WHAT'RE YOU GONNA' DO IN POTTSVILLE?
This was the only Laurel and Hardy short film that Lewis R. Foster directed, who later wrote the acclaimed film, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.
Foster did a terrific job, possibly one of the team's best early sound films, from 1929.
Big vaudeville "stars" Stan and Ollie board a train for Pottsville --and the rest is comedy history. This short is chock full with running gags, and excellent timing. To further complicate matters, the boys have to drag along a cello (part of their act, naturally), which proves to be one pain in the XYZ. They also encounter jealous husband Charlie Hall who starts a clothes ripping fight among passengers, believing someone (guess who?) was snooping on his wife.
The boys end the insane day climbing into a tight as a drum sleeping car berth, and painstakingly remove their clothes --that only Laurel and Hardy can do. This hilarious sketch is one of their best, re-created many years later in THE BIG NOISE (1944). Some say you can hear the crew faintly laughing in the background, its that funny.
By the way, the clothes-ripping frenzy continues... and continues...
Without too much surprise, this story was written by comedy master Leo McCarey, who also worked on their silent short films. A labor of love.
Get the dvd box set of the team's legendary short films, especially for this one. By the way, the METV remastered print is absolutely beautiful.
Foster did a terrific job, possibly one of the team's best early sound films, from 1929.
Big vaudeville "stars" Stan and Ollie board a train for Pottsville --and the rest is comedy history. This short is chock full with running gags, and excellent timing. To further complicate matters, the boys have to drag along a cello (part of their act, naturally), which proves to be one pain in the XYZ. They also encounter jealous husband Charlie Hall who starts a clothes ripping fight among passengers, believing someone (guess who?) was snooping on his wife.
The boys end the insane day climbing into a tight as a drum sleeping car berth, and painstakingly remove their clothes --that only Laurel and Hardy can do. This hilarious sketch is one of their best, re-created many years later in THE BIG NOISE (1944). Some say you can hear the crew faintly laughing in the background, its that funny.
By the way, the clothes-ripping frenzy continues... and continues...
Without too much surprise, this story was written by comedy master Leo McCarey, who also worked on their silent short films. A labor of love.
Get the dvd box set of the team's legendary short films, especially for this one. By the way, the METV remastered print is absolutely beautiful.
- tcchelsey
- Jun 1, 2022