Hit the Ice (film)

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Hit the Ice (film)
Hittheice.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Written by True Boardman
Robert Lees
Frederic I. Rinaldo
Directed by Charles Lamont
Starring Bud Abbott
Lou Costello
Ginny Simms
Patric Knowles
Elyse Knox
Sheldon Leonard
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) Alex Gottlieb
Running time 82 min
Distributor Universal Pictures

Hit the Ice is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello and directed by Charles Lamont, who took over after the original director, Erle C. Kenton, was fired.[1]

Plot[edit | edit source]

Two sidewalk photographers, Tubby McCoy (Lou Costello) and Flash Fulton (Bud Abbott), aspire to work for the local newspaper. Their childhood friend, Dr. Bill Burns (Patric Knowles), invites them to come along on a call to a building fire. While attempting to photograph the inferno, Tubby is injured and brought to Burns' hospital. While they are there, Silky Fellowsby (Sheldon Leonard), a gangster who is admitted as a patient to establish an alibi for a robbery he is planning, mistake Tubby and Flash for two Detroit hitmen. He expects them to guard the bank's entrance while they rob it, while they mistakenly believe that they are hired to take photographs of the gang as they leave the bank. When the bank is robbed, Tubby and Flash are considered the prime suspects.

Fellowsby heads to a ski resort in Sun Valley| to "recuperate", hiring Burns and his nurse (Elyse Knox) to care for him. Wanting to clear their names, Tubby and Flash go to the resort, where they are hired as waiters. They attempt to retrieve the stolen cash by blackmailing the gangsters with the bank photographs, which turn out to be worthless as the robbers' faces are not shown. A fight ensues and after a climactic chase down the mountain, the gangsters are caught.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Production[edit | edit source]

Hit the Ice was filmed from November 23 through December 31, 1942.

Costello was diagnosed with rheumatic fever upon his return from a 35-day war bond tour in 1942, and was stricken with a severe bout of the disease in March 1943, and was bedridden for approximately nine months. The team would not work again until November 4, 1943 when they returned to their NBC radio program. Tragically, on that same day, Costello's son Butch drowned in the family swimming pool. As a result, Costello had a bracelet emblazoned with the name "Butch" permanently welded around his wrist.

Rerelease[edit | edit source]

It was re-released on a double bill with another Abbott and Costello film. Hold That Ghost, in 1949.

Home media[edit | edit source]

This film has been released twice on VHS. The first time on VHS and Beta in 1987 and again on VHS in 1991.

This film has been released twice on DVD. The first time, on The Best of Abbott and Costello Volume Two, on May 4, 2004, and again on October 28, 2008 as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51605-0

External links[edit | edit source]




Category:1940s comedy films Hit the Ice| Category:Abbott and Costello Category:American films Category:American black-and-white films Category:English-language films Category:Films directed by Charles Lamont Category:Universal Pictures films