Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

thejcowboy22 Sometimes when you go against the grain or switch an ingredient or upset the status quo you develop Champagne! What a departure from the regular Abbott and Costello movies from before. This time our story takes you back to the colonial period just after the Revolutionary War. Horatio Prim (Lou Costello) is a master tinker who finally travels to Danbury estate with a letter of commendation from General George Washington. Horatio wants to show the document to Master Danbury for permission to marry his Housemaid Nora O'Leary (Ann Gillis). Horatio's rival is of course is Cuthbert Greenway played by (Bud Abbott) who is also the butler and has eyes for Nora as well. Greenway tries to intercept the letter of commendation but Nora takes the letter for safe keeping. To make matters worse, Nora over hears Danbury discussing switching sides with the British under the direction of Benedict Arnold. Danbury discovers Nora eavesdropping and abducts her and confiscates the commendation letter and puts it in his mantel clock. Danbury's fiancé Melody Allen (Majorie Reynolds) witnesses the kidnapping and changes clothes plus volunteers the clumsy, portly Prim to ride along to warn General Washington of the plot. Unfortunately the two are mistakenly shot by Washington's troops and their bodies are thrown down a well on the grounds of Danbury Manor. Branded traitors the two are cursed for eternity to be imprisoned on those grounds unless they find that commendation letter from George Washington. Melody and Horatio separate from their dead carcasses as a thirsty Horatio drinks water only to have the water spout out of him from all sides. The two also witness the destruction of Danbury Manor to fire. Time passes by, one hundred and sixty six years to be exact. Our two ghost witness the reconstruction of Danbury Manor to it's original state by Sheldon Gage (John Shelton). Gage invites some guests to his newly remodeled manor. Doctor Ralph Greenway also played by Bud Abbott, who is a descendant of Cuthbert Greenway has no knowlege of his ancestor's past. The other guests of the cast include June Prescott (Lynn Baggett) who is Gage's fiancé and Prescott's Aunt Millie played by wise aching Binnie Barnes. The house keeper Emily who has a knack for sensing the Ghostly inhabitants is played by Gale Sondergaard. Horatio and Melody reek havoc as they turn on light fixtures, play the radio and even have a fashion show down the main staircase as Dr. Greenway thinks he's losing his mind. One important fact!!! The original furniture of Danbury Manor was removed including the mantel clock where the infamous letter is stored before the fire was committed. A seance is held as Emily obtains the voice of the late Thomas Danbury who informs the group as well as our lovable Ghosts where the letter is hidden. To atone for his Ancestor's sins against Horatio, Dr. Greenway travels to the museum and steels the mantel clock in hopes of releasing the curse which bonds the two ghost to Earth. The cops follow Greenway back to Danbury Manor for the clock as comedy reigns as Horatio takes his first driving lesson with rave reviews. Weird watching Abbott and Costello work independently. Also strange is seeing Bud Abbott drive an Automobile despite issues with Epilepsy. Also an anomaly is seeing Costello doing the pranks against Abbott mainly physical kicking Abbott in the pants. Despite the drastic changes from the original formula it all worked for me. Ionly wished Bud Abbott would have gone on his own to do serious roles when Lou passed in 1959. On the other hand Lou was the partner of the two that was the risk taker in all their endeavors. Lou would depute movie contracts, larger trailers etc..Bud was mainly a pacifist due to the fact he was very sub-conscious of his affliction of epileptic fits. Lou did venture out on his own to do the TV show Wagon Train and The Thirty Foot Bride of Candy Rock. Time wasn't on Lou's side though as his weak heart gave out in his early 50's despite being in huge demand.Bud Abbott tried to capture the old magic with a different partner but somethings just don't click. Basically this movie showcased two different talents independently.

galicea-19143 When most consider Abbott & Costello's expansive filmography, the first movies that usually come to mind are "Buck Privates" and "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein." As someone who's seen each of their films seven times, (or more, depending on movie), this one's my very favorite (although I think only truly faithful A&C lovers know how much fun it is). The casting choices are pitch perfect, (especially with Lou's beautiful co-star). The unique, innovative storyline takes Abbott & Costello back to the revolutionary era, each of them playing two different parts in past and present modes (circa 1945), gifting the audience a wonderfully funny double dose of sheer genius.I think it's one of A&C's most imaginative, brilliant scripts, with almost non-stop laughs. This is definite "must-watch cinema," a true comedic gem, so rare in the 21st century.

