Goodbye to Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy

 

 (wikipedia)

UTOPIA-(aka ATOLL K)-1951-In London, Laurel & Hardy (themselves) inherit a rundown yacht to take them to an island they also inherited. A “stateless man” Antoine (Max Elloy) goes along as their cook. There's also a stowaway named Giovanni (Adriano Rimoldi). They encounter a storm and are stranded on an atoll. Then a narrator explains how the 4 survive. 

In Tahiti, Cherie LaMour (Suzy Delair), a singer, planned to marry a Lieutenant but their engagement is broken. To get away, LaMour goes to the atoll too. After the men all try to impress her, her boyfriend shows up to survey the land. Uranium is found on the tiny island, so in order to keep the island for themselves they dub the atoll “Crusoeland” and make a constitution with Hardy as the president. When the rest of the world finds out about Crusoeland, which has no laws, no taxes and no jails, among other things, folks flock to the island. 

This political satire fails badly but the worst part is Stan Laurel who looks terrible having many health complications. Oliver Hardy also fell ill. The movie was a sordid production with language barriers and a shooting schedule of 12 weeks that ballooned to one year! There were at least 4 writers who worked on the script (including Stan Laurel who contributed gags). Communication was so bad between the team (who's last feature film had been in 1945) and director Leo Joanon that it's been said blacklisted American director John Berry was brought in to help. At least 8 versions exist and somewhere down the road the copyright on this version lapsed making it the most easily accessible of Laurel & Hardy's movies!

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Hey, Boris!

 

 (imdb)

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KILLER, BORIS KARLOFF-1949-A lawyer named Strickland is murdered. The chief suspect is bellhop Freddy (Lou) who's helped out by hotel detective Casey (Bud) after he's fired by his manager Melton (Alan Mowbray). Inspector Wellman (James Flavin) has plenty of other suspects: suspected husband poisoner Angela (Lenore Aubert), Swami Talpur (Boris Karloff) and Hanley Brooks (Roland Winters). The funniest part is Talpur trying to hypnotize Freddy into committing suicide and when Freddy dresses as a maid (he and Casey have to hide some dead bodies) and he is chatted up by the night watchman (Percy Helton). Also with Mikel Conrad and a bit by Bobby Barber. 

Director Charles Barton made 9 movies with Abbott & Costello including perhaps their best one A & C MEET FRANKENSTEIN (also featuring Lenore Aubert) in 1948. Ironically, he would also direct the team's final film together DANCE WITH ME, HENRY in 1956, usually considered one of their worst. In the '30's he was assistant director of The Marx Brothers movies MONKEY BUSINESS and HORSE FEATHERS.

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Martial Arts Soccer

 

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SHAOLIN SOCCER-2001-A crippled soccer player Golden Leg Fung (Man-Tat Ng) and Mighty Steel Leg Sing (co-writer/director Stephen Chow) who want to promote Shaolin Kung Fu and idolize Bruce Lee form a Shaolin soccer team with his 5 Shaolin brothers. They come up against Fung's ex-employer (Hung Yin Tse) and his Team Evil. 

Zany, anything goes, sometimes out of control comedy. Chow returned a few years later with KUNG-FU HUSTLE (2004).

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Buster Times 2

 (imdb)

SHERLOCK JUNIOR-1924-A movie projectionist (Buster Keaton, who also produced and directed) tries to solve the theft of some pearls after he's framed for stealing a watch belonging to the father (Buster's father Joe) of a woman (Kathyrn McGuire) he's sweet on. 

Very clever and funny with a couple of great stunts. The story is credited to Jean Havez & Joe Mitchell and Clyde Bruckman who all worked on many Keaton films.

 (imdb)

BATTLING BUTLER-1926-Socialite Alfred Butler (Buster Keaton; also in the director's chair) goes on a hunting trip and falls in love but his valet (Snitz Edwards) tells the woman (Sally O'Neill) and everyone else that his boss is boxer Battling Butler and then the trouble starts. Especially when the real boxer (Francis McDonald) shows up. 

