"Ghost Chasers" surprised me, as it's a very enjoyable Bowery Boys film...something I just didn't expect...especially when I learned that the picture was shot in just 6 days!!!The story involves some phony psychics who are bilking customers out of their money with promises they can talk to their dead loved ones. Oddly, the only one who doesn't fall for any of this is Slip...and he's an idiot! Well, the story gets very strange when Edgar, a 300 year-old ghost shows up because he, too, is mad about the phony psychics and offers to help Sach uncover the gang's dirty tricks. However, no one else seems to be able to see Edgar and you can only assume he appears to REALLY dumb folks! Overall, this is actually a rather cute installment of the series. Edgar is a very likable character and I loved when he stopped to talk to the audience early in the story! In addition, the film offers some nice twists and kept my interest. Is it brilliant entertainment? Certainly not but it is a very watchable B-movie--and better than you'd expect.

***SPOILERS*** The "Bowery Boys" get the unexpected help from 300 year old ghost Edger in them busting a major spirit & medium racket in the New York City area. This spirit racket has been taking people to the cleaners in claiming to be able to contact their dead friends and loved ones. And in the case of sweet shop owner Louie Dumbrowsky,in his long dead Uncle Jake, those who owed them money but kicked off or died before they had a chance to pay them back.It was Slip who got on the case of exposing this phony medium Madam Zola who tired to gyp his neighbor Mrs. Parnelli out of $100.00 in claiming that she can contact the spirit of her dead son Frankie who was killed in the Korean War. Slip in threatening to turn over Madan Zola to the police bunko squad has her spill the beans on the spirit racket that she's a member of by fingering the big boss Dr.Grandville and his partner in crime phony medium Madam Margo.Going to Dr.Grandville's place where Madam Margo conducts séances,at a hefty price for anyone who's interested, Slip's friend Sach is contacted by a real life not fake ghost Edger who, because of Sach's prominent looking nose,took a liking to him. Edger is more then willing to help expose the fake spirit and medium racket in it using fake ghosts to cheat unsuspecting people out of their hard earned cash. It also gives a bad name to real ghosts like himself who only want to help people in need not enrich themselves off their suffering. It's Sach who by being a moron and low IQ idiot, which keeps his subconscious mind open to being contacted by ghosts & spirits, who can both see an hear Edger which helps him as well as the "Bowery Boys" get the jump on Dr.Grandville and his henchmen.***SPOILERS*** One of the best of the "Bowery Boys" films in that it has far more meat, or story-line, to it then the usual "Bowery Boys" movies your used to watching. In fact it was Edger the 300 year old friendly ghost who not only saved the boys from drowning in a tank that Dr.Grandville had them dump into as well as had Dr.Grandville Margo & Co. busted by the police but got those of us watching to believe that there is really such a thing as ghosts! Friendly or otherwise!

While loquacious Leo Gorcey (as Terence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney) tries to teach a girlfriend English diction ("How, now, brown, cow…"), simple-minded Huntz Hall (as Horace De Bussy "Sach" Jones) joins "Bowery Boys" William "Billy" Benedict (as Whitey), Buddy Gorman (as Butch), and David Gorcey (as Chuck) in a séance. The spirit world isn't really contacted, but Mr. Benedict remains a believer; he invites Mr. Hall to join his ghost-contacting group, which intends to contact a dead magician named "Leonardi".The group turns out to be a racket, as Mr. Gorcey suspects. Gorcey decides to expose the group by persuading fatherly "Sweet Shop" owner Bernard Gorcey (as Louis "Louie" Dumbrowsky) to contact his debtor uncle "Jake" through "Margo the Medium" (Lela Bliss). Hall, meanwhile, befriends 300-year-old pilgrim Lloyd Corrigan (as Edgar Alden Franklin Smith), who steals the show. Edward J. Kay's finely-tuned musical direction, and Mr. Corrigan's spirited mission, help make "Ghost Chasers" an above average series entry.***** Ghost Chasers (4/29/51) William Beaudine ~ Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Lloyd Corrigan

GHOST CHASERS turns out to be a well-paced comedy, and a little better than usual. It involves Slip, Sach and the gang trying to expose a phony clairvoyant (or"clairvoyage," to quote the ever-prolific Leo Gorcey). Good fun all around, with some humorous assistance added courtesy of Bernard Gorcey (Leo's dad) as Louie Dumbrowski.This is my favorite period for The Bowery Boys films (1946-1956), which was the point where they became all-out comedies. Unfortunately, as of this writing, there are no DVDs planned. Hopefully, Warner Bros. will put them out very soon.**1/2 / ****