Scandale à Hollywood

This is definitely a "lesser known" comedy short from the 1920s. The only reason I saw it was because it was on a DVD by Kino Films featuring non-Laurel and Hardy shorts featuring Ollie. They are interesting and historically important, but also generally average to below average for the style film. Compared to shorts by Chaplin, Keaton, Arbuckle and Lloyd, they are definitely a step below them in quality and humor. Also, the accompanying music was pretty poor by the standards of other silent DVDs. I ended up turning OFF the sound due to the inappropriateness of the music to set the proper mood. But, despite this, they are still worth seeing.

Interestingly enough, the Kino DVD box said that Stan Laurel played a robber who was in drag. This character was NOT Laurel, but he was the guy in the end of the film who was sleeping when everyone suddenly barged in and began hitting each other. And, unfortunately, this is about the tone of the whole film--people hitting each other. It's a good example of slapstick with no regard whatsoever for plot. Despite the direction the film INITIALLY TAKES (about a rip to Hollywood), this is quickly forgotten and it's just mindless slapping and pratfalls. You can certainly find better shorts from this era.

A kind of early version of the Beverly Hillbillies, this film stars Glenn Tryon as a hick from the country who travels to Hollywood with a bundle of Maw and Paw's cash to pay off the debt on their house. Almost immediately upon his arrival in Tinseltown he mistakes a bank robber in drag for an actress who he believes will get him into the pictures. The 'actress' hides out with our hayseed hero in a hotel room in which house detective Oliver Hardy just happens to be taking a bath, and all sorts of hilarity ensues.

Well, maybe hilarity is too strong a word: mild amusement tempered by an occasional bout of boredom is probably a better way to describe this one. I can't imagine why Glenn Tryon was a star back in the twenties; he lacked any kind of charisma, had no looks to speak of, and no discernible comic talent judging by his performance here. Hardy's OK, but Stan Laurel steals the entire film in the last couple of minutes as another hotel guest (complete with brush moustache) who finds a fight between Tryon and the thief taking place on the bed he's sleeping in.

45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A country boy goes to Hollywood to pay a bill and gets caught up in what he thinks is a movie being made. What he doesn't know is that he's caught up in a real robbery. There are a few good gags here but the real highlight is Oliver Hardy playing the Hotel Detective. Stan Laurel has a brief role as well. This was the first Hal Roach film where the two were in the same movie, although they don't share any scenes here.

Duck Soup (1927)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Laurel and Hardy, trying to get away from firemen wanting to recruit them, run and hide in a house but when someone shows up to rent it they must pretend to be the owner and maid. L&H went onto remake this with better results in Another Fine Mess but this short has a few funny moments but not enough to make it work throughout.

Several years after first appearing together in The Lucky Dog, Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy both ended up at the Hal Roach Studios-Stan as a writer and director, Ollie as supporting player, usually as a heavy. Between May 1925 and January 1926, they combined their respective talents on three films at The Lot of Fun: Yes, Yes Nanette, Wandering Papas, and Madame Mystery. Eventually, Stan would be persuaded to appear on film again. And so in August of '26, both Stan and Ollie appeared again on the same short-but not together. Ollie played a hotel detective chasing the leading man (Glenn Tryon) while Stan played a sleeping guest whose nap is bothered by Glenn's fight with another man when they crash in his room. Ollie is outside of Stan's door but he never comes in narrowly missing meeting Stan by several feet. They're both funny here what with Stan's befuddlement at the goings on and Ollie's occasional looks to the camera when confronted with his jealous wife. The film is mostly slapdash but I laughed heartily at most of it. The main reason I'm reviewing this now is because since I'm reviewing Our Gang shorts in chronological order, this was the next on my list since they appear here in an insert from one of their then-recent films. So on that note, I highly recommend 45 Minutes from Hollywood especially if you're an L & H completist.

"45 Minutes from Hollywood"

Aspect ratio: 1.33:1

Sound format: Silent

(Black and white - Short film)

A naive country boy (Glenn Tryon) arrives in Hollywood and gets mixed up in robbery and chaos at a posh hotel.

The first pairing of Laurel and Hardy in a Hal Roach comedy short, though neither of them appears in the same scene (Stan's footage has faded badly over the years). Top-billed Tryon does his best with the flimsy scenario, which substitutes frantic farce for genuine wit, as Our Hero is mistaken for a robber dressed in drag (yep, it's THAT kinda movie!) and chased hither and yon by house detective Ollie. The comedy is fast-paced and beautifully timed though not especially memorable, and the film survives as little more than a record of L&H's earliest pairing. Theda Bara and the Hal Roach Bathing Beauties make brief cameo appearances. Directed by Fred Guiol.