This is pretty funny but it doesn't have the wild stunts like some of Buster's other comedies. The training scene is great though. Released the same year as Keaton's THE GENERAL, it's regarded as one of the comedian's best. 

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Funny In France

 

 (imdb)

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH-1966-This French Anthology serves up several tales. In the first “Insomnia”, a man can't sleep so he reads a horror novel about a vampire. Little things scare him. Finally, he falls asleep but his sleeping wife has a surprise. In “The Movies”, a movie goer finds it hard to get a good seat in a theater. Then he finds himself in the middle of a bunch of crazy commercials. Next is “As Long As You Have Your Health”. A street construction upsets a man's life and those around him with their constant jack-hammering and goes on to show hectic city life with comical bits. The last is “Into The Woods No More”. A hunter tries to shoot rabbits but humans keep getting in the way while a man and woman search for a picnic spot with disastrous results. 

Director Pierre Etaix (who also stars in one episode) was also an actor who had many roles including one in Jerry Lewis' mysterious THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED (1972).

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Blow The Horn, Stan!

 

 (imdb)

SAPS AT SEA-1940-Mr. Hardy (Ollie) is diagnosed with hornaphobia and is allergic to horns. This is bad because he and Mr. Laurel (Stan) work at a horn factory. His doctor (James Finlayson) suggests he go on a sea trip but Hardy won't do it so Laurel suggests they stay on a docked boat. So after wrecking their room, they go rent a boat. For some reason they take a goat with them. After some antics, wanted gangster Nick Grainger (Dick Cramer) boards the ship. Then the goat chews away the rope mooring the boat and the three are set out to sea. When Nick almost kills Hardy, Stan plays his trombone and Hardy beats the thug up. They are entitled to a reward but still wind up in jail thanks to Laurel's storytelling! 

Gordon Douglas directed this outing with the team in another crazy, hilarious situation. Several people worked on the story and screenplay, including Harry Langdon and Felix Adler. Stan Laurel added some uncredited input.

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One Scene Boris

 

TONIGHT OR EVER-1931-Opera singer Nella Vago (Gloria Swanson), though successful, is criticized by everyone because they say she sings without passion. She becomes infatuated with Jim Fletcher (Melvin Douglas) who's a gigolo to Bianca San Giovanni (Alison Skipworth). 

This was Melvyn Douglas’ film debut after starring in the successful Broadway production. Boris Karloff is in one scene as a butler. Director Mervyn LeRoy made LITTLE CAESAR the same year.

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Stan Blockhead & Oliver Blockhead

 

 (imdb)

BLOCKHEADS-1938-Laurel & Hardy are Dough boys in the trenches during WW 1. Ollie goes off to fight and Stan is left to guard the trench. Unfortunately, no one tells him when the war ended so he stands guard for 20 years! Ollie, happily married but under the thumb of his wife (Minna Gombell), sees a newspaper article about Stan and he goes to the hospital to bring him home. Along the way, they get into various jams. First, Ollie thinks Stan has one leg. Then Stan dumps a truckload of sand on his friend. Stan eventually wrecks the car and garage. Ollie has a fight with an uppity tenant (L & H regular James Finlayson) and runs afoul of a bratty kid (Tommy Bond; Butch from “Our Gang” shorts) and his bully father (William Boardway). When they finally get to the apartment, Mrs. Hardy gets mad and leaves. Ollie tries to cook dinner but thanks to Stan destroys the kitchen. Next door neighbor Mrs. Gilbert (Patricia Ellis) tries to help but she winds up in Ollie's pj's pretending to be a chair. Then Mrs. Hardy returns. Billy Gilbert appears as big game hunter jealous husband. 

