Scared Stiff (1953) User Reviews

OK remake - OK Martin-Lewis vehicle!

[benoit-3 · 6/10 · 3 November 2006]

I'm a Jerry Lewis fan and I think Bob Hope's «The Ghost Breakers» (1940) was technically way ahead of its time as a funny/scary Old Dark House comedy. This thirteen-years-later remake feels like it was hatched together as a quickie Martin-Lewis vehicle in the «scary» mode (they made four films that year). It reuses the same director (George Marshall), most of the dialogue, most of the situations, most of the special effects, all the stock footage and even one song from the original. The sets have also been recreated and the jokes «updated». If the remake works at all, it is due to the extreme quality and originality of the first film. Comedy writer Norman Lear (of TV fame) did his best in adapting the Bob Hope/Willie Best routine to the particular talents of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Where the story starts to creak though is in the scary scenes. They have lost their suspense and mystery and that undefinable mix of editing, timing, lighting, photography, acting, pacing and music called «atmosphere», which «The Ghost Breakers» had in spades.

The casting is also lacking: Lizabeth Scott is no Paulette Goddard. She may look good in a bathing suit but her comedy is stilted, her romantic moods are too entranced and her dramatics don't convince. William Ching is no Richard Carlson, Paul Marion is no Anthony Quinn and George Dolenz is no Paul Lukas either. The zombie character is also a special disappointment all its own. Out of a misguided sense of political correctness, the original Black zombie (Noble Johnson) has been replaced by a nondescript White (!) cowboy villain (!!) (Jack Lambert) who actually looks like an ordinary Joe (!!!) without makeup (!!!!) from a distance. His entrance actually causes crickets to start chirping.

All in all, I appreciate this film as a kind of homage to the original, for its numerous Jerry Lewis set pieces, in which he exhibits a supreme self-confidence, and for the Dean Martin songs - despite the near-obscenity of the «Enchilada Man» number (you can imagine but don't ask!)... The less said about the Carmen Miranda numbers the better (this was her last film).

It's worse than horrible because a zombie has no will of his own.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 17 September 2009]

Larry Todd (Dean Martin), and Myron Mertz (Jerry Lewis) run a foul of gangster "Shorty" and are forced to flee the hotel when suspicion of murder falls on Larry. Hooking up with heiress Mary Carroll (Lizabeth Scott) who is sailing for Cuba, the guys find that Cuba is one mysterious place, full of weird goings on and Zombies!

Scared Stiff was Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis' ninth picture, a remake of Paramount's 1940 comedy spooker, The Ghost Breakers that starred Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, it's also directed by the same man, George Marshall. Though both Lewis and Martin are on record as saying they didn't want to remake The Ghost Breakers since the Hope movie was fine the way it is. The guys were bound to do it by their Paramount contract, and thus producer Hal B. Wallis, rightly assuming that it was viable material for the duo, got the film made.

In the pantheon of Martin/Lewis films, Scared Stiff ranks as one of the better efforts that the guys did. Larks and songs and a Carmen Miranda cameo make up the main body of Scared Stiff. Standard slap-stick to none fans of the intrepid duo, but essential viewing for those that have a kink for such shenanigans. From a ventriloquist dummy skit to Lewis' delightful take on Miranda, and containing an hilarious sequence with Jerry stuck in a trunk, there's enough guffaws to keep the grin on ones face. Fans of the singing side of Deano are however short changed here, and there is no getting away from the fact that Scared Stiff is ultimately a rushed cash in job. So with that in mind newcomers to the pair are advised to possibly give the film a miss and head for the likes of Artists And Models and Hollywood or Bust instead. 7/10

Dean And Jerry Go To Havana With Carmen Miranda

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 10 April 2008]

Paramount once again rehashes another of their old hits for Martin and Lewis in Scared Stiff. In one respect Scared Stiff is an improvement over The Ghostbreakers that starred Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard back in the day. At least in this one Willie Best is not playing a horrible racial stereotype.

Other than that and to accommodate Best's role for Jerry Lewis and Hope's role for Dean Martin, it's not too much different from The Ghostbreakers. I have no doubt that producer Hal Wallis dug some of the old Paramount sets for the original out of mothballs for this one. The castle where the last twenty minutes are played looks way too much like the first film to be a duplicate.

