Buck Privates

Play trailer

Buck Privates

1941

1h 24m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

4 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

When two sidewalk salesmen, Slicker Smith (Bud Abbott) and Herbie Brown (Lou Costello), duck into a theater to avoid being busted by the cops, they never expect it will lead to their enlisting in the army. It turns out the theater is now an Army Recruitment Center. But these former peddlers are not the only fish out of water. Wealthy Randolph Parker III (Lee Bowman) joins as well, though he seems more focused on hostess Judy Gray (Jane Frazee) than on his responsibilities.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Pare Lorentz

McCall's

Dec 27, 2023

Shoddy stuff.

Go to Full Review

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Nov 28, 2015

Zany, near surrealistic humor and good musical numbers make pleasant entertainment.

Go to Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Aug 23, 2012

B+

This funny comedy, one of the most popular pictures of 1941, established Abbott and Costello as commercial comedic duo for a decade.

Go to Full Review

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

Apr 18, 2012

4/5

More an assembly of funny sketches, Buck Privates still plays very funny without much of a story behind it.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Steve D

@RT35616104 Aug 28, 2023

Passable entertainment only.

See more

Thomas M

@TMProofreader Jan 27, 2019

The best comedy movie ever made! With the best movie song ever sung: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy!

See more

Jan 15, 2019

After One night in the tropics, Universal decided to make the wise choise of making Abbott and Costello the leads, and it was a great choice. In many ways this film is superior to its predecessor. It has more jokes, a better plot and music from the Andrew Sisters.

See more

Apr 14, 2015

Abbott & Costello's first starring vehicle is full of lowbrow humor and a simpy love subplot, but it was a box-office smash in 1941; The Andrews Sisters sing the songs "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" and "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time," among others.

See more

Apr 2, 2015

a B pic that doesn't feel like a B movie

See more

Tim W

@Timofdragons Sep 14, 2013

Another great Abbot and Costello, though I didn't care for the singing, the filler, or the story, but I still enjoyed the comedy sketches.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Arthur Lubin

Director

Bud Abbott

Slicker Smith

Lou Costello

Herbie Brown

The Andrews Sisters

Themselves

Lee Bowman

Randolph Parker III

Alan Curtis

Bob Martin

View more photos

Synopsis

When two sidewalk salesmen, Slicker Smith (Bud Abbott) and Herbie Brown (Lou Costello), duck into a theater to avoid being busted by the cops, they never expect it will lead to their enlisting in the army. It turns out the theater is now an Army Recruitment Center. But these former peddlers are not the only fish out of water. Wealthy Randolph Parker III (Lee Bowman) joins as well, though he seems more focused on hostess Judy Gray (Jane Frazee) than on his responsibilities.

Director: Arthur Lubin
Producer: Alex Gottlieb
Screenwriter: Arthur T. Horman
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal/Universal Int
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 31, 1941, Original
Release Date (DVD): Feb 10, 2004
Runtime: 1h 24m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings