Oliver the Eighth

Stan and Ollie decide it's time to get married, especially since a rich widow is advertising for a husband. Stan writes a letter, but Ollie hides it under his hat so it never goes out. When they get to her mansion, Jitters, the butler, explains how there have been seven husbands already, all dead, all named Oliver. Of course, they end up trapped in the place and she is on the prowl with a very large knife. What follows is an effort to get out of there. Everything they can manage is used in the process. Stanley manages to screw things up time and time again. The ending is a little pat, but it doesn't matter because the whole thing is hilarious. Jack Barty as Jitters and Mae Busch as the grieving widow are some of the best of the supporting casts that have embraced these L & H films. Jitters is especially nutty with his magic tricks.

This was made in 1934 ! One thing I hadn`t realised untill I saw this film again on BBC 2 a couple of days ago was that a lonely hearts column is used to kick start the plot , a lonely hearts column in 1934 ?Here`s me thinking sad anoraks and wall flowers sending off ads to publications in order to meet equally desperate people was a relatively recent concept . Mind you I thought the same about post modernism untill I saw the Bing and Bob ROAD TO... movies so what do I know ?

Anyway as some of the other reviewers on this page have noted this has a very strange , very dark feel to it . In many ways it feels like Stan and Oliver have walked into a film based on a work of Edgar Allan Poe , and for the first time watching the season of L&H shorts on BBC 2 I couldn`t help noticing gaps in logic in the story , watch OLIVER THE EIGHTH and I promise you that you`ll be saying " Hey , why didn`t they ....? " . Despite these criticisms this certainly one of the better shorts , the bedroom scenes had me laughing out loud , but not for the first time we`re treated to a really bad cop out ending . Oh well nothing is perfect

When Oliver Hardy reads a newspaper advertisement about a young, wealthy widow who's looking for a husband, he applies. Stan wanders along. Little do they know until it's too late, that the young widow has married and killed seven husbands named Oliver already and that, even worse, its Mae Busch.

Miss Busch was born in Australia, moved with her parents to America as a child, and went on stage. By 1912, she had made her first movie. By the end of the decade, known as 'the Versatile Vamp' and prized by comedy directors for her aim with crockery, she was starring in dramas and comedies. She is best remembered, however, for her 15 appearances with Laurel and Hardy, from 1927 through 1936. She died in 1946 at age 54.

When a wealthy widow advertises for a new husband both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy decide to compete for her hand, with hilarious and unexpected results.

Absolute classic Laurel & Hardy, with the comedians at the top of their game, shelling out the non-stop slapstick humour amidst the rather dark elements (I. E. touches upon insanity and murderess) and there are too many great jokes such as the 'pick a card' and the bit when Oliver is trying to nap while Laurel is keeping an eye for the murderess who wants to slit Oliver's throat. There's a nice twist at the end.

Jack Barty is hilarious and performs one of the best pantomime scenes I have ever seen.

Stan, Ollie and Mae Busch all join in to create an incredible pantomime dinner party.

Stan and Ollie are with perfect partners in this film.

The interaction between all the characters is perfect. Barty's speaking voice is also hysterical. It has a bit of English sound, mixed with a deep rasp. His enunciation is sublime.

Sublety abounds. "Madame" (Mae Busch) is perfect as she slides in and out of a sort of schizo-dementia.

You will be glad to see this masterwork and to have in your collection when you need a lift. What great great actors.