utgard14 One of the worst Abbott and Costello films. It's a boring drag of a movie to sit through. I didn't laugh once but the movie seems less interested in comedy than adventure and romance, both of which are weak at best. Dreadful songs as well. Beautiful Hillary Brooke's career was on a downward slope here and it shows. Charles Laughton appears to be having some fun as Captain Kidd. Unfortunately, I didn't really have fun along with him. I wish I could point to one thing and say "remove that and you have a good picture" but unfortunately I can't. It's just a poorly made unfunny comedy with bad songs and way too much focus on everybody who isn't Abbott and Costello. For A&C completists only.

gridoon Considering that Abbott and Costello had done "Meet The Invisible Man" the previous year, this film was a big comedown for them. But then again, considering that around the same period they also did "Comin' Round The Mountain" and "Lost In Alaska", maybe "Meet Captain Kidd" was par for the course. The saddest part here (apart maybe from all the singing that at times makes you feel as if you're watching a second-rate musical) is to observe how few verbal elements have remained in A&C's comedy; instead, their humor has been reduced to the lowbrow, unsophisticated slapstick of mugging, dumb misunderstandings, and people falling down or getting hit with shovels. But sometimes A&C's talent still comes through and the film can make you laugh in spite of yourself. Charles Laughton is loud, bombastic and takes a lot of bumps, to generally unfunny effect; Hillary Brooke is downright sexy as a female captain, and is without a doubt the brightest spot of this movie. (**)

Venturedp I'm a huge fan of A&C and realized that the Captain Kidd story was not part of my collection. I have noticed from other comments that the viewing copies of both Jack and The Beanstalk and A&C Meet Captain Kidd are horrendous...I did get to see the Jack and the Beanstalk..and was appalled at the transfer. My being a cinematographer here in Hollywood I know that if these films were brought to a decent telecine house that amazing improvements can be made to the original color. It's a matter of getting the original negative from the print to start with then having a good colorist to work on it! So that being said...if anyone knows if and when the A&C Meet Captain Kidd will be on DVD...or if it has already been out there. I would love to see it. Noticed that Rio Rita is not available on DVD either. Also is A&C Meet Captain Kidd public domain?

bkoganbing Charles Laughton did a badly edited biographical film of Captain Kidd in 1945 although his performance as the cockney captain with aspirations to class is memorable. We don't often get a second crack at roles when they don't become mega-hits, but Laughton got it and made the most of it.Laughton got one here although he had to take on Abbott and Costello as co-stars. But I will say that the distinguished Mr. Laughton more than held his own with those two burlesque comics. Especially when you consider that his co-stars names were in the title of the film.Of course it was fans of A&C who went to see the film, but you get your audiences from where they come. Check Laughton's deadpan face when he's doing the old handcuff gag where Costello thinks he's got Captain Kidd cuffed behind his back and helpless. They did the same routine on their television show with Gordon Jones as Mike the Cop and the results are just as hilarious.Speaking of the television show, Hillary Brooke from the cast of their show is also on hand as Laughton's rival, Captain Bonnie. Fran Warren and Bill Shirley have a great pair of voices, too bad the songs that they got to sing in the film aren't worthy of them.Abbott and Costello were on a downward slide of their careers, but this film does hearken back to their early days at Universal when they were grinding out a whole bunch of comedy gems. But the thing that has always gotten me about this film is the way Charles Laughton just dove right in to the slapstick spirit of this movie. Costello was known for not getting along with several of his co-stars, many of them had less than kind things to say. But according to observers, Laughton got along just fine with the boys.You can tell by the side splitting results.