Deux nigauds détectives

Who Done It? (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Chick Larkin (Bud Abbott) and Mervin Milgrim (Lou Costello) are two idiot soda jerks working in a building that's the home of some of the most famous radio mysteries in the world. When a man turns up dead on one of the broadcasts the two pretend to be detectives so that they can solve the case and get into the radio business.

WHO DONE IT? is without question the best of the early Abbott and Costello movies at Universal. This is true for several reasons but the biggest is the fact that the studio finally had enough confidence in them that they didn't need to add musical guests and numbers to the movies. Instead of music we're instead treated to several more jokes and there's no question that it really pays off and sends the duo into a new level of filmmaking.

There are many very funny gags throughout the film but one of the highlights is a sequence where Costello believes he's being shot and stabbed but he's too dumb to realize he just hit a switch to a radio broadcast. There are some other very funny moments at the expense of two real detectives and this leads to William Bendix and Costello having some nice moments together. Both Abbott and Costello are in fine form with their comic timing perfect together. They're also greeted to a nice supporting cast including Patrick Knowles, Louise Allbritton and Mary Wickes.

Fans of Abbott and Costello are certainly going to be entertained by this film but even non-fans should enjoy the actual mystery of the story and the various gags paying homage to the days when radio was king.