A 1946 American fantasy-comedy directed by Charles Barton, starring the comedy duo of Abbott and Costello.
In the midst of the American Revolution, noblewoman Melody Allen (Marjorie Reynolds) discovers her fiancé, Tom Danbury, is taking part in Benedict Arnold's infamous plot and enlists the aide of tinker Horatio Primm (Costello) to help her warn the army. Unfortunately, before they can even leave Danbury's estate, the two are mistaken for spies by approaching American soldiers and killed, with their bodies tossed down a well and their souls cursed to be bound to the grounds of the ransacked estate "until crack of doom" unless they are proven innocent.
166 years later, their ghosts decide to haunt the newly restored Danbury mansion, which is playing host to playwright Sheldon Gage, his fiancée June, his aunt Millie, and psychiatrist Dr. Greenway (Abbott). At first, they only intend to scare them off to stop the house from being opened to tourists who will only ever know them as traitors (and for Horatio to take his revenge on Dr. Greenway, who they initally mistake for his rotten ancestor Cuthbert), but when they discover the restorers recovered most of the original furniture, they shift focus to finding Horatio's lost letter of commendation from George Washington, which was stolen from his sweetheart Nora and hidden somewhere, to prove their innocence and finally be freed.
The movie also stars Binnie Barnes, John Shelton, Gale Sondergaard, Lynn Baggett, Jess Barker, and Ann Gillis.
It was released on August 16, 1946.
Tropes for the film:
- Barred from the Afterlife: Horatio Prim, killed in the American Revolution, is bound to an estate by a curse. When the curse is lifted (by the finding of a letter praising him written by George Washington) he goes to Heaven. But he can't get in because the Pearly Gates are locked — for Washington's birthday.
- Butt-Monkey: Abbott takes this role, as Melody and Horatio endlessly harass his character of Dr Greenway (due to mistaking him for his ancestor, who interfered in Horatio's attempt to present an important letter to their mutual love interest Nora), causing him no end of misery.
- Celestial Bureaucracy: After the curse that prevents Patriot Horatio Prim from ascending to Heaven is lifted, he is still excluded — because Heaven is "Closed for Washington's Birthday".
- Creepy Housekeeper: Spoofed when the guests at the restored plantation meet the creepy housekeeper and one remarks "Didn't I see you in Rebecca?". Later, as Horatio has been terrorizing Cuthbert's descendant Dr. Greenway under the mistaken assumption that he is Cuthbert, he is laughing wildly. Emily the Housekeeper enters unexpectedly from behind him, scaring Horatio out of his few wits.
- Dramatic Irony: When the ghosts begin their search for the letter, Horatio talks Melody out of trying to search the clock, not knowing that's exactly where it was hidden (although, it wouldn't have mattered anyway as we later find out the clock was one of the few things in the mansion that wasn't the original).
- Fish out of Temporal Water: Having spent most of their 166 years hanging around the well their bodies were dropped down, Horatio and Melody are initally confused by the modern amenities that have been added to Danbury Manor, wondering why all the lights have glass around the "wicks", mistaking a telephone operator for another ghost, and thinking a gangster program on the radio was actual people.
- Ghostly Goals: Lou and Melody, a pair of ghosts from the American Revolution, are trying to prove themselves innocent of the treachery they were unjustly cursed for. That is, when Lou isn't tormenting his old enemy's descendant, Dr. Cuthbert Greenway.
- Hard-to-Light Fire: Played for Laughs when Horatio struggles in vain to light the tapers of a chandelier and a table lamp with a match, not understanding that they're electric candles.
- Horrifying the Horror: Emily the Housekeeper is so intimidating that she scares Horatio the ghost when they first meet!Horatio: Od's bodkins! What well did she come out of?
- Identical Grandson: While his exact relation isn't specified, Dr. Ralph Greenway is the spitting image of his ancestor Cuthbert Greenway, the Danbury's head butler and Horatio's romatic rival.
- Macguffin: The letter from General George Washington praising Horatio's good character; this item is what's needed for Horatio to be freed from his curse and ascend to Heaven.
- Silly Spook: Horatio Prim is a ghost wrongly accused of treason, just trying to clear his name (with the typical Costello bumbling, cowardly comedy). Melody, while still being the more serious of the two, also can't help but get caught up in the glee of their first proper haunting, especially after finding out the mortals can't see them.
- Tagline: "Something NEW from BUD and LOU!"
- Yank the Dog's Chain: After all he's been through, breaking the curse keeping him bound to Earth, Horatio still can't get into Heaven because access has been closed for the day.