Dino got shortchanged in the vocal department, the original songs by Mack David and Jerry Livingston yielded no hits for him. Jerry does a homage to Carmen Miranda who was around on the set to see it. This film marked her farewell screen appearance and I give her credit in that she doesn't let Martin and Lewis upstage her one bit.

Dorothy Malone had a small role as a chorus cutie and favorite of gangster Leonard Strong who was the reason why Dean and Jerry were fleeing to Cuba and got mixed up in Lizabeth Scott's troubles. Malone mentioned that she had recently lost a brother and that Dean personally asked she be cast in the part and helped her through the film. She always remembered his kindness. She also said that Dean and Jerry seemed to be quite cool to each other and the eventual breakup was no surprise to her.

The boys were lucky to have George Marshall who had directed The Ghostbreakers back in the day to also direct this one. If you liked the Bob Hope film, you'll probably like this one.

It even has an unbilled appearance of Bob Hope with another guy who sang a few songs for Paramount back in the day.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis sure do make a "spook-tacle" of themselves

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 10 January 2017]

As someone who loves Dean Martin's voice, and always have done, and who finds Jerry Lewis entertaining 'Scared Stiff' intrigued. It was enough for me to see with just one of them, but it's even more so with them together.

'Scared Stiff' has garnered comparisons to 'The Ghost Breakers', the general consensus being that it's inferior to that film. It is agreed that 'The Ghost Breakers' is the better film, funnier, scarier and combines those two elements together a little more strongly. This said, 'Scared Stiff' in no way disgraces it and works well on its own two feet too.

The story does jump around a little, with the shift to the darker and scarier elements slightly abrupt (emphasis on the slightly) and creaks in some parts. As alluring as Lizabeth Scott is, she is also a rather bland presence, not looking entirely comfortable in comedy or romance. The production values, apart from some very atmospheric sets, do betray a rushed production and that it was made in haste.

Conversely, 'Scared Stiff' has many positive elements. Regarding the songs, while not classics or ones that will necessarily stand the test of time, they are still pleasant enough and suit Martin's wonderful singing talents and Carmen Miranda's unique stage presence and such well.

George Marshall's direction is nifty and he and the nicely crafted script neatly combine genuinely funny comedy and suitably eerie and suspenseful chills. Miranda, in her final film, lives up to her nickname as "The Brazilian Bombshell", even if she has been much better before with material that adds more to the story than 'Scared Stiff' does.

Martin and Lewis are a very well matched double act, their talents well-utilised and contrast with each other deftly. Martin effectively plays it straight against Lewis' very kinetic energy (Lewis' impersonation of Miranda is not particularly good but still pretty hilarious, and his scene with Frank Fontaine is a scream).

In conclusion, a fun film that has made be interested in more of Martin/Lewis collaborations. 7/10 Bethany Cox

An enjoyable remake of "Ghostbreakers"

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 October 2015]

A decade and a half earlier, Bob Hope made "Ghostbreakers"--an amiable little comedy. Now with "Scared Stiff" Martin & Lewis take their stab at remaking the film. As usual, Dean plays a lounge singer, Larry, though his character isn't the usual selfish guy he often played in their films. Jerry plays Myron, a clumsy (what else?) waiter. The pair end up running away from the nightclub where they work for two big reasons--Rosie (Dorothy Malone) keeps making eyes at Larry and her boyfriend is the VERY jealous and dangerous sort AND Larry thinks that he's killed a man! While on the run, they meet up with nice girl Mary (Lizabeth Scott) and they accompany her to an island she just inherited--Lost Island which is off the Cuban coast. Naturally, the place is supposedly haunted and zombies muck about the place.

This one works better than most Martin & Lewis films because horror is a very good theme for comedians of the day. In addition to Hope's "Ghostbreakers", Abbott & Costello had their best film with "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein"....and their other horror outings were better than average. An amiable film worth your time and a decent match to the team's talents.

One of my favorite of the Martin & Lewis films

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 2 September 2012]

I must admit in advance that I'm a big fan of Dean Martin, and I find several of the Martin & Lewis films to be classic for their genre and era. But this is one of my favorites of their 17 films -- one of their 5 best. Now those who look down on this a bit because it was a remake of a Bob Hope version a decade earlier -- keep in mind that the same basic plot had been used a couple of times in the silent era, so the Hope version (which is good) is hardly the original.

