Le ore piccole

As a curiosity, EARLY TO BED is one of the oddest films of Laurel and Hardy. It is not one of the funniest of the boys' films - with good reason. Hardy has to be chief victim of the two because he is so pretentious, and he has to be victim by the actions of his close friend Laurel (who does not know his actions are going to hurt Hardy). But Stan rarely, if ever, purposely attacks Hardy - unless he is bullied by Hardy beyond endurance. In some of their shorts he does rebel and lash back at Hardy. But it usually is very brief in duration.

The general view of Oliver Hardy is that he is just as dumb as Stan Laurel but pretentious. That's true, but if either of them happen to have any social position (except in A CHUMP AT OXFORD, where Stan turns out to be a brainy Oxford student and nobleman) it is Hardy. He is a successful businessman turned reform candidate for Mayor in one short, and an apparently wealthy stock speculator turned bridegroom in a second film. In a third film he masquerades as a wealthy hunter and home owner with Stan as the upstairs maid. This is tied to his physical presence and southern courtly behavior. But in all these shorts (except the one where Ollie is an impostor) Stan is a business associate or friend of Ollie's. It is only in EARLY TO BED that we see the actual effect of Ollie getting rich and how it changes his relationship with Stan.

For when he gets rich Ollie gets mean. He enjoys the good life (including a wardrobe that is far more like that of a man about town than the typical derby and wrinkled suit that Ollie wears). He is something of an art collector. And he can only see his pal Stan as a servant. Stan accepts the offer to be Ollie's servant, but probably figured that Ollie would treat him as a pal and close associate. Instead Ollie plays practical jokes, like ringing the doorbell, hiding, while Stan goes outside to see who rang, and then locking Stan out.

Stan puts up with this and more painful and annoying jokes, until he finally gets tired and tells Ollie he's quitting. Ollie refuses to let him (he considers Stan his possession too), and Stan accidentally knocks over one of Ollie's art treasures. It horrifies Ollie, and Stan starts purposely destroying items in Ollie's house. He also chases Hardy, who hides (as has pointed out) in an ornate fountain that has cherubs with Hardy's head sprouting water. Ollie tries to keep up a stream of water, but can't after awhile. Stan than hits him on the head to see if the head is jammed or not. And Hardy releases more water from his mouth!

It is, as most of the comments here say, a rather odd film. It has some moments of humor, but the central business of the story is so contrary to what we expect from Stan and Ollie that it leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. As most say on this thread, see the film for completeness, but you don't have to see it again afterward.

This movie its humor is very childish, even for a Laurel & Hardy movie. Never have I seen Oliver Hardy act like a bigger baby before. Sure, it still gives the movie some good laughs but the humor is too simple and predictable to consider this an above average Laurel & Hardy silent comedy short.

Of course none of the Laurel & Hardy movies really have humor of a very high order when it comes to originality, predictability and subtlety but in normal cases this doesn't matter at all, since it's so extremely fine executed and timed. They however really went too far with this movie however. It's even more simple and predictable than we are accustomed to. Not sure what they tried to accomplish here. Perhaps they were targeting for a younger audience?

It's very sad to see acting Oliver Hardy as childish as he does in this movie. It gets to a level that it's almost too embarrassing to watch.

But still, the movie its slapstick is good. Although certainly predictable, it's still funny to watch all. Some of the sequences are really memorable but the rest of the movie and its story drags down the level of entertainment.

6/10

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Early to Bed (1928)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Hardy becomes rich overnight and offers his best friend Laurel a job as his butler. Money soon goes to Hardy's head and he come home picking on Laurel. This is a very unfunny film and certainly the worst I've seen from L&H. The two have absolutely no chemistry whatsoever, which really kills things. Most of the jokes come off annoying and not funny.

Sugar Daddies (1927)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A millionaire (James Finlayson) wakes up after a night of partying to discover that he's now married. The new bride and her crazy brother are now trying to blackmail him so he calls his attorney (Stan Laurel) to settle the matter. Not too many laughs here but the thing is fun nonetheless. Oliver Hardy plays the butler.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.

After their previous 1928 efforts saw a step in the right direction and the two were starting to hit their stride while still evolving, 'Early to Bed' like 'Their Purple Moment' sees a couple of steps backwards and something of a disappointment. Certainly far from terrible and it is a long way from a misfire of theirs (up to this point '45 Minutes from Hollywood' was the only one to fit this distinction), but 'Early to Bed' is far from a gem. It is a shame because their previous 1928 efforts were so promising and the concept here was not a bad one.

Laurel and Hardy's work was never known to have particularly great stories, which tended to be the weakest element. 'Early to Bed' is no exception, on top of being flimsy it is also along with 'Their Purple Moment' more predictable, hackneyed and repetitive than most with outcomes being easily foreseeable and some of the content being hit and miss.

The pace sometimes could have been tighter in the early stages and at times there is a darker element that doesn't really gel with everything else.

On the other hand, Laurel and Hardy are more than very amusing, particularly Laurel, and they work well together, also their role reversals are interesting. Three quarters of 'Early to Bed' does mostly amuse and has some fun and well timed moments and gags, especially when Laurel goes on the rampage.

It's not dull, is competently directed, the dog is an amusing character and holds up quite well visually.

All in all, definitely worthwhile but not a Laurel and Hardy essential. 6/10 Bethany Cox

One of the lesser lights of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's silent productions. Early to Bed is directed by Emmett Flynn and photographed by George Stevens.

Over the years it has proved to be one of the boy's films that most can agree is a little bit off. It's not so much that the gags are in short supply, but more so it veers towards a darker side that doesn't sit well. Plot has Ollie inheriting some cash, which quickly turns him into a completely different person. He hires Stan as his butler and promptly starts to lord it over his abode. But Stan will only take so much bullying...

The most fun comes from a number of sequences set around the water fountain in the gardens, and the carnage that ensues once Stan finally flips and goes on a mad rampage. These sequences are heightened by the jolly musical accompaniments and the quality sound effects, while a cunning canine pet is fun and the only one unhindered by the odd tone of the piece.

Not essential and only of interest to Stan & Ollie completists. 5/10