Dente por Dente

Stan and Ollie run an electrical shop (I'm sure they are stellar businessmen). Unfortunately, they have had previous dealings with the guy next door who runs a grocery store. Somehow the guy gets it into his head that Ollie has a thing for his wife (Mae Busch) and decides to start a war (a tit for tat kind of thing) with the boys. Soon they are trying to outdo one another in their cruel attacks. What is also going on is a man who goes into Stan and Ollie's store and starts stealing their stuff. At first he takes little things. As time goes by, he is utterly ignored because the parties are so involved in their discord. Soon he is hauling out huge amounts of stuff, using a wheelbarrow. The timing and interaction between these people is delightful and, as usual, things don't go well.

Revisitng Laurel and Hardy's films it's surprising to see that the practice of slipping in a few adult references for the grown-ups wasn't the idea of the makers of full-length 90s cartoon films. As other reviewers have mentioned, Ollie's comment to Mae Busch, the wife of the diminutive neighbouring shopkeeper with whom he is embroiled in the 'tit for tat' feud of the title, is clearly a deliberate double-entendre that somehow slipped by the censors as, no doubt, it would have any watching children. There's a similar sight gag in County Hospital that is quite subtle by comparison but no doubt just as deliberate.

Anyway, this one's pretty good. It's a sequel to the previous year's Them Thar Hills which introduced us to the memorable song lyric Pom Pom and it probably just shades that one for laughs. The boys were at the top of their game in the mid-thirties thanks to sharp, well-paced shorts like these and some of the touches here are truly first-class.

This movie perfectly shows the reasons why I like Laurel & Hardy pictures so much. It has got a great silly story, well timing and some great comical moments, all perfectly executed by the characters.

The story is very, very simple but it works oh so well and is oh so strong. Basically the movie is about Stan and Olie, who just opened an electrical repair store, having a small war with their neighbor the grocer. Basically the movie is about the two parties taking constantly revenge on the other, in a comical hilarious way. This movie is a direct (and the only) sequel to a previous Laurel & Hardy movie, namely; "Them Thar Hills".

The returning joke of the costumer who robs the store every time Laurel & Hardy went away is absolutely hilarious.

The simple story of the movie is extremely well executed and makes this movie one of the most enjoyable Laurel & Hardy shorts.

8/10

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Those who have seen a lot of Laurel and Hardy will most likely see that this movie isn't especially original. The plot involving an argument gone awry with the neighboring shop keeper is very reminiscent of their silent film, BIG BUSINESS except in this case they are arguing and becoming VERY destructive with Charlie Hall instead of James Finlayson AND there is the plot element of the jealous husband that was added to TIT FOR TAT. But, despite this lack of originality, the movie is still great fun and it is absolutely wonderful watching the 3 men literally destroy each other's businesses over absolutely nothing! This movie is certainly a sight to behold as their behavior gets more and more and more out of control as the film progresses!

Stan and Ollie have gone into business with an electrical appliance store and it just happens to be located next to the grocery store of Mae Busch and Charley Hall. As fate would have it they've got a history with Mae and Charley going back to a previous short subject Them Thar Hills.

Charley's of a suspicious nature, no doubt aggravated by seeing Ollie coming down the stairs of his apartment above the store and saying goodbye to Mae. There is an innocent explanation for it all, in fact it was caused by Stan, I won't say how.

This gets Hall's back up and they start a war of pranks for the rest of the 19 minute short subject. Which are a series of slapstick gags the boys pull on Charley and he keeps retaliating. It escalates pretty good and they come, not fast and furious, but kind of slow cooked the better to savor.

Though Tit for Tat probably should be seen back to back with Them Thar Hills, it's a good enough short subject to stand on its own. Why would it have gotten an Academy Award nomination if it wasn't?