Africa Screams

1949
Approved
1h 19m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

4.1K

YOUR RATING

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Africa Screams (1949)

Abbott & Costello search for diamonds in Africa, along the way meeting a visually-impaired gunner, a hungry lion, and a tribe of cannibals...

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Farce Action Adventure Comedy

Two booksellers search for diamonds in Africa, along the way meeting a visually-impaired gunner, a hungry lion, and a tribe of cannibals.Two booksellers search for diamonds in Africa, along the way meeting a visually-impaired gunner, a hungry lion, and a tribe of cannibals.Two booksellers search for diamonds in Africa, along the way meeting a visually-impaired gunner, a hungry lion, and a tribe of cannibals.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

4.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Bobo
(as Burton Wenland)

Bobby Barber

Chauffeur
(uncredited)

Charles Gemora

The Ape
(uncredited)

Arthur Hecht

Mr. Mercer
(uncredited)

Tanner

Lion
(uncredited)

Bill Walker

Interpreter
(uncredited)

Martin Wilkins

Cannibal Chief
(uncredited)

Director
- Charles Barton
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Features the only on-screen pairing of Joe Besser and Shemp Howard. Shemp was an original member of The Three Stooges. He left the group and was replaced by his younger brother, Curly Howard. Shemp later returned, replacing Curly, and is generally considered "the fourth stooge". Besser later replaced Shemp, and is considered "the fifth stooge".

Goofs
The "Orangutan Gargantua" is in fact a gorilla, portrayed in exaggerated caricatured fashion. True orangutans are found only in Southeast Asia, not Africa.

Quotes
Buzz Johnson: I can't understand why you have this terrible fear of animals in you. What is it?
Stanley Livington: When I was a little baby I was scared by my piggy bank.
Buzz Johnson: That's nonsense.
[walks away]
Stanley Livington: [Grabs Buzz] You wanna hear something worse?
Buzz Johnson: What?
Stanley Livington: I was 15 years old before I ate my first animal cracker.

Crazy credits
End Credit - The Gorilla spells out The End from some lettered blocks.

Alternate versions
Also available in a computer-colorized version.

Connections
Edited into Dark Jungle Theater: Africa Screams (2015)

User reviews54

Review

Featured review

7/10

Fairly funny jungle hijinks with Bud & Lou **1/2

Since this independent Abbott & Costello comedy wasn't produced by Universal or MGM it comes off less slick than some of their other films, yet still emerges as pretty funny and is worth a look for fans of the team. Bud and Lou are joined by sometime-Stooges Shemp Howard and Joe Besser, and also lovely Hillary Brooke, who would later join them for their regular weekly television show.

Brooke is a crime boss looking for a certain map that's in A&C's possession, so she and the boys (including Shemp and Joe) journey to the jungles of darkest Africa to search for what the men think is a rare type of orangutan gargantua gorilla (or some sort of nonsense); but actually, Hillary's only hunting for a secret treasure trove of precious diamonds. When Abbott finds out what's really going on, he becomes quite the self-centered businessman and is really funny and more mean than usual (which always works for me in these comedies).

Some jokes include Costello getting locked in a cage with a lion, the humorous "I Lost My Pal" routine, and Lou tangling with cannibals. Real-life lion tamer/big game hunters Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty are also on hand to do their stuff if you go for that sort of thing. **1/2 out of ****