Two down-on-their-luck loafers take a job babysitting, with a bedtime story of the titular tale turning into a wacky Abbott and Costello-faced musical retelling involving stolen cows, terrible giants, and the heroic boy with an opportunistic butcher in a castle above the clouds.
Acting
Costello's giant-scream is operatic cowardice.
Costume
The giant's bargain-bin ogre chic haunts my dreams.
Practical Effects
Forced perspective giants that actually kinda work.
Director
Jean Yarbrough
Bud Abbott
Mr. Dinkel / Mr. Dinkelpuss
Lou Costello
Jack / Jack Strong
Buddy Baer
Sgt. Riley / The Giant
Dorothy Ford
Receptionist / Polly
Barbara Brown
Mrs. Strong
David Stollery
Donald Larkin
William Farnum
The King
Shaye Cogan
Eloise Larkin / Princess Eloise (Darlene)
Almira Sessions
Mrs. Mergatroyd (uncredited)
Mel Blanc
Farm Animals (uncredited) (voice)
Arthur Shields
Patrick the Harp (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was the only color film Abbott and Costello made together, shot in 'SuperCineColor'—basically two-strip Technicolor's budget cousin.
The film's framing device of babysitters telling a story mirrors 1950s TV variety formats, essentially making this early cinematic universe building.
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