One Night in the Tropics Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

One Night in the Tropics Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 23, 2019

A hotshot insurance salesman, Lucky (Allan Jones) decides to push his luck, testing his professional success by drawing up a “love insurance” policy for his dear friend, Steve (Robert Cummings), who’s having trouble with his fiancée, Cynthia (Nancy Kelly). Complicating the plan is Steve’s ex- girlfriend, Mickey (Peggy Moran), who arrives to discuss her relationship with the future groom. Tasked with maintaining the integrity of the policy are Abbott (Bud Abbott) and Costello (Lou Costello), two goons trailing the foursome, who soon embark on a trip to paradise.

1940’s “One Night in the Tropics” isn’t an Abbott and Costello starring vehicle, with the comedy duo dropped into the romantic comedy proceedings when the film begins to lose steam. Tasked with bringing up energy levels, Abbott and Costello easily steal the movie with known routines, including “Mustard,” “Jonah and the Whale,” and a shortened version of “Who’s on First?” Such tomfoolery is necessary to preserve the viewing experience, as “One Night in the Tropics” isn’t a dynamic offering of silliness, finding the stars working hard with underwhelming material, which strives to create a whirlwind of misunderstandings, flirtations, and musical numbers, but doesn’t have the overall snap to truly wow.

One Night in the Tropics Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.36:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides an older scan of "One Night in the Tropics," with the source struck by consistent wear and tear, emerging in the form of scratches, a few damaged frames, speckling, and some visible hairs. Detail isn't strong but it remains in modest amount, surveying the set-bound nature of the production and all its decoration. Delineation struggles with sense outfits. Grain is thick, looking processed with chunkiness.

One Night in the Tropics Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound mix is hampered by hiss, which carries heavily throughout the listening event. While restrained by age, dialogue exchanges are intelligible, just not sharp, keeping rat-tat-tat performances adequately appreciable, including the louder antics of Abbott and Costello. Music also suffers some, lacking defined instrumentation, but the general swell of musical performances and scoring are understood.

One Night in the Tropics Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Image Gallery (3:36) collects publicity shots, film stills, poster art, and lobby cards.

• Production Notes (1:37) share information on the making of "One Night in the Tropics."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:06, SD) is included, which bills Abbott and Costello as "radio's prized nitwits."

One Night in the Tropics Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"One Night in the Tropics" does manage to close with some gusto, building to a final musical number that gives the picture some needed scale, scored with a Jerome Kern song. Last act appeal is welcome, but "One Night in the Tropics" is best remembered as the debut for Abbott and Costello, with their honed shtick clearly besting anything else the production has to offer.