Saturday, April 12, 2008

LAUREL AND HARDY SHORTS # 1


This DVD from Hallmark Home Entertainment contains the feature Sons of the Desert, as well as four comedy shorts, including the classic The Music Box, wherein the boys attempt to get a piano up a huge flight of outdoor stairs. Another Fine Mess has the boys, homeless and running from cops, hiding out in a deserted mansion and pretending to be the master of the house, and in Stan's case, both the butler and the maid (there's a priceless bit with "Agnes" joking on a couch with a prospective tenant's pretty wife). The acting in this is a bit broad, as if the "silent" approach hadn't yet been shrugged off, but it's very funny in spots. Country Hospital is a hilarious little gem in which Stan goes to the hospital to visit Oliver, who has a broken leg. Somehow Stan gets caught between Oliver, who winds up hanging from the ceiling, and the doctor, who's desperately dangling out of the window! A wild car ride in busy traffic ends the film. Busy Bodies, which is full of inventive stuff, has the boys causing havoc at the factory where they work. Busy Bodies contains one of the all-time greatest gags involving a vise and a paintbrush that's adhered to Ollie's chin! Good show!

Verdict: A very nice collection for Laurel and Hardy enthusiasts. ***.

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