Director James Blystone, who kept the team from ad-libbing too much, died suddenly of a heart attack four days after completing BLOCKHEADS. He was 43. He had previously directed the team in SWISS MISS (also 1938).

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Comedy Comp

 

 (imdb)

MGM's BIG PARADE OF COMEDY-1964-Compilation of comedy scenes from the studio starting in the silent era then talkies with parts featuring Marie Dressler, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo and others. It's also the only time you'll see Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, The Marx Bros, The 3 Stooges (with Ted Healy) & WC Fields in one film! One of 8 comedy compilation films director Robert Youngson made between 1957 and 1970.

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Marx Brothers Circus

 

 (imdb)

AT THE CIRCUS-1939-Jeff Wilson (Kenny Baker),owns a circus where his girlfriend Julie (Florence Rice) does a musical number with a horse. He owes a guy named Carter (James Burke) 10 thousand dollars but he plans on paying off. His assistant/buddy Tony (Chico Marx) thinks Jeff's in trouble, so he sends for lawyer J. Cheever Loophole (Guess Who?). Carter conspires with trapeze artist Peerless Pauline (Eve Arden) to ruin Jeff. Carter sends strongman Goliath (Nat Pendelton; also in HORSE FEATHERS) and midget, the professor (Jerry Maren) to steal Jeff's money. Tony and the strongman's former assistant Punchy (Harpo Marx) investigate. Groucho sings “Lydia,The Tattooed Lady”. Loophole goes to Newport to romance the wealthy Mrs. Dukesbury (Margaret Dumont), Jeff's aunt. Later, Loophole plots to have Jeff's circus replace an orchestra lead by famous French conductor Jardinet (Fritz Feld).

 (imdb)

 

The wild finale includes an escaped gorilla (Charles Gemora), Dukesbury shot from a cannon and half the cast on a trapeze! Director Edward Buzzell does a fairly good job and would direct the brothers' next feature GO WEST.

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On Yer Marx

 

 (imdb)

A DAY AT THE RACES-1937-Judy (Maureen O'Sullivan) is having trouble running her sanitarium because it's in debt. Her chauffeur is Tony (Chico Marx). She gets really mad when her radio singer boyfriend Gil Stewart (Alan Jones) buys a racehorse. His jockey is Stuffy (Harpo Marx). Hypochondriac Mrs. Upjohn (Margaret Dumont) agrees to help out when she hears Dr. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx) is coming (he's actually a veterinarian). Mr. Morgan (Douglas Dumbrille; later in THE BIG STORE with the brothers) wants her place and has a corrupt business Mgr. Whitmore (Leonard Ceeley) try and get it. Later Hackenbush is pursued by floozy Flo (Esther Muir) who tries to get Hackenbush in trouble with Mrs. Upjohn but Tony & Stuffy save him with a hilarious wallpaper act. There's more outrageous comedy when Morgan brings in a specialist (Sig Ruman) to examine Upjohn. 

This seventh madcap Marx Brothers comedy was directed by Sam Wood who had already worked with the brothers on the classic A NIGHT AT THE OPERA in 1935 (which also featured Jones, Dumont and Ruman). He went on to direct many more films including GOODBYE MR. CHIPS (1939), KITTY FOYLE (1940) and THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942). Executive producer (and Marx Brothers supporter) Irving Thalberg died during production. Groucho (who didn't care much for director Wood) later said that with Thalberg's death he lost interest in making movies. 

DAY is also the only Marx Bros. film to get an Oscar nomination (for choreography!). 37 years later Groucho received a honorary Oscar. Despite having a lot of music, several songs were cut including Groucho's “Dr. Hackenbush”!

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More Marx

 

 (imdb)

HORSE FEATHERS-1932-Fourth zany Marx Brothers comedy takes place in Huxley college where Professor Wagstaff (Groucho) has just become president. (“I'm against it”) He's concerned because his son (Zeppo!) is hanging out with a college widow (Thelma Todd in her second Marx outing) and Huxley hasn't won a losing football team. From the urging of his son, he tries to recruit 2 football players (Nat Pendelton & James Pierce) from a speakeasy and winds up with Harpo and Chico. Uproarious, hysterical football game is the highlight.

