Uma Luta sem Igual

This is certainly one of the most enjoyable Laurel & Hardy shorts and personally one of my favorites.

Once again the short can be divided up into two parts. The first part of the movie is about the comical duo helping a young girl escape the clutches of the hotel owner the two just checked in to. The second part of the movie is about Mr. Laurel ending up in a boxing match by coincidence against that very same hotel owner.

The typical slapstick humor is present in both parts of the movie which makes this movie, unlike some other Laurel & Hardy movies, a consistent and constantly funny movie. The movie has some truly good laughs in it and some of the slapstick moments are absolutely priceless and hilarious. The timing and surprise elements in the movie that are absolutely not predictable in any way makes this movie an absolutely great one to watch.

In my opinion an absolute comical must-see!

9/10

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By 1932 the Laurel and Hardy comedy partnership was at the top of its game and Any Old Port! is a fine example of the resultant product. The two star performers and the characters they had honed naturally steal the show, but make no mistake, they are far from being the only talents present here.

In order to fit the short two-reel running time the plot is, of course, a simple one - Stan and Ollie, eager to do the right thing, come to a girl's rescue when a brute tries to force her into marriage. But in so doing they make an enemy, one which they must face again when Stan finds himself drawn against the very same man in a boxing contest.

The magic of the Laurel and Hardy series is just how simple everything appears to be on the surface, belying just how carefully crafted every detail actually was. Comedy is injected into every moment, not just the obvious gags but the deft little touches such as the brief cutaway shot of Long's incredulous reaction as Stan and Ollie make the simple task of signing in at the guest house a cumbersome exercise, or the nervous fumbling with the pool table cues when Long calls the Boys over.

Long excels in this film every bit as much as Laurel and Hardy, making a truly frightening opponent. At the same time, however, and like just about every supporting character in this successful series of shorts, there remains that perceptible undercurrent of the comically absurd even in the scenes when he is threatening the girl. It was this comedic depth to all of the characters that was so sorely missed when Laurel and Hardy made the switch to the big studios , but that's another story.

One of the other unsung stars of Any Old Port! is the pacing; the cutting, the skillfully-planned chase sequence, the comic timing of the performers all contrive to enhance the experience of watching this film and keep the viewer's interest at a high level throughout.

And whilst the passage of decades has wrought many changes on the world, the core themes within this short have ensured that the comedy has not dated: the basic ideas of good against evil, David pitted against Goliath, money corrupting morals and, fundamentally, grown men still being capable of acting like children.

Laurel and Hardy return from a spell on a whaler where Hardy was chief harpoon man and Laurel was the bait. They get into port and book into a hotel run by a gruff owner and a young woman working for him. When they realise that the man is forcing the girl to marry him they step in to help out and let the girl escape, but the man proves harder to get away from that they first thought.

Trading from the very start on their physical abilities more than anything else, this short is a firm entry into their stable as it shows the essence of their work in full flow. Our heroes step in to try and do the right thing but end up in trouble with the bad guy. The film takes a little time to set up but moves quickly into the chase and the punch line (literally!) scene. The body of the film is very funny and is good work. The fight is good with the interaction of the crowd and also Laurel really delivering the goods in the ring comedy-wise.

Laurel and Hardy show why they are so good at this stuff by really turning a standard idea into a much funnier film. They work well together and Laurel takes the opportunity to out shine his partner in the boxing match scene at the end. Walter Long as the aggressive, domineering hotel owner is larger than life `and twice as mean'.

Overall this is a good example of what Laurel and Hardy is all about, classy films with the focus on comedy and a talented duo who's delivery serves to make for a better film.

Big, ole tough hombre Walter Long, a staple in 1930s crime films and comedies, is right at home with the boys. He owns a run-down hotel and is bullying a helpless girl (played by young Julie Bishop) --that is until Stan and Ollie stop by. Fortunately, the girl escapes, but Mugsy doesn't forget!

Best part is all the wild stuff that happens in between; Mugsy getting his head caught in a table and the local justice of the peace getting the back of his head shaved by a fan? No question, lots of this material was later imitated by the THREE STOOGES.

In a real goofy change of luck, Ollie meets up with an old pal who offers him fifty bucks to go four rounds with a boxer --just for kicks? Of course, Ollie agrees because Stan is going to fight the thug. And surprise! The boxer turns out to be Mugsy.

10 Stars.

Laugh out loud comedy, one of the best and original of their film shorts. Stan Laurel works his magic, lots of fun in the ring and don't miss the boxing glove loaded with some "heavy" stuff. One of the few Laurel and Hardy shorts with the largest number of extra and bit actors, appearing in the boxing arena.

Best line from Ollie; "I bet on you to lose, and you double crossed me!"

A comedy to treasure, written by comedian and gag writer Charley Chase, brother of director James Parrott. Actress Julie Bishop was actually a child star in the 1920s, later returning to films in the 1930s and appearing with Laurel and Hardy and WC Fields in adult roles.

Get the remastered dvd box set of Laurel and Hardy short films for this one. Thanks much to METV Plus for running L & H all the time, also MOVIES Net on Saturday mornings.

This is another nice Laurel & Hardy comedy short, in black and white with sound. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy want a room in a hotel. In that hotel a young woman (Julie Bishop, but credited as Jacqueline Wells) who is working there is forced to marry the hotel manager (Walter Long). Of course Stan & Ollie makes sure this will not happen. Later that day, when the two heroes need some money, Ollie arranges a boxing match to earn some. He wants Laurel to fight and the opponent happens to be the hotel manager.

This comedy short has some great moments. Especially the boxing match is terrific. The first half is a little slower than other Laurel & Hardy movies, but gives us some laughs anyway.