Scared Stiff is a 1953 comedy-horror film directed by George Marshall, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
Basically a remake of The Ghost Breakers, the story centers around a singer named Larry (Martin) and his clumsy best friend Myron (Lewis) fleeing a mistaken murder rap by boarding a cruise ship to Cuba. They meet a pretty heiress named Mary (Lizabeth Scott), who's inherited a haunted castle on a Cuban island, and Larry and Myron must protect her from various spooks waiting for her there.
Carmen Miranda (in her last screen role) appears as a ship's entertainer named Carmelita Castinha. Norman Lear is credited with writing "additional dialogue" for the film.
Tropes:
- Damsel in Distress: Someone - or something - really doesn't want Mary to have that island.
- Disguised in Drag: Myron has to wear a fruit bowl on his head and lip sync "Mamae Eu Quero" after the singer falls ill. Hilarity Ensues.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Myron lampshades the fact that Larry's inability to resist a pretty girl is always putting them in danger.
- Femme Fatale: Rosie, who seemingly seduces Larry just to get him on Shorty's shit list.
- Literal-Minded: When Shorty's gang demands that Myron "sing", he squeaks off a few bars of "Just One More Chance".
- Manchild: Myron - not surprising, considering his actor.
- Mistaken for Murderer: Larry flees the country thinking he shot one of Shorty's men to death, only to find out that the murder weapon was a different caliber, so it couldn't have been him.
- Ominous Pipe Organ: The haunted castle in the climax has one, and playing the right tune on it opens secret passageways.
- That's All, Folks!: The three leads pull this at the end after a gag involving The Cameo from Bob Hope and Bing Crosby as skeletons.
- Tutti Frutti Hat: Myron (Jerry Lewis) fills in for Carmerita (Miranda) when she misses a gig by dressing up as her and lip-syncing "Mamãe Eu Quero."