 Also with Richard Landau,Bobby Barber, Vince Barnett and Syd Saylor but unfortunately no Margaret Dumont. 

This is director Norman Z. McLeod follow up to the Marx Brothers last film, the equally hilarious MONKEY BUSINESS. Writers on his included Harry Ruby, Bert Kalmar and SJ Perelman.

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Harpo, Groucho, Chico and Zeppo

 

MONKEY BUSINESS-1931-This, the third Marx brothers movie is a hilarious chaotic comedy set partially aboard a steamship. The 4 brothers are stowaways (first seen in barrels singing “Sweet Adeline”) trying to avoid the captain (Eddie Baker), his first mate (Tom Kennedy) & crew while crossing paths with 2 feuding gangsters Alky Briggs (Harry Wood) and Joe Helton (Rockcliffe Fellowes). Zeppo hooks up with  Helton’s daughter, Mary (Ruth Hall). Groucho tries romancing Briggs’ wife (Thelma Todd) several times. Somehow Briggs winds up using Groucho and Zeppo as part of his gang! And then Helton hires Harpo and Chico as bodyguards! After they get off the boat, Helton throws a huge party where Briggs has Mary kidnapped and the brothers go into action! Bess Flowers, Bobby Barber and Billy Barty (as a kid) all have uncredited roles. 

Norman Z. McLeod also directed the brothers in HORSE FEATHERS the next year. He later directed many other comedy stars like WC Fields, Bob Hope, Harold Lloyd, Danny Kaye and did the “Topper” series.

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Low Budget Slaves

 

 (imdb)

SLAVE GIRLS FROM BEYOND INFINITY-1987-On a distant planet, some survivors of spaceship crash (Elizabeth Kaitan, Cindy Beal, Brinke Stevens and lone male Cal Horner) are rescued by smooth talking Zed (Don Scribner) who lives in a castle with a bunch of robot servants. After not much happens, the story turns into a "The Most Dangerous Game” rip-off with Zed hunting the bikini clad trio in a phony forest. 

Typical '80's "tease" film, promising a lot and delivering nothing. Writer/director Ken Dixon also made THE EROTIC ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CURSOE (1976). His first film was the interesting short SHADOW HOUSE made in 1973. Richard Band was an executive producer.

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Taiwan Ghost Comedy

 

 (imdb)

BUSINESS TRIP TO THE NETHERWORLD-(Dao Yin Jian Chu Cha)-1990-A guy Li Bin (Ching Huang Yang) is killed in a car accident. However, he comes back as a ghost no one can see. At first, he has a hard time believing but he meets Mah Tung who convinces him. 

There are a lot of gags in this comedy ghost story. Unfortunately, many go on too long especially the part where a guy wanders around because he thinks he's invisible. Hopping vampires show up later. The version I saw ended abruptly but I didn't care because it wasn't very good anyway. From Taiwan. Written and directed by Chen-Kuo Chao.

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Luchadum

 

 (themoviedb.org)

OPERATION LUCHADOR-2021-Dumb fake documentary comedy about fictional Mexican wrestler The Golden Angel (Carlos Valderrama) who is recruited by J. Edgar Hoover to be a spy for the Allies during WW2. The pro Nazi director, Alain Vezina, seems obsessed with the swastika, views Hitler as a genius and makes light of their experiments with comic bits like canine pilots. The Angel fights the Yeti, a Nazi agent. Idiotic. Hitler is even thanked at the end...