MartinHafer In the 1946, Abbott and Costello were at each other's throats and refused to work with each other BUT would still make films. So, Universal Studios was very creative and made two films where the two comedy stars could be films together...of sorts. While they both were in LITTLE GIANT and THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES, they didn't do all that many scenes together and they definitely didn't look like a team. While many disliked these two movies (particularly LITTLE GIANT), I like them both a lot because all the films leading up to it were becoming a bit stale--with an obvious formula and predictability about them. The standard formula up to 1946 consisted of Abbott and Costello doing their thing, a separate love interest (that mostly distracted the viewers) and lots and lots of singing (again, it mostly distracted the viewers). Most people were wanting more Abbott and Costello in films and they got this in these two films--just not in the way most people wanted. THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES is less a comedy and more a character driven film with some comedy. This isn't a bad thing--just a big departure from the past. Unlike the older films, the jokes were not the most important thing, but plot development was.The film begins in 1780. Because of a mistake, Lou Costello and Marjorie Reynolds both were killed and assumed to be traitors to the revolutionary cause. Upon their death, they were cursed and their ghosts were to haunt the property forever--or until there is proof that the two were not traitors.Now, in the present day of 1946, the mansion where they'd been killed was newly restored and once again people started coming back to the property where Lou and Marjorie were stuck. Eventually, they are able to communicate, of sorts, with the present time and a search begins to locate a letter from General Washington that proves they were NOT bad guys after all.It's interesting that Bud Abbott plays dual roles (just like he did in the previous film). In the prologue, he plays an awful scoundrel who hates and betrays Lou. In the present time, he plays a psychiatrist who wants to discover the truth--even if it means his relative was a jerk. It's a nice role because it requires acting, not laughs.Overall, the film is well worth seeing, though not all that funny. This isn't a bad thing...in fact it's a welcome thing as the film is engaging from start to finish AND doesn't have any stupid song and dance numbers! Well written, acted and constructed from start to finish.

bkoganbing During the filming of The Time Of Their Lives and on into Little Giant Bud and Lou had come a cropper in their relationship. It looked like the team might in fact break up at that time. But Universal had both these guys signed to contracts and they weren't going to pay them for doing nothing.Given the situation both of these films were fashioned so that they were not exactly a comedy team and had only occasional scenes with each other. But in the case of The Time Of Their Lives, Universal came up with one of their best films with roles perfectly suited to their talents. In Bud Abbott's case it's two roles suitable to his talents. He plays Cuthbert Greenway a butler serving at Danbury Acres in 1780 during the Revolutionary War where the master Jess Barker is in league with Benedict Arnold and his scheme of treason. Abbott has his own scheme afoot, it's to take Anne Gillis away from tinker Horatio Prim who is played by Lou Costello. It's the usual Abbott and Costello shenanigans with a bit more bite to it as the boys were barely speaking to each other. Abbott tricks the trusting Costello into a trunk and locks it on him and takes Costello's prize possession, a letter of recommendation from George Washington himself as to Costello's honesty and patriotism. But the revolutionaries foil Arnold's plans as we know and come upon Danbury Acres and shoot both Costello and Marjorie Reynolds who is Barker's fiancé. They are cursed by the major in charge of the troop, Robert Barrat, to be bound to the Danbury Acres until crack of doom unless some evidence is found to prove they ain't traitors. Good thing he at least put an escape clause in.Fast forward six generations to 1946 and Abbott is now his own great great great grandson, a psychiatrist who's there with friends Binnie Barnes, John Shelton, and Lynn Baggett. Abbott and Shelton are now trying to restore the old mansion.Of course the ectoplasmic Costello and Reynolds are happy just to have company after 166 years. And Costello seeing his old enemy takes some ages overdue payback on the descendant. For once Abbott becomes the butt of Costello's humor. Not to say the that Costello doesn't get his share of laughs as he comes face to face with a lot of the progress of the past century and two thirds. The Time Of Their Lives is a charming fantasy where both Bud and Lou successfully manage to transcend their usual roles and still maintain their loyal fan base. Two more members of the cast who make invaluable contributions to the fun are Gale Sondergaard full time housekeeper and part time medium who is the key to solving the ghost's problems and Donald MacBride as the state police trooper who does his patented slow burn routine in the climax when the ghosts takeover his patrol car.This is one of Abbott&Costello's best films and in fact it's done without any of their burlesque routines, just on characterization alone.