Watch The Time of Their Lives For Free

You won't be disappointed!

Truly Dreadful Film

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Blistering performances.

I've loved this since first seeing it as a kid in the early 50s. Recently watched it again on DVD and noticed in the opening credits it mentions Technicolor. Could it be that it was filmed in color and never released that way? Bud & Lou are both terrific playing these unusual roles. It's refreshing to see them out of the usual vaudeville/burlesque house routines. Marjorie Reynolds is one gorgeous ghost and delivers her romantic scenes with Lou convincingly and her comic reactions are terrific. Gale Sondergaard is appropriately creepy as usual. The seance always reminds me of so many old haunted house flicks from the Charlie Chan style of mystery films. Background score is better than average adding to the total effect The DVD in the franchise collection is pristine and great family entertainment.

Costello as an inept ghost from revolutionary times and Abbott as a psychiatrist, of all things. This is likely the most unusual of the A&C comedies. Actually, the results are more like a Reynolds and Costello comedy than the usual A&C pairing. Instead, Abbott's more like one of the cast rather than a headliner, while the two have few scenes together. I gather the pair were feuding at the time, which may have something to do with the departure from the usual.Still, the movie's both funny and inventive. Reynolds and Costello are two wandering spirits from George Washington's time condemned to haunt an estate until they can clear themselves of bogus charges of treason. Needless to say, Costello makes a laughably inept ghost—he just can't seem to get that disappearance wiggle down right. Nonetheless, he and Reynolds play off one another nicely with her getting the "straight man" role in fetching fashion.There's a number of inside jokes with references to Rebecca (1940) and Bogart & Bacall (just whistle if you want me). And in a casting master stroke, there's the icy Gale Sondergaard (Emily) on hand to give everyone the shivers. I really like the last sequence with its touch of humorous irony that's fitting for the supernatural hijinks that've gone before.This is definitely not formula A&C, but may be their most inventive and among their loony best.

Time of Their Lives, The (1946) *** (out of 4) Costello and another woman are killed and labeled traitors but 200 years later their ghosts have a chance to clear their name. I think this is a very good turning point in the A&C filmography since the two aren't working as a duo here. The film has a lot of laughs but it's also got the best storyline of any A&C film up to this point. The supporting players are very good and A&C are great as well. It's also a lot of fun seeing Costello getting to pick at Abbott since that's not something we're use to seeing.

This is my #1 favorite film. I saw it as a child in a very small movie theater in a small town in KY. It had everything. There was mystery, comedy, ghosts and a love story. And the special effects were pure delight. I would love to know any trivia others know about this story. I do know it was originally a play. I found it a Baker's play book, in the 1970 under another name. I wish I had order it. I have shown it to students ages 12 to 18 and they love it. I have shown it as an English teacher and even as a science teacher for the special effects in 1946. My 2000 era students laugh out loud and want to know more about Bud and Lou and their other movies. The theme song was the one my children let me walk down the isle to at their weddings. I hum it frequently. I have just joined and look forward to reading comments from other fans. I own the film in both VHS and DVD. I would love to see a remake, but it could never replace the original. Thanks Bud and Lou.