The Noose Hangs High
Encyclopedia
The Noose Hangs High is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello
. The film is a remake of the Universal Pictures
film For Love or Money (1939).
) and Tommy Hinchcliffe (Lou Costello
) work for the Speedy Service Window Washing Company. They run into a bookie named Nick Craig (Joseph Calleia
), who, after mistaking them for employees of the Speedy Messenger Service, sends them to Mr. Stewart's (Ben Weldon) office to collect $50,000 owed to him. But Stewart has plans of his own: he hires two thugs to rob Ted and Tommy of the money he has just paid. Tommy flees from the robbers and takes refuge in a room with a gaggle of women who are mailing face powder samples. He hides the money in an envelope and addresses it to Craig, but it is accidentally switched with an envelope containing a powder sample. Ted and Tommy return to Craig's office and explain what happened; they assure him that the cash will arrive in the mail the next day.
When face powder (instead of cash) arrives in the mail, an irate Craig gives Ted and Tommy 24 hours to return his money. The boys attempt to contact everyone on the mailing list until they finally locate the recipient, Carol (Cathy Downs
), who informs them that she spent most of the money and has only about $2,000 left. The three of them go to the race track hoping to gamble the remaining cash to win enough money to pay back Craig. They encounter a strange fellow named Julius Caesar (Leon Errol
), who claims to have never lost a bet. They refuse to follow his betting advice, only to see his horse win, and they are left with nothing. Ted, abandoning hope, decides that they would be safest in jail, so they run up a huge tab in a nightclub. Just as they are about to be arrested, Craig and his henchmen show up and demand the money. After Ted and Tommy reply that they do not have it, the thugs take them to a nearby construction warehouse and begin pouring cement in which to dump them. Meanwhile, Carol and Caesar have been sitting at the bar, betting large amounts on fish at the club's aquarium. Caesar loses and hands her the $50,000 that she has just won, to her amazement. It turns out Caesar is actually an eccentric millionaire named J.C. MacBride, and they all arrive at the warehouse in time to pay back Craig.
. Those terms specified that Abbott and Costello were permitted to make one film a year with another company. Universal intended to make this film with Abbott and Costello; however, the duo decided to purchase the story from the studio and made it themselves at Eagle-Lion
(which had taken over the studios of Poverty Row staple PRC) under the terms of their new deal.
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
. The film is a remake of the Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
film For Love or Money (1939).
Plot
Ted Higgins (Bud AbbottBud Abbott
William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American actor, producer and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.-Early life:...
) and Tommy Hinchcliffe (Lou Costello
Lou Costello
Louis Francis "Lou" Costello was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott...
) work for the Speedy Service Window Washing Company. They run into a bookie named Nick Craig (Joseph Calleia
Joseph Calleia
Joseph Calleia was a Maltese born American singer, composer, screenwriter and actor, both on Broadway and in film...
), who, after mistaking them for employees of the Speedy Messenger Service, sends them to Mr. Stewart's (Ben Weldon) office to collect $50,000 owed to him. But Stewart has plans of his own: he hires two thugs to rob Ted and Tommy of the money he has just paid. Tommy flees from the robbers and takes refuge in a room with a gaggle of women who are mailing face powder samples. He hides the money in an envelope and addresses it to Craig, but it is accidentally switched with an envelope containing a powder sample. Ted and Tommy return to Craig's office and explain what happened; they assure him that the cash will arrive in the mail the next day.
When face powder (instead of cash) arrives in the mail, an irate Craig gives Ted and Tommy 24 hours to return his money. The boys attempt to contact everyone on the mailing list until they finally locate the recipient, Carol (Cathy Downs
Cathy Downs
Cathy Downs was an American film actress.Born in Port Jefferson, New York, Downs began her film career with a small role in The Dolly Sisters and the following year played the title role in My Darling Clementine...
), who informs them that she spent most of the money and has only about $2,000 left. The three of them go to the race track hoping to gamble the remaining cash to win enough money to pay back Craig. They encounter a strange fellow named Julius Caesar (Leon Errol
Leon Errol
Leon Errol , was an Australian-born American comedian and actor, popular in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
), who claims to have never lost a bet. They refuse to follow his betting advice, only to see his horse win, and they are left with nothing. Ted, abandoning hope, decides that they would be safest in jail, so they run up a huge tab in a nightclub. Just as they are about to be arrested, Craig and his henchmen show up and demand the money. After Ted and Tommy reply that they do not have it, the thugs take them to a nearby construction warehouse and begin pouring cement in which to dump them. Meanwhile, Carol and Caesar have been sitting at the bar, betting large amounts on fish at the club's aquarium. Caesar loses and hands her the $50,000 that she has just won, to her amazement. It turns out Caesar is actually an eccentric millionaire named J.C. MacBride, and they all arrive at the warehouse in time to pay back Craig.
Production
The Noose Hangs High was filmed from November 13 through December 10, 1947 under the terms of a new deal signed with Universal after completion of The Wistful Widow of Wagon GapThe Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap is a 1947 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello.-Plot:Chester Wooley and Duke Egan are traveling salesmen who make a stopover in Wagon Gap, Montana while enroute to California. During the stopover, a notorious criminal, Fred Hawkins, is murdered, and...
. Those terms specified that Abbott and Costello were permitted to make one film a year with another company. Universal intended to make this film with Abbott and Costello; however, the duo decided to purchase the story from the studio and made it themselves at Eagle-Lion
Eagle-Lion Films
Eagle-Lion Films was a British film production company owned by J. Arthur Rank intended to release British productions in the United States. In 1947 it acquired PRC Pictures, a small American production company, to produce B Pictures to accompany the British releases...
(which had taken over the studios of Poverty Row staple PRC) under the terms of their new deal.
Routines
- Pack/Unpack, which was previously used in Hit the IceHit the Ice (film)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.-Plot:...
, where Abbott goes back and forth about whether they should skip town or not with Costello packing and unpacking a suitcase as instructed. - Mudder and Fodder, where Costello is explained the meaning of different types of horse. In this case he mistakes a horse who can run well in the mud (a mudder) as 'mother' and the food that is fed to a horse (its fodder) as 'father'.
- Phone Booth, where Tommy attempts to call Craig from a phone booth. He is given a number where Craig can be reached and he calls it, unaware it is the phone booth next to him. Craig answers the phone and they have an argument with each other, unaware that they are right next to each other. This routine was first used in Keep 'Em FlyingKeep 'Em Flying-Plot:Jinx Roberts is a stunt pilot and his assistants are Blackie and Heathcliffe . All three are fired from the carnival and air show that they work for after a disagreement. Jinx decides that he should join the Army Air Force, so they go to a nightclub to party one last time. While there...
. - You're 40, She's 10, where Abbott tries to explain to Costello how a girl younger than him can get closer in age to him as they get older.