The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 1, 2019

Duke (Bud Abbott) and Chester (Lou Costello) are traveling salesman daring to enter the lawless town of Wagon Gap to find buyers. When Chester accidentally kills a hated local, he’s subjected to a law that finds him inheriting the dead man’s family, soon encountering the Widow Hawkins (Marjorie Main) and her seven children. Forced to deal with this problem, Chester soon learns just how punishing Hawkins is, endeavoring to repay her debts to avoid an extended commitment.

“The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap” pairs Abbott and Costello with Marjorie Main, best known as Ma Kettle in the “Ma and Pa Kettle” series. She’s a formidable screen partner for the comedy team, and quickly becomes the highlight of “The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap,” matching Abbott and Costello with her own extreme presence and timing, committing to the part in full. It’s a tad strange to watch an Abbott and Costello effort where the duo isn’t dominating, but there’s the surprise of this endeavor, which allows Main to do her specialized iron maiden routine while her co-stars find different ways to express their beloved slapstick.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.36:1 aspect ratio) presentation is an older scan of "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap," which deals with mild filtering and softness. Detail isn't lost, with the western mood set through costuming and set decoration, and facial particulars are adequate. Delineation is acceptable, preserving evening sequences. Source shows some wear and tear, with scratches, speckling, hairs, and blemishes detected, along with a few jumpy frames.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Digital 2.0 mix does battle with shrillness, offering thinness throughout, which also triggers some fuzzy highs as combative behavior boils over. Dialogue exchanges are adequate, capturing intended performance beats and emphasis. Scoring has its energy, but lacks definition at times. Sound effects retain some punch, dealing with snappy gunfire.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Image Gallery (5:12) collects film stills, publicity shots, poster art, lobby cards, and theater displays.

• Production Notes (2:03) offer information on the making of "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:33, SD) is included.

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap" gets a lot of mileage out of Chester's unease around Hawkins and her chaotic kids, with the production eventually graduating to western formula as the nervous caretaker is handed the role of sheriff, allowing Costello to participate in genre highlights, including showdowns and saloon fights. While "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap" presents some routine recycling from Abbott and Costello, it's a lively picture that embraces the escapism of westerns while sending up a few of the cliches with delightful sight gags from director Charles Barton.