Dean is first up in this film with a rather snappy version of "I Don't' Care If The Sun Don't Shine", which sounds like a very old song, but its hit version was done by Patti Page just 3 years earlier. And, for change, Jerry Lewis isn't up first. But he's up then, and unfortunately obliterates what might have been another good Dean Martin number -- "You Hit The Spot". But it does give Dean and Jerry a chance to do a good schtick together about a jealous husband (with the help of Dorothy Malone). Then there's some good comedic suspense in the hotel, before the action moves to the dock. Here you'll see an early appearance by Frank Fontaine as -- what else -- a drunk. Then, on board ship, and after a really dumb number with Dean, Jerry, and Carmen Miranda, Dean has a more serious love song ("When Someone Thinks You're Wonderful"). Once in Cuba there's a musical segment in a nightclub. What could be worse than a number by Carmen Miranda? Jerry Lewis mouthing to a Carmen Miranda record. But then there's a fairly nice production number ("The Enchilada Man") that nicely combines the talents of Dean, Jerry, and Carmen; at least it has a little heart. And then off to the haunted island. It's clever, and funny. And it's a kick with a brief cameo by Hope and Crosby (after all, it's a Paramount picture).

One of the real treats of this film is Dean's love interest -- Lizabeth Scott. She's a standout...sultry, but here also funny.

Some of the Martin & Lewis films are Jerry's (such as "Three Ring Circus"). Others are fairly well balanced (such as "Living It Up"). But this one is really more Dean's. Think not? Subtract the scenes where Jerry is simply making faces. Subtract the scenes where he's just screaming. Subtract the scenes where he's singing in a screeching voice. There's not much of Jerry left. In my view, not really a single standout comedy scene that focuses on Jerry. And while I'm a Dino fan, Jerry could be a very funny guy...but not so much here.

I recommend this as one of the better of the Martin & Lewis films. In fact, it's the film where I feel Dean and Jerry real come into their own, and the first of a series of top-notch comedies. It's on my DVD shelf!

Inferior remake of "The Ghost Breakers" is only lukewarm Martin/Lewis comedy...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 25 August 2006]

When SCARED STIFF finally gets to the haunted castle, the movie (with sets strongly resembling those in the original "The Ghost Breakers" with Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard), becomes much more interesting to watch--and a lot scarier. But before that, it's typical Martin/Lewis slapstick that outwears its welcome and is not sustained by the weak material.

The new additions to the plot are CARMEN MIRANDA (who does her usual schtick with pleasing results) and lovely LIZABETH SCOTT, who, unfortunately, is no substitute for the vivacious Paulette Goddard in the part of the woman who has inherited a haunted castle on a Caribbean island.

And unfortunately, the script is not as clever as the original nor are the sight gags all they should be. Only die-hard fans of Martin and Lewis will fully appreciate this one.

Biggest letdown is that it fails to be even one-tenth as scary as the original.

Typical Martin-Lewis Comedy

[Renee-new · 8/10 · 26 April 2005]

First of all, if you're considering watching a Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis picture, you must be aware of the fact that it is mainly slapstick comedy. If you can't laugh at a drunk guy slapping Jerry Lewis in the face, then this movie isn't for you.

With that being said, this movie has an interesting story line. Lewis and Martin are friends and when Martin gets in trouble with Shorty, a mob-type guy, Lewis goes to defend him. This leads to an accidental shooting that Martin gets blamed for and when he goes to hide, he meets Mary, who inherited a haunted island from her father. Martin and Lewis end up going with Mary and figure out the mystery of Lost Island.

Although the plot jumps around a lot, watching Martin and Lewis is always enjoyable and there are many funny situations in this movie. If you're a fan of slapstick, this movie is for you.

Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin vehicle as two showmen who wind up on an eerie Caribbean island

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 1 January 2021]

An authentic recital of these two great showmen in the Fifties. A nightclub showman : Dean Martin , and his colleague , a former botcher waiter : Jerry Lewis freeing a murder charge , going from New York to Cuba accompanying a rich heiress . This beautiful woman is named Mary Carter : Lizabeth Scott who has inherited her family's ancestral mansion on a small island of Cuba and decides to take possession .The three enter at the haunted house to find a lot of surprises as gangsters , ghosts and eventually hunting for a hidden treasure . They are making a spook-tacle of themselves ! They are funnier than ever on the Giant Panoramic Screen with Stereophonic Sound ! .