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Bud and Lou and Me and You

 

 

 (wikipedia)

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN-1951-Bud Alexander (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis (Lou Costello), new graduates of the Dugan Detective School, take on the case of Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz; in THE SNIPER the next year)), a boxer accused of killing his manager. Nelson goes to his girlfriend Helen's (Nancy Guild; CAGLIOSTRO (1949)) house where her uncle, Dr. Gray (Gavin Muir) is working on the invisibility formula originally invented by John Griffin. Gray won't inject Tommy with the formula because it will drive him crazy. When no one is looking Tommy injects himself. Lou sees him fade away but no one believes him. Detective Roberts (William Frawley; just starting TV's "I Love Lucy") thinks Lou is crazy and takes him to a psychiatrist but Lou makes him fall asleep. Later they help Tommy clear his name. Lou becomes Louie the Looper, a boxer and challenges Rocky Hanlon (John Day), the boxer owned by gangster Morgan (Sheldon Leonard; also in the team's HIT THE ICE (1943)) who sends his moll Boots (Adele Jurgens; later in Corman's THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (1955)) to set Lou up for a dive. Lou fights Hanlon with invisible Tommy helping him. Lou has some trouble when Tommy is knock unconscious. Syd Saylor, Bobby Barber, Milt Bronson and Herb Vigran have bit roles. 

Good sfx with a comical if kind of weird ending. One of 9 Abbott & Costello movies directed by Charles Lamont, who also started doing The Ma & Pa Kettle series around this time. The comedy duo made COMIN' 'ROUND THE MOUNTAIN (also directed by Lamont) the same year.

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Oh My Goodness!

 

 

 (imdb)

PAUL LYNDE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL-ABC-1976-I've read about this special and how awful and bizarre it is but really it's probably not much different than any other TV variety special being produced at the time. It reeks the '70's with everyone trying to be hip, disco dancing and Kiss. Yes, Kiss is the musical guest and they do three songs! There's bits involving truckers, rhinestone cowboys, etc. But the guest list besides Kiss includes Tim Conway, Billy Barty and some woman who was on Happy Days at the time (she was fired after a couple of episodes) and cameos by Betty White and Donny & Marie! In a strange move two witches are thrown in. Billie Barnes as Witchie Poo (from TV's “H.R. Pufnstuf”) and Margaret Hamilton reprising her role as the Wicked Witch! 

Lynde made several specials under his ABC contract after none of his sit-com pilots were picked up. He seems very sincere in his closing monologue. Director Sid Smith made most of anything Bob Hope later did on TV.

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Mantan's Back

 

 (imdb)

MR. WASHINGTON GOES TO TOWN-1941-Crazy goings on at a hotel inherited by new owner Schenectady (Mantan Moreland) and his partner in crime Wallingford (FE Miller). A blustery criminal businessman Brutus Blake (Maceo B. Sheffield) holds a mortgage on the place because he believes there's a fortune hidden there. Occasionally a parrot narrates the action. It was directed by the super-fast William Beaudine but the producer Jed Buell is credited.

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Hay Abbott!

 

 (imdb)

IT AIN'T HAY-1943-Wilbur, an inept but lovable cab driver (Lou Costello) is blamed for the death of a carriage horse owned by King O'Hara (Cecil Kellaway) and his daughter Peggy (Patsy O'Connor). With help from his friend Grover (Bud Abbott) he gets a new horse.

Unfortunately, they accidentally steal a famous racehorse Tea Biscuit, owned by Col. Brainard (Samuel S. Hinds; also in the team's RIDE 'EM COWBOY the year before). They are pursued by a man named Warner (Eugene Pallette) who they cost several jobs. Shemp Howard is Umbrella Sam and Eddie Quillan is Harry the Horse.

 IT AIN'T HAY was the third of five Abbott & Costello comedies directed by Erle C. Kenton (ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)) who also found time to direct several in the classic Universal horror series. This entertaining Abbott and Costello vehicle is based on a story by Damon Runyon which caused the film not to be released on DVD with the other Universal A & C comedies. A few years ago matters with Runyon's estate were cleared up and it was finally released.

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