Mosqueteiros da Índia

After a particularly wicked day, having to contend with the weather outside and the workplace inside, I settled down to view a serendipitous broadcast. Fans don't seem to hold this feature film with Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy in as high regard. It was the first one of theirs I'd seen from start to finish besides their take on Babes in Toyland, the broadcast of which is a New York metropolitan-area Christmas tradition.

You certainly don't view this for the acting, topicality or thematic consistency. The transition from a heat-shrunken pair of pants to India by way of the Highlanders made me blink, and I half-expected an extra to blurt, "It's like Gunga Din all over again!"

But one brilliant scene displayed the worst fear of anyone on parade, and what could only be called a dance set to "100 Pipers" had to have been spur-of-the-moment. Perhaps I was especially susceptible to five (count 'em) scenes that instantly generated tears of helpless laughter: The snuff box and the footbridge, the bagpipes and glass smoking water pipe (they're apparently related), the candle beneath the bed beneath the...fish...and the final five or so minutes that had to have inspired The Goon Show.

I bless the gents' memory for the gift...and that of Leatherpuss too!

This Laurel & Hardy movie is not among their best. It has way too much story and subplots present and because of this the boys are not given the full opportunity to show their skills and antics in this movie.

There are lot of scene's in which Laurel & Hardy are not even present. There is an unusual amount of dialog and story present which works perhaps only distracting from Laurel & Hardy and their silly slapstick moments. Most people are not waiting for a movie like this. Most people just want to see Laurel & Hardy act silly and get into some troubling and silly situations. The whole story makes perhaps a bit of a pointless impression and the ending is not satisfying enough because it leaves too many loose ends.

But before I really am beginning to sound negative, of course the movie is still fun. There are some good jokes present, of which some are also truly quite memorable. It also is always fun to see James Finlayson in a Laurel & Hardy picture. This time he plays the boys their sergeant in the army in Imperial India. He provides the movie with some good and memorable moments.

Yet it is the story that is most overly present in the movie. The movie is not really about Laurel & Hardy, not really about slapstick moments but it's more a serious story disguised as a comedy instead. This might slightly disappoint some of the fans, although there still is plenty to enjoy for them and for everyone else of course. The gags still work, despite the 'serious' (serious for Laurel & Hardy standards of course, I mean.) story.

7/10

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Laurel & Hardy leave for Scotland so that Mr. Stanley MacLaurel can receive his inheritance, what he hopes is money; what he gets is bagpipes and a snuff box. On shrinking Ollie's pants, Stan covers up at the boarding house that Ollie is sick; yet this plan doesn't work (hilarious cooking of the fish) and the boys are kicked out, and wind up joining the Scottish Army in search of pants for Ollie! This movie also has a subplot, whcih does not pertain to the boys at all, it is romantic, and doesn't hog up the spotlight too much. The romantic plot: A clerk is in love with Miss MacLaurel, Stan's cousin or something, and she leaves as a ward for Colonel Gregor McGregor to India; his sister hiding away the clerk (Alan's) letters. Finally, in a desperation of love, Alan joins with Stan & Ollie as they, in the Scottish Army, go to India as well.

Once there, we see some hilarious scenes-from Stan marching out of place, to the invisible accordion, and who could ever forget that funny dance routine and Stan's calling of the Sergeant (Finlayson), "Leatherpuss." The romantic subplot, however, is never resolved, and in the end, Stan & Ollie throw bee hives at enemy forces disguised as officer in the Scottish Army. Everyone runs from the bees, including all of the good guys, and the film ends here. True, Stan & Ollie are finished, but the unfinished romantic subplot leaves you wondering: What Happened?

All in all, this is an excellent Laurel & Hardy film, one every fan should see. It's not one of their funniest or all-time greatest, but it is an all-round good film, much better than many of the current comedies..

American petty crooks Ollie Hardy (Oliver Hardy) and Stanley MacLaurel (Stan Laurel) arrive in Scotland where Stanley expects to inherit his grandfather's fortune. Instead, most of it has been left to his cousin Lorna MacLaurel and held in trust until she reaches age 21. She is sent to live with Colonel Gregor McGregor in India who is to administer the trust. Due to a series of accidents, the comedy duo gets kicked out of the inn and mistakenly signs up for the British Army in India.

Despite their iconic status, I rarely see Laurel and Hardy's movies. I mostly know their catch-phrase "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." in their repertoire. I like their physical humor but the banter is a little slow. Maybe it gets sharper as movies develop over time. They've been a duo for almost a decade starting from the silent era. It's interesting to finally watch one of this iconic pair's movies.

This time, Laurel and Hardy are off to Scotland to collect an inheritance from Laurel's uncle Angus Ian McLaurel. This is one of their more elaborate features, as they proceed to joining the Indian Army and fighting off the Arabs who are invading the country. Directed by perennial L&H director, James Horne. Great score, culminating Scottish folk tunes and the usual classic score by Marvin Hatley.