Fun and attractive comedy with humor , tongue-in-cheek, musical numbers and loads of entertainment and amusement, incliuing final cameos from Bing Crosby , Bob Hope . Close remake of Ghost Breakers 1940 with Paulette Goddard , Bob Hope and Scared stiff 1945 with Jack Haley , Anne Savage, taking parts here of there of these films . It you love Jerry Lewis this is a real vehicle as the extremely funny impersonation of Carmen Miranda , his game with a doppleganger at a mirror , his confrontation with menacing ghosts , zombies , armor, and anything else . This is one of the first and best appearances by the great Jerry Lewis , following a long career full of successes, such as : "3 Ring Circus , Artists and models, Hollywood or bust , Pardners , The Delicate Delinquent , The Geisha Boy , Cinderella , The Bellboy , The Ladies Man, The Nutty Professor , The Disorderly Orderly , The Parsy , The Family Jewels , The Big Mouth , Which Way to the Front ? , The King of Comedy" , and several others .

The motion picture was well directed by George Marshall , providing an amusing and entertaining film. Marshall was a prolific Hollywood professional who had a notable career including a large number of films such as : "Destry rides again , Off limits , Perils of Paulina , Goldwyn Follies , Texas , Pot O'Gold , Pack Up your Troubles , Papa's condition delicate , How the West was won , and some Laurel and Hardy vehicles" , among others . Rating 7/10 . Better than average . The movie will appeal to Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin fans .

Martin & Lewis Fail To Inspire Here

[DKosty123 · 5/10 · 28 February 2007]

This film really looks like a rushed assembly line film. The purpose of the film too clearly is to take advantage of the hot box office Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis were generating by using over a script & some old sets from the Bob Hope movie " The Ghost Breakers".

Try as they might, Martin & Lewis look like they were asked to move too quickly on getting this one out. While the film probably made a little money because of the stars, I imagine most viewers were disappointed.

The actresses & the ghosts & zombie in this movie just aren't as good or as effective as Hopes film. The cute cameo of Hope & Crosby at the end can't even save this one. Unless your desperate for Martin & Lewis, avoid this one.

SCARED STIFF an excellent family comedy!

[gerry-88 · 10/10 · 22 May 2006]

I know its now the 22nd of May 2006, but this film sticks in my memory. I first saw the great Comedy team Dean & Jerry way back in 1953 and this was the film I watched one rainy afternoon in a town called Walsall in Staffordshire, England. I was playing truant from school actually. But I remember laughing so much at Jerry Lewis that I was almost weeping. The film is a re-make of the Bob Hope vehicle The Ghost Breakers (1940) and even uses the same sets. The antics of the two are brilliant, and the business they work together is truly UNIQUE. I think that Jerry and Dean were the funniest of the teams of that era. I suppose that's why they were the highest paid duo in the world! Jerry wrote a lot of the visual gags, the scene where he is stuck in the trunk, and comes out doubled over, and the scenes in the Haunted castle with Jack Lambert as THE ZOMBIE likewise brilliant. Dean was a great foil for Jerry and Jerry was a great stooge for Dean. As I write Dean has gone, but Jerry is still with us at 80 years of age. Superb Film, superb and clean comedy. I recommend SCARED STIFF to you all.

Lesser Martin & Lewis Film

[Michael_Elliott · 22 August 2017]

Scared Stiff (1953)

** (out of 4)

Nightclub singer Larry Todd (Dean Martin) and busboy Myron Mertz (Jerry Lewis) find themselves being hunted down by a gangster after they witnessed a murder. With the help of Mary (Lizaebth Scott) the two are able to get on board a cruise ship where they land in Cuba and before long they're in a haunted house.

Every comedy duo, at some point in their career, had to face horror elements. Laurel and Hardy. Abbott and Costello. Dean and Martin got their chance here in this remake of the 1940 Bob Hope film THE GHOST BREAKERS. For my money this isn't a very good movie and I thought it fell well short of that 1940 movie on a variety of levels but the biggest is the fact that there's really no story here.

