Por su mala cabeza

The critic in me says that the entire film is structured for the sole purpose of the sight gag with which the film ends. But, OH, WHAT A SIGHT GAG!

I saw this the other night at a local arts club screening, but available nowhere else. Why isn't this (or for matter, their masterpiece "The Music Box") on video?

This is so very funny. Walter Long plays Butch, a murderer who Stan and Ollie have helped convicted. With that stern, ugly, threatening smirk, Butch tells them in court that he will escape, catch them, and tie their legs around their necks. He goes off to prison, but, of course, he escapes and the fun starts. The boys leave town but they need some financial aid and advertise for a travelling companion. It turns out to be Mae Bush, who is Butch's girlfriend. The arrive a her apartment shortly after Butch, who hides in a steamer trunk. The boys are take with Mae who is quite voluptuous in a 1930's kind of way. Butch realizes he can't get out of the trunk and much of the episode involves the duo trying to get him out, not realizing they are about to seal their fates. Tremendous character acting by Long and a really great plot.

Laurel and Hardy's testimony have helped convict Walter Long. He announces that he's going to bust out of prison and kill them. They prepare to leave town, but don't have enough money. They advertise in the paper and Mae Busch answers. If that's not enough trouble, she's Long's girlfriend. If that's not enough trouble, he's escaped and coming along with them. However, he's locked in a trunk. Always ineptly helpful, the Boy's try to get him out.

This is the short with the immortal line, "I have milk in my ear." Filled with ridiculous details, this is one of Stan and Ollie's best short..... which can be said of an astonishing number of them.

Doing their civic duty for once, Laurel and Hardy are witnesses in a case that sees a violent felon go down for life. The criminal swears bloody revenge and Laurel and hardy decide it's best for them to leave town. Needing help with the gas money they advertise for a travelling companion and their luck is in when a lady replies. Meanwhile the criminal escapes jail and heads to his girlfriend's house for shelter – just before our heroes arrive to pick her up as their travelling companion.

Despite the dark starting to this film it turns out to be very funny. The film worried me a little as it appeared to be slightly violent in it's threats etc at the start but it soon feel back into routines and slapstick that they do so well. The later routines with the trunk were a little disappointing as they were uninspired but still quite funny – in fact once the criminal turns up in the flat it all had an air of inevitability about it that sapped the film's energy a bit.

Nevertheless it is still funny and Oliver and Stan are on good form in the early scenes with both good physical work and nice dialogue based routines between the two. It isn't one of their best that I've seen but even them on an off day is very funny and well worth a watch.

This is one of the better Laurel & Hardy two reelers I have seen. The good thing with this short film is that it is not only entertaining and making you smile, the gags still work as good as they probably did back then. I laughed a lot with this short. Only the last five minutes are a little less funny, but those minutes are very original. The final gag belongs to the best I have seen in a Laurel & Hardy short.

The story shows us how Laurel & Hardy are responsible for the conviction of a criminal. The criminal tells them that when he comes out he will harm them very badly. Laurel & Hardy plan to leave town. They want to take a passenger to share expenses. A lady offers to go along and of course she knows the criminal who by that time has escaped.

The story is predictable, some of the gags are too, but they all work. Highly recommended.