Buck Privates is a 1941 American military musical comedy film starring the comedy duo of Abbott and Costello, directed by Arthur Lubin and costarring Lee Bowman, Jane Frazee, Alan Curtis, Nat Pendleton, and The Andrews Sisters. A major critical and box-office success, this was the film that effectively cemented A&C's screen careers, making them Household Names for millions.
In the wake of the Peacetime Draft of 1940, a movie theater in New York is repurposed into an Army enlistment center. Boorish, wealthy young Randolph Parker is drafted, and arrives at the center assuming his father's connections will get him out of service... only to find out a little too late that his father's decided military service might be good for his son after all. Bob Martin, his former valet, is also enlisting, having left Parker's employ to do so. Meanwhile, huckster sidewalk salesmen Herbie Brown and Slicker "Smitty" Smith (Abbott and Costello) are chased by a police officer into the theater, unaware of what it's now being used for. Thinking they're signing up for a prize raffle, they accidentally enlist for service and end up in boot camp with Martin and Parker. Worse, they soon discover the cop who was chasing them is now their drill sergeant. Parker and Bob sets their sights on camp hostess Judy Gray, Bob's old friend. Hilarity Ensues at boot camp.
This film provides examples of:
- Afraid of Needles: When getting their vaccinations upon heading to boot camp, Smitty admits that he really hates getting shots. Herbie tries encouraging him as he approaches the physician. When the needle goes into Smitty’s arm, he yells in pain, but Herbie’s the one who passes out.
- Armed Farces: The first of 3 such films done by Abbott and Costello, made in the wake of the Peacetime Draft of 1940. Somewhat unusual in that most characters are shown as efficient and skilled, save for the main duo.
- The Atoner: Parker becomes one after letting his company down, eventually becoming a hero in a war game exercise in the climax.
- Bankruptcy Barrel: Herbie gets one at the end, after literally losing his pants in a Craps game with Sgt. Collins.
- The Bet: One is made on the outcome of a shooting match between two companies. Since Parker, their best shot, blew it off to be with Judy, the protagonists lose a lot of money.
- Break the Haughty: Over the course of the film, the smug, wealthy Randolph Parker gets drafted, punched out by his former valet, and endures boot camp. The result is that he sees him becoming considerably humbler by the end.
- Draft Dodging: Parker initially thinks he can avoid service thanks to his father's connections.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Sgt. Michael Collins is a more subdued example of the trope, also being something of a Reasonable Authority Figure.
- Exact Words: Used a few times. The first example comes when an officer forbids Herbie and Smitty from selling ties out of their suitcase. When he walks off, Herbie reveals he has a big assortment hidden in his jacket to sell.
- Failed a Spot Check: Early on, Smitty and Herbie try to escape a police officer by leaping into a taxi... except it isn't a taxi, it's a police car. With two officers inside. The boys leap out immediately.
- Glamorous Wartime Singer: The Andrews Sisters, as themselves, regularly appear to sing sentimental or patriotic tunes to entertain the troops at the boot camp.
- Grande Dame: Parker's wealthy, elderly mother. She spoils him rotten, and doesn't hesitate to voice her disgust at "A Yale man becoming a private".
- Hero Antagonist: Drill Sergeant Collins, who spends much of his screentime chewing out the incompetent Herbie.
- Honest John's Dealership: Herbie and Smitty start off as this trope, selling incredibly cheap neckties without a license out of wherever they can hide them.
- Hustling the Mark: Herbie hustles Smitty out of quite a bit of cash in a Craps game, pretending he's new to it but dropping references to how it works without thinking.
- Improbable Aiming Skills: One of Parker's few redeeming qualities is being a crack shot with a rifle.
- Ladykiller in Love: Parker falls hard for Judy, despite her decidedly frigid feelings towards him and his having said goodbye to three other women upon joining the army. His creepier overtures towards her don't help.
- Oh, Crap!: Probably Herbie's biggest comes when he's volunteered for a company boxing match. Initially, he thinks his opponent will be a skinny kid... only to turn around and see the other company replaced him with a big muscular gorilla missing several teeth.
- Patriotic Fervor: Quite a bit on display, being a military film made on the eve of America going into World War II.
- Peeling Potatoes: Following one of Herbie (Costello)'s usual screw-ups, the Drill Sergeant Nasty tells him that he's going to make him an admiral. Herbie says he didn't know the army had admirals, and the sergeant assures him he is going to be in charge of all of the army's vessels. Cut to Herbie on K.P., washing a gigantic stack of dirty pots.
- Propaganda Piece: In more ways than one. Made in support of the draft, and shown to American troops, it also apparently got into the hands of the Japanese, who used a scene with Herbie screwing up during a drill as "proof" of the American army's incompetence.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Parker initially plans on getting out of the army by the end of the first week, using his father's connections. He's outgrown this attitude by the end, refusing to go to Officer Training School if his father put the army up to it.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Parker offers to pay back everyone's losses after losing the shooting match, but everyone's too angry to take him up on it. He seems very confused as to why.
- So Beautiful, It's a Curse: Judy gets hit on by just about everyone at some point or another, to her mixed amusement and distress.
- Upper-Class Twit: Randolph Parker, who treated his former valet like garbage, and initially thinks his father's connections will be able to get him out of military service. His father, however, has other plans.
- "The Villain Sucks" Song: Costello sings one, although it's more of a "The Army Sucks Song". Of course, the drill sergeant is right behind him.
- Weight Woe: A rare example of being too skinny — Herbie tries avoiding army service by being too fat (they don't accept anyone over 240 lbs), but unwittingly sits on a heater that Smitty plugs in. He sweats off just enough weight to be eligible.