We're basically introduced to the two men, we see them get in trouble with the gangsters, there's a romance between Martin and Scott and then we get to the horror elements. The problem is that the lack of story means that the 107-minute running time really drags to the point where I was bored out of my mind. Even worse is the fact that the story was so weak that it wouldn't have supported a sixty-minute movie from Monogram let alone something this long. For the life of me I couldn't understand why we were a hour into the picture and there still wasn't really anything going on.

As far as Martin and Lewis go, both are in fine shape playing the type of characters they were well familiar with. Lewis is that obnoxious clown who can't get out of trouble and often finds himself turning one bad situation into something worst. Martin gets to sing a couple numbers and do his romance thing and for the most part he's one of the highlights of the film. As for Scott, I personally found her to be a bit too bland in the part and there just wasn't any spark between her and Martin. There's a great cameo at the end but I won't spoil it for people.

SCARED STIFF is a pretty bland movie that has a few funny moments but certainly not enough to keep the running time from dragging on and on.

Hey, I was 8 ...

[richard-mason · 6/10 · 12 September 2002]

This is one of the earliest films I remember seeing, and I don't think I've seen it since, so please, make allowances.

But at the time I L O V E D it. Funny/scary movies were my favourites then, and this filled the bill. It made me an absolute fan of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, an addiction that lasted at least till I turned 13.

At the time, of course, I didn't realise that it was a remake of the much better Ghost Breakers, but surely the fact that I still get a shiver up my spine thinking about Jerry Lewis sitting in the chair with the gorilla arms all these years later must mean something.

I give it a nostalgic six. If I saw it today, I doubt I'd be so generous.

stupid

[ronfernandezsf · 2/10 · 13 May 2020]

Of course this wasn't meant to be taken too seriously, but still plain stupid. How did Martin and Lewis get on board a ship without a ticket?? How did they get a room?? How did they entertain the first night on board with no rehearsal with the other members of the cast?? On deck there seems to be no one on board. Doesn't anyone lock their staterooms? In Cuba, how does thee team get another job in a matter of minutes, not to mention how they can get so many clothes both on board and in Cuba?? I know this isn't supposed to be real, but their should be some semblance of realism at times. Once they get to the haunted castle, things really get unbelievable. But this is how its supposed to be I guess!! What a mess.

a disappointing comedy

[powersroc · 9 November 2004]

I've always loved the mixture of comedy/horror films but this one you can pass on.I suppose that part of the problem is that I never cared for the Martin & Lewis comedy team.The Marx Brothers & Abbott & Costello were vastly superior.Dean Martin was a fine actor & singer with an easy going charm.As a straight man to the hyperkinetic Lewis he could have been replaced by anyone.Lewis playing what amounts to a retarded person is rarely funny in his team movies with Martin.His solo films are better.Another problem is that they don't get to the haunted castle on the island until very late in the movie.The sets for the castle are impressive,and there are chilling moments once they finally arrive.All in all you'd do better on Halloween night to make some popcorn,curl up on the couch...and play Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein.

If you liked the film this is a remake of you should find something to enjoy in this movie.

[mjshannon · 6/10 · 2 October 2000]

If you liked the film this is a remake of (The Ghost Breakers) you should find something to enjoy in this movie. One improvement is that there are no glaring racial stereotypes that hindered the original and which make the viewer uncomfortable. Taking the place of Willie Best in the first film is Jerry Lewis, which at least allows Dean Martin to get cheap laughs off of him without relying on negative racial facial expressions and speech. Lewis certainly has a LOT of facial expressions and voices on display but they don't demean anyone but himself!! Martin is adequate in his role but lacks the natural pizzazz of Bob Hope in the original and Lizabeth Scott as the inheritor of the old Cuban estate is again merely passable in the role that Paulette Goddard sparkled in. All of that said, the story is still fun and the mystery diverting. The sets rival, and in some cases surpass, those of the earlier movie (although some seem to almost be the same ones)and the supporting acting is good. If you like Carmen Miranda and Dean Martin songs and Martin/Lewis comedy routines you will also be in for a treat as there are plenty of musical and comedic interludes that are pleasant in their innocent dated way. There are probably too many songs for this movie that stretch the length of it to nearly two hours but at least they are not horrid and pass with little boredom or desire to hit the fast forward button! The new dialogue is good but much of it, not to mention scenes in general, are verbatim rehashes of the first movie that suggests the production team and stars were not feeling particularly inventive or willing to try to outdo Hope's film. If you haven't seen The Ghost Breakers this will be fun for you and if you have but feel uneasy about the racial stereotypes of the first film you can watch this without that concern. This is a good looking movie that captures the creepy elements of The Ghost Breakers (and as I said surpasses in some instances) in all but the zombie which is merely okay here as opposed to truly frightening as the first one was--which might make it easier to watch for young kids. So, this is not as bad as some say and depending on your ability to stomach Lewis' comedic excesses a worthwhile view.

