Short Kilts

Sorry to disagree guys but Short Kilts is quite a funny little movie. There is some nice business between Stan and Fin, particularly in the musical chairs scene. Also, the idea that the family have a bellyful of porridge before visiting their stingy neighbours, only to be presented with a veritable banquet when they arrive, works quite well. It is also unfair to say that Stan's pre-teaming work is poor. Films such as Dr Pyckle and Mr Pryde, The Snow Hawk and Mother's Joy stand up quite well. Of course neither Stan nor Babe's early work can be compared with what they achieved as a team, but then that's a whole other kettle of fish to pickle ourselves in.

When Philip J. Fry talked about "headaches with pictures", he was referring to ideas: but he could just as easily have been talking about the lamentable 1924 Stan Laurel short, "Short Kilts".

It's not that this movie is merely bad -bad movies often have an appeal of their own- but that everything about it smacks of such glaring and almost wilful incompetence. Its endlessly cluttered scenes of people packed around a table seem to aim at the old Keystone shtick of cramming as much mayhem into every corner as possible; but this was ten years on, and where the Keystones at least had vivacity and anarchic freedom, "Short Kilts" instead is confusing and claustrophobic. The poor quality of any recording you're likely to see of it renders this hapless, disorganised mess of movement even more painful to watch.

The visual equivalent of unleashing a storm of five-year-olds upon an unattended percussion section. Avoid like the plague.

This movie, even though a short, was so bad, I had to stop watching. All it seemed to me was a room full of people clamoring around a table.

Though Laurel had some really good solo films, this certainly is not one of them!

This is another short Stan Laurel made before his fateful teaming with Oliver Hardy. Here, he's a member of a Scottish family and James Finlayson is the member of the other one whose members end up feuding. Among the supporting cast are Mickey Daniels and Mary Kornman, members of the popular Our Gang shorts made for the same man as this short-Hal Roach. Stan is quite funny here and Daniels has his moment when he uses a wind blower to put out the fire whenever Stan lights a match. Mary is as cute as ever and she and Mickey certainly are their charming selves here. Fin makes a fine foil for Stan but anyone who's seen him with L & H knows that. In summary, Short Kilts is worth a look for fans of all of the above.

Another reviewer wrote that Stan Laurel's films before he teamed with Oliver Hardy were unwatchable. Well, this certainly is true of some of his films, but it is also a gross over-generalization. While this is only an average film, it certainly is very watchable. In addition, such Stan Laurel solo efforts as MUD AND SAND and especially DR. PYCKLE AND MR. PRYDE are excellent films and can't just be written off so quickly. I would definitely beg to differ with the reviewer's assertion and maybe they just need to see more of his solo films. I've seen about 20 or more and have found them to be a very mixed bag.

As for SHORT KILTS, it's somewhat reminiscent of an early Oliver Hardy film, THE BATTLE ROYAL. Both are about two homes where children from each household want to marry each other BUT their happiness is marred by a feud that erupts between the families. In BATTLE ROYAL, they were stereotypical hillbillies and in SHORT KILTS they are very stereotypical Scotsmen. Interestingly, one of the actors (James Finlayson) was actually from Scotland and it's interesting to see him here with Stan Laurel--as they'd both make a lot of films together after Stan paired with Ollie. In addition, another perennial Hal Roach star, Mickey Daniels, is in the film playing one of the youngest members of the family. He already was making a name for himself with the "Our Gang" films and would later star in Roach's "Boy Friends" films.

The film is very watchable--thanks mostly to an exceptionally pristine print and a nice soundtrack on the version available in the "Laurel and Hardy Collection: 2". The only problem is that the jokes are only fair--and it's only a mildly funny film. But it's also pretty harmless and easy to watch. All in all, NOT a film necessary to see but one that fans of Laurel and Hardy might enjoy for its historical value.