Andando a spasso

Doing their civic duty for once, Laurel and Hardy are witnesses in a case that sees a violent felon go down for life. The criminal swears bloody revenge and Laurel and hardy decide it's best for them to leave town. Needing help with the gas money they advertise for a travelling companion and their luck is in when a lady replies. Meanwhile the criminal escapes jail and heads to his girlfriend's house for shelter – just before our heroes arrive to pick her up as their travelling companion.

Despite the dark starting to this film it turns out to be very funny. The film worried me a little as it appeared to be slightly violent in it's threats etc at the start but it soon feel back into routines and slapstick that they do so well. The later routines with the trunk were a little disappointing as they were uninspired but still quite funny – in fact once the criminal turns up in the flat it all had an air of inevitability about it that sapped the film's energy a bit.

Nevertheless it is still funny and Oliver and Stan are on good form in the early scenes with both good physical work and nice dialogue based routines between the two. It isn't one of their best that I've seen but even them on an off day is very funny and well worth a watch.

"Going Bye-Bye !" shows the screen's greatest comic double-act in brilliant form. It is in fact their last short comedy film classic - another five more two-reelers followed followed (though only one of these - "Them Thar Hills" - approaches the standard of this one). Long is at his fearsome best, and the dialogue ("Excuse me, I have milk in my ear"), characterisations and slapstick are wonderful. This is up there with Stan and Ollie's best. A must.

Stan & Ollie testify against a dangerous criminal "Butch" who swears revenge and then promptly escapes from jail and goes looking for them. Laurel & Hardy meanwhile prepare to get out of town and, by a million to one chance, find themselves in Butch's apartment. To say any more would be giving the (wonderful) plot away, so you'll have to watch it. of course, I'm sure most people on Planet Earth have already seen this delightful "short". It's not one of L&H's best but still VERY funny. The film is greatly assisted by Walter Long (the ultimate comedy tough guy) who plays "Butch". I've just seen Going Bye Bye on BBC2. The restored version is magnificent. It looks as if it was made yesterday! Well worth watching.

Laurel and Hardy's testimony have helped convict Walter Long. He announces that he's going to bust out of prison and kill them. They prepare to leave town, but don't have enough money. They advertise in the paper and Mae Busch answers. If that's not enough trouble, she's Long's girlfriend. If that's not enough trouble, he's escaped and coming along with them. However, he's locked in a trunk. Always ineptly helpful, the Boy's try to get him out.

This is the short with the immortal line, "I have milk in my ear." Filled with ridiculous details, this is one of Stan and Ollie's best short..... which can be said of an astonishing number of them.

This is one of the better Laurel & Hardy two reelers I have seen. The good thing with this short film is that it is not only entertaining and making you smile, the gags still work as good as they probably did back then. I laughed a lot with this short. Only the last five minutes are a little less funny, but those minutes are very original. The final gag belongs to the best I have seen in a Laurel & Hardy short.

The story shows us how Laurel & Hardy are responsible for the conviction of a criminal. The criminal tells them that when he comes out he will harm them very badly. Laurel & Hardy plan to leave town. They want to take a passenger to share expenses. A lady offers to go along and of course she knows the criminal who by that time has escaped.

The story is predictable, some of the gags are too, but they all work. Highly recommended.