Blotto

"Blotto" is one of the few underrated Laurel and Hardy shorts. Strange, when you consider that "Below Zero", one of there lesser shorts, to be much more highly appreciated. Stan Laurel in his solo scenes with Mrs Laurel (Anita Garvin) are a revelation. It is quite surprising, as you would have thought that without the other half of the duo, it wouldn't really be very funny. With so much talent for solo performances, I wonder why he entered into a partnership with Oliver Hardy? Still, the scenes later on in the film with Oliver Hardy are just as good and I can't think of any of their films (except the nineteen forties movies they made, under completely different conditions, which didn't allowed them any artistic freedom) that don't have at least a couple of riotous laughs in them. Also, its the only one of their films to have Stan Laurel married, but not Oliver Hardy. A film well worth seeing.

This is a nice Laurel & Hardy short film, although you can not say there is a story. Laurel is married and wants to go out but his wife forbids him. Hardy calls Laurel a couple of times and after a while he speaks to Laurel's wife. She is nice instead of angry but has a plan of her own. She pretends to be in the kitchen while Laurel is talking but she also grabs a phone and learns about a plan the men have. This is the first part of the short.

The second part is the actual plan of Laurel & Hardy. They are on a night out but they have brought their own bottle of liquor. What happens there with the wife who knows where they are and their own bottle of liquor I will not reveal but it is a nice piece of comedy.

Maybe the premise doesn't sound very good, but there are a lot of laughs here. Especially Stanley Laurel is great and he manages to get a smile out of the most simple situations. Still, this is definitely not one of their best. Because it has no story it gets a little boring. Fortunately the final moment is hilarious and makes sure you will enjoy this short film from start to finish.

The boys find themselves in mischief again as Stan tries to sneak out of his house and out of the clutches of his wife to meet with Ollie. The Mrs. is smart to their plans as she then creates a wild concoction for the boys as they try to get their hands on a bottle of liquor. The boys get out safely and head for a club where the bottle would be unleashed. Even though the bottle is filled with tea and other non-alcoholic substances, that still doesn't stop the boys from causing a little mayhem. Constant laughter all the way, as only these two fellows can provide.

There is little story present and the movie can mainly be split into two separate parts. The first part of the story is about Stan, who tries to sneak out of the house from his wife, to meet up with Ollie to go and have a good time in 'Rainbow club'. The second part of the movie is about Stan and Ollie, who get 'drunk' in the 'Rainbow club'. The second part of the movie is more filled with some typical good slapstick humor and hardly any words are spoken in those sequences. It's in my opinion the best part of the movie and the timing and comedy-acting is top-class!

The movie has more than enough laughs in it to make "Blotto" an entertainingly watchable comical movie with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Especially the slapstick moments make this movie a fun one to watch and are good for some serious laughs.

Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel are good as always and once more show the wonderful chemistry the both of them had together. Also Anita Garvin is wonderful in the role of Mrs. Laurel.

The movie also provides a pretty good view on '30's nightlife, when the two enter the 'Rainbow club'.

Perfectly watchable when you want to have a good and fun 26 minutes.

7/10

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This short film's direction is twofold. One is to avoid their wive's control over them (they always seemed to have wives who were much smarter, and much meaner than them) by stealing some alcohol from them. The other is to see what happens to them as they drink the tea that has replaced the liquor. The title of the film tells us that someone is going to get really drunk. Of course, they have already blown it before they go to the bottle club (taking a risk during prohibition) because of Ollie's big mouth (he is overheard by his wife). Anyway, the scene at the club is hilarious because the power of suggestion is more powerful than the realities of the human body. This is laugh riot. Will they pay a price for their actions? That's the question.