A hilarious scary movie of legendary Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis

[tarashisganguly · 7/10 · 21 April 2011]

Scared Stiff started as a general slapstick movie but suddenly the transformation occurred.Dean Martin has done wonderfully with his majestic voice and Jerry Lewis with his special nasal tone and childish simplicity draws our attention.Then suddenly the scenario changed to a murder mystery and the two buddies are drawn towards a haunted castle in a deserted island.The actions in the deserted island is quite scary as well as hilarious.Dean is simply brilliant and Jerry is really hilarious.Songs sequences sometimes seem to be used by force but the songs of legendary singer Dean Martin are all brilliant.The plot is well knit too.In one sentence,here is Dean Martin -Jerry Lewis's plenty.I enjoyed every scenes of the movie.

He's very big in France,and they know a thing or two about comedy - look

[ianlouisiana · 7/10 · 22 January 2018]

....their political system............. Their governments fall more often than Charlie Ruggles. If you're old enough to remember him then,like me,you probably saw "Scared Stiff" back in 1953 in a fleapit like the "Tivoli" in Worthing with your BFF who you haven't seen for 60 years. Martin and Lewis were like a "Dumb and Dumber" for war babies. Whilst Jerry's character was a complete imbecile and didn't know or care,Dean Martin's character thought he was smart and hep and wanted people to think he was the brains of the two when,in reality he was just better looking and could croon like Crosby. Lewis fell out of fashion in pictures many years ago in the U.S. but retained a loyal following in Europe,some even claim he was a comedic genius. Well,he certainly made me laugh in every one of the duos' outings together. "Scared Stiff" was a cheapie filmed in black and white using a borrowed set and a budget of about one and six. Into that unpromising mix Martin and Lewis added so much inspired if hardly subtle foolery that a twelve year old still buzzing with England's win in the Ashes earlier in the day sat back in a greasy seat thick with God knows what and howled with laughter. Then my mate and I got on the wrong bus to go home.And that wasn't so funny. Keeping an eye open for roaming Teddy Boys we slunk through the back streets alive to the added risk of encountering a pack of Zombies from Goring - on - Sea.

This weak remake lacks the intrigue, comedy and cast of the Bob Hope original

[SimonJack · 4/10 · 8 January 2021]

"Scarred Stiff" is a Paramount remake of it's 1940 hit movie, "The Ghost Breakers," that starred Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, and Willie Best. The original also had a superb supporting cast that included Paul Lukas and Anthony Quinn. The story is basically the same, but the screenplay for this one was altered for Jerry Lewis's character over that of Willie Best.

Although this film did very well at the box office - as did the original, it doesn't come close to the first one. In adding the over-the-top goofiness of Jerry Lewis's character, Myron Mertz, the film loses some of its original intent and value. That's most notably the fright factor and intrigue. The original had that slight air, even knowing it's a comedy, and Willie Best helped bring it out superbly. With Jerry Lewis here, there's no thought of anything really scary because he's a buffoon bouncing around and viewers know it's all goofiness for fun.

Nor does this film have such a big-name supporting cast. Most of the supporting roles here don't have the level of intrigue, suspense or interest that the characters provided in the first film. This is not one of the better films by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Well, Paramount made some money with this film also, but for a much better and entertaining film, watch "The Ghost Breakers" when able to do so. This one's forgettable, but "The Ghost Breakers" is good enough to keep in a film library.

