Saps at Sea

Yes, as the other reviewers have already stated, this may not be vintage L&H but it's far from being their worst work as at 20th Century Stupid...I mean Fox. This film certainly has all of the basic ingredients for things to go wrong for the boys. But it's their serious approach and determination that makes them funny. They don't play it for laughs as other comedians might but they take their work and situation quite seriously and that is the essence of their eternal humor. In this film, they are faced with some basic issues that really might be encountered by any one of us today, namely job related stress. First, we would get checked out by a doctor and he would prescribe some much needed rest and perhaps staying by the sea. That's where the surrealness comes in to all of this. L&H always take a most plausible set of circumstances and exaggerate it but never to the point of being incredible, except maybe once in awhile. This makes us laugh because we can relate to their self caused predicaments and attempts at extrication. That's what makes Stan and Ollie universal in their appeal. In this film all those ingredients are presented in a delightfully artful and gracefully slapstick way. Not their best in comparison to their earlier work probably because this was the actual last film they did for Roach because he wanted to mirror the "big" studios and go into making features exclusively and also wanted to hurry up and finish their contractual obligation. BIG MISTAKE! They should have all stayed together and continued for maybe five more years. What the world may have missed in their not considering this as an option. Watch, laugh, and enjoy this as their last great performance.

While the premise of the film is pretty lame (Ollie is diagnosed with "hornophobia"), the film is an amiable and enjoyable little flick. It's also a darn bit better than the films they went on to make after this one--probably since this was the last Hal Roach-produced Laurel and Hardy film. In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea not to see ANY of their latter films, as the entire chemistry is lost in these films and the boys play their parts purely for pathos--something true Laurel and Hardy films NEVER would do. They had a bit of an edge that all the later films lack.

Stan and Ollie work at a horn factory. This sounds pretty funny, but it isn't. Not surprisingly with all the racket, Ollie is about to have a nervous breakdown and must take some time off work. The doctor (James Finlayson--in his last film with the team) recommends an ocean voyage. However, they don't like sailing and Stan has an idea of just renting a boat tied to the dock--then they can get all the sea air they want without all the bother! Once they are on the boat, a dangerous escaped criminal boards the boat and they all accidentally set out to sea. Fortunately, this portion of the film actually was well-paced and the very end worked out very well.

While not a great full-length Laurel and Hardy film, it was much better than many of them since it had no annoying and distracting musical numbers (like in THE DEVIL'S BROTHER or BABES IN TOYLAND). Additionally, there is still a decent amount of physical comedy--something you would see almost none of after this film. Part of this was due to the boys' declining health (and Ollie's increasing girth) and part of it was due to the overall insipidness of these later films.

Saps at Sea is the last film produced by Hal Roach. It is three shorts rolled into one in effect.

Laurel & Hardy work in a horn manufacturing company where they test horns, the noise has a detrimental effect in the workers and pretty soon Hardy succumbs to the noise.

When Laurel takes him home Dr Finlayson diagnoses a severe case of hornophobia and prescribes a voyage to the sea. Laurel instead rents a boat for a few days but an escaped convict takes refuge and hold them hostage.

The noise induced beginning is bound to make the audience suffer with hornophobia, Laurel taking Hardy home in the car just shows his ineptness compounded further when the doctor calls around and the plumbing in their apartment is all wonky.

The best bit is when they cook a synthetic meal for the escaped convict who then makes them eat it meanwhile all the time on the boat Chekhov's trumpet is there to be seen.

I believe that next to "County Hospital" this is my most often viewed L & H movie. Ollie has a nervous breakdown from a case of Hornophobia caused by working in a horn factory. The sound of the musical instruments sets him off, giving him nearly superhuman strength and violent behavior. The doctor, Jimmy Finlayson, says they need to take a sea cruise. They have little money, so instead, they rent a houseboat moored to the dock. Sea ear but no complicated sailing. Who should come along but another one of those head shaved convicts, a public enemy, who decides to hide out on the boat. His name is Nick Granger and he calls his gun "Little Nick." The boys find themselves with no other option but to do him in before it does them in. Several efforts to do so are quashed. There is much physical humor and desperation. I found the conclusion satisfying in the best Laurel and Hardy tradition. The films that followed were not met with much acclaim. Maybe they were just tired, or their audiences had changed.

There would be those that argue by 1940, the boys are past their best. This is a reminder of the prowess of these two comedic, cinematic giants. Ollie is diagnosed with hornaphobia (in fact, you're on the verge of hornamania!) by James Finlayson and advised to get some calm ocean air to relieve his jangled nerves. With Stan acting as nurse, the boys hire a boat, intending to stay moored to the dock until their goat (the doctor advises plenty of ghost's milk) gnaws through the mooring and they are left to drift out to sea accompanied by escaped prisoner Nick Grainger (and Nick jr.). Some scenes had me rolling in laughter - Ollie blowing up the lungtester, the banana, the synthetic meal, the dodgy plumbing and the fight scene at the end. If you've seen this film you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't then I recommend you find out. **** out of *****