weezeralfalfa This is one of a small group of Hollywood films produced in the '40s and early '50s that were completely comical treatments of classical European pirates of bygone centuries. These usually featured one well established star of both physical and verbal comedy, or in the present case, a pair of such. Other examples include: "The Princess and the Pirate", featuring Bob Hope, and "Double Crossbones", featuring Don O'Connor. They are otherwise all quite different from each other in their details. These other two include only one song by a principal actor, and one of these was dubbed. In contrast, the present film includes half a dozen songs, sung by 3 featured singers, and often a chorus included. Thus, it's really a musical pirate farce, rather than a simple farce. All of the songs were composed special for this film by the team of Bob Russell and Lester Lee. I'm no A & C expert, but my impression is that their Universal films usually included a number of songs sung by others or themselves. Thus, this rare Warner production is simply following this successful formula. Leif Erickson was primarily an actor, as in this film, but before he became an actor, he was a singer and trombonist. Thus, he is one of the lead singers in several group sings....This is your one chance to see and hear sing the big band singer Fran Warren, in a Hollywood film. She and singer/actor Bill Shirley, are the featured romantic couple(other than the farcical 'romance' between short 'Puddin Head'(Lou) and taller Captain Bonney(Hillary Brooke). Their romance and their love songs may seem out of step with the rest of the film, but I'm sure they were included to provide an occasional respite from the general mayhem, and to add a bit of class to an otherwise classless knockabout experience. Universal frequently used this formula in the Don O'Connor/Peggy Ryan films during the war years, with a couple of songs by their highbrow singing specialists, mixed with the otherwise jive and comical songs and skits. They sing two love songs: the excellent "Speak to Me of the Tall Pine", while on the ship, and later "North of Nowhere" on Skull Island. In both cases, Fran began, and Bill finished. The second one wasn't as good, and was interrupted several times by the shenanigans of others.When Kidd's pirate crew lands at the infamous pirate hangout of Tortuga, while the others are drinking and making out with the local whores, Bill starts the rousing "A Bachelor's Life", quite appropriate for the situation, later accompanied by various others. When Kidd's crew are ready to sail to Skull Island to dig up a buried treasure chest, the group sings the appropriate rousing song "Tonight We Sail". At the ending is another brief group sing of "Away Ay Aye Ay", as the crew celebrate their finding of the treasure and victory over the scheming Kidd, and prepare to sail home. Lou is now strutting around as captain, while a cursing Laughton hangs upside.Casting Chalres Laughton as a blustery buffoon version of Kidd was a stroke of genius. Some years earlier he had played Kidd in "Captain Kidd", and he had played a sadistic version of Captain Bligh to the hilt, back in the '30s. Here, he provides the simple main plot of the story in going to the small uninhabited tropical Skull Island to dig up a treasure chest. This is a repeat of the burial and digging up of a treasure chest, accompanied by a skull, in "Captain Kidd". It's also perhaps a reference to the much better received Disney version of "Treasure Island", filmed just a couple of years earlier.Laughton provides an entertaining blend of bluster and buffoonery, mostly in combination with the meek counter-conniving A & C, and Hillary Brooke, as Anne Bonney, to make the film work.Speaking of Hillary, her Anne Bonney must have had elevator shoes, as she is listed as only 5'6", yet usually towers over the 5'5" Lou, and usually looks a bit taller than the listed 5'8 Bud and Laughton. The commonly shown drawing of Anne Bonney has her looking willowy. However, Hillary exhibited none of Anne's reported fiery personality, nor presumed Irish accent. Rather, she retained her trademark rather regal demeanor, with cultured British accent, serving as A & C's scheming aid and Lou's love interest. She cultivated her fake British accent early in her career to help distinguish her from competing actress hopefuls. It worked better than she imagined, resulting in her generally being cast as fairly regal. Even A & C, infamous for their off-screen practical jokes, reportedly exempted her from their foolery.As for A & C, as might be expected in a pirate farce, they emphasize physical slapstick comedy more than verbal comedy. This bothers some A & C aficionados, but it doesn't bother me. If you're weary of all those predictable straight pirate yarns, usually with mangled or no historical basis, check out some of the slapstick-dominated ones. This includes the recent animated "The Pirates: Band of Misfits". The Hope-dominated film is generally considered to be the best of the lot, with Virginia Mayo as his princess, to be saved. Although an older film, it's Technicolor, sets, and costumes are particularly gorgeous.

gridoon Considering that Abbott and Costello had done "Meet The Invisible Man" the previous year, this film was a big comedown for them. But then again, considering that around the same period they also did "Comin' Round The Mountain" and "Lost In Alaska", maybe "Meet Captain Kidd" was par for the course. The saddest part here (apart maybe from all the singing that at times makes you feel as if you're watching a second-rate musical) is to observe how few verbal elements have remained in A&C's comedy; instead, their humor has been reduced to the lowbrow, unsophisticated slapstick of mugging, dumb misunderstandings, and people falling down or getting hit with shovels. But sometimes A&C's talent still comes through and the film can make you laugh in spite of yourself. Charles Laughton is loud, bombastic and takes a lot of bumps, to generally unfunny effect; Hillary Brooke is downright sexy as a female captain, and is without a doubt the brightest spot of this movie. (**)

Venturedp I'm a huge fan of A&C and realized that the Captain Kidd story was not part of my collection. I have noticed from other comments that the viewing copies of both Jack and The Beanstalk and A&C Meet Captain Kidd are horrendous...I did get to see the Jack and the Beanstalk..and was appalled at the transfer. My being a cinematographer here in Hollywood I know that if these films were brought to a decent telecine house that amazing improvements can be made to the original color. It's a matter of getting the original negative from the print to start with then having a good colorist to work on it! So that being said...if anyone knows if and when the A&C Meet Captain Kidd will be on DVD...or if it has already been out there. I would love to see it. Noticed that Rio Rita is not available on DVD either. Also is A&C Meet Captain Kidd public domain?

DKosty123 While Abbott & Costello don't make much swash buckling in this story, the color in this color feature is horrible, & the musical numbers even worse, they did one thing right.Charles Laughton as Captain Kidd is easily the films greatest asset. The way he plays off Costello is great. Too bad there is not enough of it to save the film. There is way too little of the boys, & way too much horrible music in a short 70 minute film.Sad thing is the idea could have been so much more. This is one film where the tickets were sold on the title, but the viewers were disappointed. While it is not their worst because of Laughton, it is no where near the teams best film.At least it is the boys in color. Besides Jack & The Beanstalk which also has terrible music & color, this is the only other color film they did. Color me blue that a great idea gets wasted.