Sad, very sad. I was a big time Abbott and Costello fan as a kid growing up in the Fifties, never missing an opportunity to catch one of their films on TV. The 'Monster' films were the best and they had others that entertained, but "Dance With Me, Henry" was a disappointing swan song. I never saw this one before today, so maybe my judgment would be a little different if I had some wistful memory of it from back in the day. Just about everything that made the comedy team click is missing here. There's no snappy dialog, none of the familiar routines, and the pair are completely out of character from their previous pairings. Lou is cast as a good guy, an adoptive Dad who's trying to raise a couple of kids while running an amusement park called Candyland. Bud on the other hand is an alcoholic and a gambler, so right out of the gate there's no basis for the type of comedy that the boys built their careers on. Occasional forays into slapstick get muddled by the story line involving gangsters and the murder of a district attorney, not exactly the kind of light hearted fare that A&C fans would have been used to. The picture is at it's best near the finale when a boat load of youngsters get involved in frustrating the bad guys at Candyland and saving the day for Lou and his young wards. The young boy Duffer I immediately recognized as Rusty Hamer from the Danny Thomas series 'Make Room For Daddy'. Checking the IMDb profile for Gigi Perreau, daughter Shelley in the story, I was surprised to see that she's still active with a film credit as recently as 2011. If you're an Abbott and Costello fan, I wouldn't try to steer you away from the movie because it's not terrible, it's just not very entertaining. Personally, I'll keep my fond memories of the boys from their earlier pictures where they delighted millions of fans all over the world.

I actually found this really entertaining. I have watched nearly all of their films and this one is really interesting. The humour is less forced and has a more natural flow than in their earlier films. Abbott is not so much the straight man here but very funny himself. His delivery is impeccable. Lou has lost a lot of the silly over the top humour which IMO is better especially as they are older. The later films like this one and the mummy I find the most entertaining. The humour was a natural part of the plot not and did not contain over the top gags that were not in keeping with the flow of the film. Also, the characters of Abbott and Costello are more central to the plot.The more I watch Abbott and Costello the more these later films appeal to me.A pity they ended their partnership too soon.

"Dance With Me Henry" (1956) is the last time Bud Abbott and Lou Costello shared billing in the movies. In truth, however, their tenure as leading comics had been dissolved some years before. Almost from the moment they set foot on the Universal back lot and made their debut film, 'One Night in the Tropics' (1941), theirs was a partnership of strained convenience in which Abbott always considered himself the superior comedian, so much so, that profits from all of their endeavors (radio/film, and later, television) were divided along a 60/40 split in Abbott's favor. On this occasion the two find themselves in yet another rehash of their earlier films, as Lou Henry (Costello) attempts to adopt two adorable children to help him run his Kiddyland amusement park. The local welfare authority in the form of Ms. Mayberry (Mary Wickes) will have something to say about that, and so will Lou's best friend, Bud (Abbott), who would rather run up a gambling debt with the mob than share his prosperity with a couple of kids. Throughout, the farcical elements are much too strained to be humorous. One can almost hear from just off camera, Abbott hollering something to the effect of "hurry up, stupid, I want to get paid." Charles Barton – a frequent participant on these collaborations, directs again, but with a sense that it's all been done before.The transfer from MGM is surprisingly good – I say, surprisingly, because in general MGM/DVD isn't known for offering pristine transfers of classic movies. And although "Dance With Me Henry" is not pristine in terms of age related artifacts, its also not very far from it. The gray scale has been impeccably mastered with nice tonality, solid blacks and generally clean whites. Occasionally there's a hint of edge enhancement, but nothing that will terribly distract. There's also a hint of film grain, but this never becomes bothersome. The audio is mono but presented with great clarity and at an adequate listening level. There are NO extras.

This is by far one of their least works, but it did provide 2 major things that make it worth watching. No real spoilers except for who the characters are.First, we see Lou Costello as a strong leader. He is a Widower father raising his kids. He owns/operates a carnival. He helps his drunken friend. He still has a genuine good streak and has that child-like love for life. He is a straight man, and he pulls it off.Then, Bud Abbott is a drunken louse. He is weak, and is easily led by Lou throughout the adventures, though his love for the bottle is evident and causes major problems.This isn't the only movie that they exchange "roles", but it is a good example of the talents these men had. The story is weak, and the ending contrived, but give it a shot. If you are a fan of theirs, you will enjoy it just for the role reversals. If you are not into cinema history or these actors, this is one worth skipping for now.