m2mallory If one can ignore the racism of the scenes set in Africa, or at least accept that this was a staple of Hollywood at the time, and can't be changed, then there's a lot to enjoy in "Africa Screams." It's not Abbott and Costello's best film, but it is one of their better later ones, with Lou contributing a very energetic performance, which can't always be said of post-"A&C Meet Frankenstein" films from the team. There isn't really a story here, just a premise, in which Abbott and Costello are drawn into a shady African expedition because the person in charge, played by Hillary Brooke, thinks Costello has memorized a map from a book that will lead her to a diamond mine. The transition from New York to Africa and back again is done in the finest "Well, here we are on the moon!" style employed in radio comedy shows, and of course, the jungle sets are patently phony, but it hardly matters. This is really a burlesque show without the strippers, careening from one barely-related, but often very funny, routine to another. The Baer brothers, Max and Buddy, are the heavies (Lon Chaney, Jr., must have been busy that month) and Stooges Shemp Howard and Joe Besser act as something of a secondary team, with Shemp playing a visually-impaired thug while Joe, doing his usual sissy routine, is forced to act as his guide-dog. Animal trainers Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck are there, too, because...well because they could be. There is one funny scene of Beatty doing his lion taming act while Costello, who is also trapped in the cage, desperately crawls around underneath a wicker stand trying to escape. There are also people in gorilla suits, rubber crocodiles, and those unfortunate bone-in-the-nose cannibals, one of whom oddly sports a skipper's hat. A&C's best director, Charles Barton, keeps everything moving to an absurd end, but the point is not to take any of this seriously.

masercot There is a lot to like about this movie. Two of the stooges are in it. A couple of real-life prize fighters. And, a couple of real-life big game hunters...The plot is simple, sweet and stupid: Lou has a map memorized and he is forced on safari because everyone assumes it is a different map. He encounters lions, tough guys, crocodiles and big-game hunters. Bud Abbott is in the movie as well, being unbelievably horrible to his best friend...Not as many "routines" in this one, but a lot of solid comedy. Joe Besser gives a few out-loud laughs, as well. Shemp is great as the blind mobster.This was from a particularly fertile time for the duo. Well worth a watch...

sddavis63 Abbott and Costello head off to the jungles of Africa on a search for diamonds in this OK but unspectacular comedy. As the story begins, Costello is drafted by Abbott to impersonate a big-game hunter in order to lead a somewhat shady expedition to Africa. The movie lost a bit of credibility right off the start when Costello's secret obviously came crashing down in his exchange with Clyde Beatty, who was apparently a real big game hunter playing himself. The exchange was funny, but why Beatty wouldn't have simply outed him right then was beyond me. As the movie progresses, there are a series of adventures with various wild animals and with a tribe of cannibals, and the movie finally progresses to its end, as Costello (who seemed beaten) emerges from the adventures apparently fabulously wealthy, while Abbott works as his elevator operator.There were scattered chuckles throughout, and some good physical comedy in places, but for the most part the story was relatively weak and lacking in any sense of flow. This also features a somewhat nonsensical (but what else would you expect) appearance from Shemp Howard, of "Three Stooges" fame. If you need to waste a bit of time, it will do that - and not unpleasantly - but it really is nothing more than a time-waster. 5/10

gridoon Leonard Maltin gives 3 stars to this movie, and only 1.5 star to "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars". That's strange, because not only is "Africa Screams" easily worse than "Go to Mars", it's probably one of the worst films that Abbott and Costello ever made. There are some funny moments (Lou whispering threats to the bad guys when they have their backs turned to him), a lovely leading lady (Hillary Brooke), some impressively trained animals, and some good special effects. But there are also too many tedious stretches (this is one of the longest 78 minutes you'll ever spend), and too many predictable gags (hmmm, they have made a trap for a gigantic orangutan, do you think Lou will fall in it?). In some of those gags, Lou is made to look downright retarded instead of amusingly dumb. The scene where he mugs to the camera for about 3 minutes straight because he is scared of a gorilla is more excruciating than funny. (*1/2)