The Time of Their Lives is a 1946 American fantasy comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring the comedic duo Abbott and Costello alongside Marjorie Reynolds, Gale Sondergaard and Binnie Barnes. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures.
Plot
In 1780, master tinker Horatio Prim arrives at the Kings Point estate of Tom Danbury. Although Horatio has failed to raise enough money to buy Danbury's housemaid, Nora O'Leary out of indentured servitude, he carries a letter of commendation from Gen. George Washington that he hopes will persuade Danbury to let them marry. Unfortunately, Horatio has a romantic rival in Danbury's devious butler, Cuthbert Greenway, who tries to prevent Horatio from presenting his letter. Nora, however, rushes off to show the letter to Danbury, but she inadvertently overhears Danbury discussing his part in Benedict Arnold's plot. Danbury seizes Nora and hides the letter in a secret compartment in the mantel clock. Danbury's fiancée, Melody Allen, standing outside the window, witnesses this betrayal and enlists Horatio's help to ride off and warn Washington's army. But American troops on their way to arrest Tom overrun the estate, loot it and set it ablaze. Melody and Horatio are mistakenly shot as traitors, and their bodies are cast into a well. Their souls are condemned to remain bound to the estate until their innocence can be proved.
For the next 166 years the ghosts of Horatio and Melody roam the grounds of the estate. In 1946, after the estate has been rebuilt and restored with much of its original furnishings, playwright Sheldon Gage invites his fiancée, June Prescott, her Aunt Millie, and his psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenway, a descendant of Cuthbert, to spend the weekend.
They are greeted by the clairvoyant maid, Emily, who senses that the grounds are haunted. Ghosts Horatio and Melody have some fun with this idea and scare the guests in various ways — especially Greenway, whom Horatio at first mistakes for Cuthbert. Horatio and Melody also find themselves frightened by modern inventions like the electric light and the radio. These supernatural events prompt the newcomers to hold a séance led by Emily. From clues offered by Horatio, Melody and Tom's repentant spirit, they discern the identities of the ghosts and the existence of the letter which can free them.
The group searches for Horatio's letter, but the original mantel clock containing the letter is in a New York museum. Greenway, to atone for the misdeeds of his ancestor, goes to the museum to retrieve the letter. But when museum officials refuse to let him examine the clock, Greenway steals it. He arrives back at the estate where the state police are waiting for him. They arrest Greenway, but are prevented from taking him off the estate by the curse that binds Horatio and Melody to it. When the clock is finally opened and the letter is revealed, Melody and Horatio's innocence is proven and they are freed. Each is called to heaven by a loved one; Melody by Tom, and Horatio by Nora, who meets him at heaven's gate but points to a sign that reads, "Closed for Washington's Birthday". Horatio must wait one more day to get into heaven.
Cast
Bud Abbott as Cuthbert Greenway / Dr. Ralph Greenway
Lou Costello as Horatio Prim
Marjorie Reynolds as Melody Allen
Binnie Barnes as Mildred Dean
John Shelton as Sheldon Gage
Gale Sondergaard as Emily
Lynn Baggett as June Prescott
Jess Barker as Thomas Danbury
Ann Gillis as Nora O'Leary
Donald MacBride as Lt. Mason
William Hall as Sgt. Conners
Robert Barrat as Maj. Putnam
Rex Lease as Sgt. Makepeace
Kirk Alyn as Dandy at Party
Harry Brown as Second Sergeant
George M. Carleton as Museum Guard
Wheaton Chambers as Bill, Museum Guard
James Conaty as Party Guest
John Crawford as Dandy at Party
Vernon Downing as Leigh, Traitor
Marjorie Eaton as Bessie, Danbury's Maid
Myron Healey as Dandy at Party
Boyd Irwin as Cranwell, Traitor
Selmer Jackson as Mr. Dibbs, Museum Curator
William H. O'Brien as Danbury Servant
Scott Thomson as Dandy at Party
Harry Woolman as Motorcycle Rider
Production
The Time of Their Lives was filmed at Universal Studios from March 6 through May 15, 1946. The working title was The Ghost Steps Out. It was the first Abbott and Costello film to be directed by Charles Barton, who would go on to helm eight of their movies, including Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).