Dean & Jerry's 2nd best film

[Stugots62 · 10/10 · 23 August 2005]

This is my 2nd favorite Martin & Lewis film, after Sailor Beware. It's stock full of some of their best routines, and co-starring Lizabeth Scott & the legendary Carmen Miranda only add to this Classic! Bob Hope & Paulette Goddard made the original in 1941 & truly,Ghostbreakers did not need to be remade, so they changed some of the story around & created quite a kick butt musical. Although I miss Willie Best, who is always a treat in the original.

But Dean & Jerry make this one for the ages with their stage act brought to screen, as Jerry plays a waiter who accidentally spills spaghetti on a patron, and gets side swiped into performing on stage with Dean, those 3 to 5 minutes are absolutely HILARIOUS! I never got to see Dean & Jerry live as I am only 43 yrs. old, but if this scene was any reflection of their live act, it had to be awesome.

Most of the movie follows the exact same pattern as Ghostbreakers, but Dean & Jerry add much flavor as does Ms. Scott, and the musical routines with Carmen Miranda are perfect! If you want to be entertained watch this movie!

If you make it to the final act, there's spooky fun to be had.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 29 May 2020]

Scared Stiff, a virtual remake of Bob Hope comedy The Ghost Breakers (1940), can be broken down into three acts, with only the last featuring the expected spooky stuff.

Act One introduces Martin as New York nightclub crooner Larry Todd, and Lewis as his best friend Myron Mertz, a bumbling busboy at the same venue. Ladies' man Larry has been dallying with dishy dancer Rosie (Dorothy Malone), who also happens to be the gal of gangster Shorty (Leonard Strong). When Shorty hears about Rosie's infidelity, he summons Larry to his hotel room where he plans to kill the unsuspecting singer (as he has already done with waiter Pierre, who was also seeing Rosie). Meanwhile, Myron goes to try and prevent his pal from being shot, posing (unconvincingly) as a tough guy. As Larry approaches Shorty's room, he is caught in a gunfight that leaves him believing he has killed a man. Panicking, Larry sneaks into the room of Mary Carroll (Lizabeth Scott), who is about to take a trip to the haunted island that she has recently inherited. Trusting Larry when he says he isn't dangerous, Mary helps the singer to escape the police, with Myron in tow.

Approximately forty minutes of uninspired gangster guff, this opening act is tough to endure. Martin sings a forgettable song at the club, and performs a predictable comedy routine with Malone and Lewis in which the latter always comes off the worse. The whole shooting incident is very confusing, but at least there are a few chuckles to be had as Myron interacts with his conscience in a mirror. The highlight of this part of the movie has to be Malone as Rosie, who is definitely hot enough to tempt most red-blooded men, gangster boyfriend or not.

Act Two takes place on a cruise ship as it sails to Cuba, Mary, Larry and Merwyn on board. Again, very few belly laughs to be had here, but lots of energetic singing and dancing: Larry croons a love song to Mary while she looks all sappy, and Larry and Merwyn -- now the ship's entertainers -- perform two routines with the help of Latin songstress Carmelita Castinha (Carmen Miranda, in her final movie appearance). The funniest moment sees Lewis dressing like Carmelita and miming to one of her records. This middle section of the movie also lasts about forty minutes -- far too long in my opinion.

The final act -- just under half an hour -- sees Larry and Merwyn arriving on the island ahead of Mary to explore its creepy castle. This part of the film is the most fun, with echoey hallways, secret spy-holes, hidden passageways, and trapdoors -- all the things one expects from such nonsense. PLUS, it features real ghosts: the spectral figure of one of Mary's ancestors crawls out of a wooden chest and Larry's candle floats out of its holder. All of this spookiness gives Lewis the opportunity to do his best Lou Costello impersonation, huffing and puffing in fright, unable to speak, with Martin playing the brave straight man. Mary eventually joins the men in the castle (chased by a zombie), and helps to uncover the treasure hidden within. Act three actually could have done with being a bit longer, the solving of the clues in the castle feeling way too rushed. If they had shaved twenty minutes off the first act, and cut one of the songs from the second, and then used some of that time to expand on the castle-bound shenanigans, the film would have worked way better (a final running time of 90 minutes would be far more preferable to its current bloated 108 minutes).

5.5/10, rounded down to 5/10 for the stupid final gag featuring Bob Hope and Fred Astaire.

