his identity to the world.
Aboard the Alabama, Tommy meets up with Smoky (Bud Abbott) and Pomeroy (Lou Costello), who help hide him from Dorothy, who hatches numerous schemes in an attempt to photograph Tommy/Russ being a sailor. Pomeroy is in love with Patty, one of The Andrews Sisters, sends her numerous fan letters, and tries to impress her with false tales of his physique and his naval rank. Eventually, Patty discovers that Pomeroy is only a baker, and Pomeroy spends much of the movie attempting to win her affection.
Production
In the Navy was filmed from April 8, 1941 through May 9, 1941.[1] The Navy only reluctantly let the crew use a battleship to film the movie. However, the film was sent back in for reshoots after the Navy prevented Universal from releasing it. They were offended at a scene which showed Pomeroy Watson impersonating a captain and putting the battleship through a series of madcap maneuvers. The scene was left in, but the reshoots turned it into a dream of Pomeroy's so as not to portray the Navy in a bad light.[1] Despite the fact that it was filmed after Hold That Ghost, Universal decided to release this military themed film after Buck Privates became a huge hit.[1]
Routines
A scene in the galley with Abbott and Costello, along with Shemp Howard includes the routine of math, where 13 x 7 = 28.
Re-release
In the Navy was re-released in January 1949 with Who Done It?.[1]
DVD releases
This film has been released three times on DVD. Originally released as single DVD on August 26, 1998, it was released twice as part of two different Abbott and Costello collections. The first time, on The Best of Abbott and Costello Volume One, on February 10, 2004, and again on October 28, 2008 as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
References
^ abcd Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51605-0