Martin & Lewis get plenty of scary laughs in Scared Stiff

[tavm · 9/10 · 24 August 2011]

Just rewatched this Martin & Lewis movie on YouTube. In this one, Dean & Jerry somehow get mixed up with some gangsters and a lady named Mary (Lizabeth Scott). I'll stop there and just say this was the funniest of them I've seen yet which is probably due to the fact that one of the writers was Norman Lear-later the creator of the legendary TV show "All in the Family" but at the time a writer for the team on "The Colgate Comedy Hour"-who was partnered with Ed Simmons at the time. Also appearing is Carmen Miranda basically playing herself though under another name. She's entertaining as always whether by herself or performing with the boys. This turned out to be her last feature film performance. By the way, Ms. Scott isn't the only woman who Dean romances here. Dorothy Malone appears at the beginning as a sexy moll who likes to play around. What a looker! There's also a hilarious drunk man played by Frank Fontaine who bothers Jerry. One more notable appearance is that of Henry Brandon-best known as the villain in Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland-playing someone named Pierre. Actually, there's two more players worth mentioning but since they're meant to be surprises, I'll just say watch the movie if you want to find out...P.S. This was the first time on film that Jerry says, "I like it! I like it!" and Dean first mentions his hometown of Steubenville, Ohio. And Ms. Malone is another player from my birthtown of Chicago, Ill.

Hilarity plus with Frank Fontaine

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 23 April 2007]

A re-make of Bob Hope's The Ghost Breakers (1940) (which was also directed by George Marshall), this film is at its best whenever Jerry Lewis is not on the screen. Frank Fontaine is ten times funnier and Lewis is also upstaged not only by co-stars Martin, Miranda, Scott and Malone, but also by minor bit players like Percy Helton and Erno Verebes.

Mind you, there is a mildly diverting Lewis solo in which he plays his alter ego, but otherwise he comes off a distinct second best—particularly in his really hilarious encounter with Frank Fontaine who makes one of the most screamingly funny exits ever encountered in a motion picture.

If you're waiting for the spooks, be warned that the boys take a tremendous amount of time to actually arrive at the haunted castle, being diverted by the love interest between Dean and the simmeringly sexy Lizabeth Scott, as well as the deadly machinations of principal heavy George Dolenz, plus a feast of middling songs and musical numbers. Once our heroes hit the spot, however, our interest in the plot perks up considerably. Alas, their stay is all too brief, but you can't have everything. Production values are pretty high, what with two lovelies in Scott and Malone, a personable Martin in good voice, plus that side-splitting sequence of comic capers with Frank Fontaine.

Pure Comedy Gold!

[rebeccamary-96038 · 8/10 · 19 June 2020]

This is my favorite "scary" movie to watch on a stormy evening. It is more comedy than thriller, and enjoyed even by my young school-aged children--who find it only very mildly creepy and infinitely more funny.

I really like that Martin and Lewis' characters don't seem to outshine the other in this movie. It starts off with Larry's story (Martin), a fun song, and a romantic fling (of course). But his pal Myron (Lewis) is soon introduced and is there to help Larry out clear to the end of the story.

There are too many memorable parts to recount. The dummy bit is hilarious, the "Enchiladas" song is delightfully catchy, and the lip syncing scene is absolutely "made" by Martin just as much as Lewis.

I have probably watched this movie ten times from childhood through now and still love it.

A good twist from gangster to horror!

[Irishchatter · 9/10 · 27 December 2015]

I thought the whole movie was gonna be all gangster and trying to run away from them, but it didn't seem to be the case at all. We are then taking into a haunted castle in Cuba and of course, we see a lot of spooky stuff along the way!

Lewis as usual, was hilarious with his reactions from being such a scardy cat and a clumsy fool. I ultimately laughed at the scene where he had to be dressed up as that Cuban dancer because she was unavailable to do a show and he lip synced her voice with Martin's help by a record player (can't think of the name at the moment). It didn't go well since the record kept getting stuck and Lewis' reactions were brilliant!

I was very shocked near the end, Bing Crosby appeared as the skeleton and the 3 of the main characters ran through the door yelling like crazy. Then of course, they break the fourth wall and said goodbye to us!

I really enjoyed this film but I think it would be better if I watched it on Halloween but of course, it's a few months gone lol!