Son altesse royale

I just rewatched two versions of this Laurel & Hardy comedy short: the original silent one on YouTube with an organ score and the sound-dubbed one on VHS with Chuck McCann providing the voices from a script (of which one of the lines is perhaps one of the earliest instances of Ollie saying "Here's another nice mess you've gotten me into") by Al Kilgore mostly matching the lip movements of the players and music provided by Miles Kreuger (with of course Marvin Hatley's L & H theme of "The Cuckoo Song" mixed in). Both are pretty hilarious whichever version you watch especially when the tit-for-tat shenanigans come in. And what a great scene when the about-to-become-legendary star Jean Harlow makes her appearance and then has her dignity almost shattered! Actually, her first take was supposedly even more revealing but I've yet to see any evidence of that. Oh well! Unlike later entries when Stan usually accepts some of Ollie's abuse, he gives it as well here which is often refreshing to see. Also providing a good turn is usual L & H nemesis Charlie Hall as a taxi driver who gets more than enough of Ollie's whistle. I also liked Tiny Sandford as a policeman and especially Captain John Peters as the von Stroheim-like Prince who was actually his double in his movies. About the voices: Chuck got Mr. Laurel's right but is a bit off concerning both Mr. Hall's and Mr. Hardy's, especially concerning the latter's laugh. Still, like I said, both versions of Double Whoopee is highly recommended.

DOUBLE WHOOPEE is one of the last silent Laurel & Hardy shorts made before the advent of the talkie era. This one sees the pair taking up employment as doormen at a swanky hotel, where they fall foul of European royalty as well as glamorous actresses, policemen and irate staff members.

This short is effectively a tribute to the silent film era and there's much to recommend it, from the Eric Von Stroheim impersonator to the early appearance of Jean Harlow who's accidentally stripped by a clumsy Laurel. The focus of the short is inevitably on the slapstick, with characters blundering into accidents and a descent into farce as the duo's antics lead to widespread brawling.

As ever with these silent efforts, I miss hearing the sound of the famous pair, but DOUBLE WHOOPEE is good enough to make you forget the shortcomings of the era. It's also distinctive enough to be a worthwhile watch, even if it isn't one of their best works.

For years there has been a half-truth among Hollywood lore that Howard Hughes "discovered" Jean Harlow when he cast her to star in HELL'S ANGELS. While this may have been her first big role, she'd already appeared in quite a few shorts for the Hal Roach Studios. This film, in fact, was the second Laurel and Hardy film in which she appeared (the other being LIBERTY). While her role is not huge, it's very clear that this is Jean--though her 1930s trademark looks are not present in DOUBLE WHOOPEE.

Aside from Jean, it's pretty much an average to below average Laurel and Hardy film. I think most of this is because while funny, the chemistry isn't quite right here, though it's hard to exactly put my finger on it. It just didn't seem quite like a Laurel and Hardy film--and by 1929 the style and format of their shorts was pretty much established.

The boys play employees that are sent by an agency to work at a nice New York hotel. At the same time, a rich European prince arrives and the folks at the hotel mistake Stan and Ollie for the prince and his Prime Minister. After finally discovering the mistake, they put the boys to work.

There are two main "big gags" in this film. The first involves a contrived bit involving an incredibly unsafe elevator. Through no fault of Stan and Ollie, the Prince keeps falling down the elevator shaft. This bit was a bit over-used and also had me wondering if they really made elevators like this. If so, then I am surprised that most Americans weren't killed! The second is a series of bit like you'd see in other Laurel and Hardy films such as TIT FOR TAT and TWO TARS. A small argument escalates and Ollie and a tough guy (Charles Hall--in a very typical role for him) start destroying each other's clothes--and Stan joining in for good measure. This bit is reprised later inside the hotel with the other hotel employees and soon everyone is fighting and destroying each other's outfits. Both gags are reasonably funny to watch but also seem amazingly contrived if not impossible--making the humor just a bit forced. Still, it's not a bad film at all, though one that is best remembered for a small part played by a young and relatively inexperienced Jean Harlow.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.

Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess), 'Two Tars' for me was their first truly classic one with close to flawless execution. Didn't find 'Double Whoopee' as one of their best and a bit disappointing compared to their late 1928 and previous 1929 efforts, which were among their best and funniest early work. It is still very good and has much of what makes Laurel and Hardy's work as appealing as it is.

It may not be "new" material as such and the first part takes a little bit too time to get going and is a little formulaic.

However, generally 'Double Whoopee' is in a good way not as subdued as 'Unaccustomed As We Are' and there is a return to the insane craziness and wacky slapstick that was properly starting to emerge.

When 'Double Whoopee' does get going, which it does do quite quickly, it is good enough fun, not always hilarious but never less than very amusing. It is never too silly, a wackiness that never loses its energy and the sly wit emerges here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually doesn't feel too familiar and it doesn't get repetitive.

Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before 'Two Tars' you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'Double Whoopee' we are far from robbed of that. Their comic timing is impeccable.

'Double Whoopee' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid.

Overall, very good. Not essential or classic Laurel and Hardy, but a good representation of them. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Nothing too remarkable just some good old fashioned entertainment.

The story of this movie is definitely not the strongest and is quite simple as well as formulaic, especially in the beginning. Luckily the movie later turns into a more slapstick like filled silent comedy shorts, with as a result some memorable funny sequences.

There are certainly some good comical sequences in this movie, which help to distinct this movie from other early Laurel & Hardy silent comedy shorts. Also the characters are fun and deliciously over-the-top. I especially liked the prince and his prime minister, for who at first our two boys were mistaken. The moments with them were the one's that made me laugh the most, despite the fact that it mostly was just nothing more than a constantly returning continuity joke.

The famous Jean Harlow also plays a part in this movie. Her presence works uplifting for the movie and also probably help to make this movie more of a memorable one than it in fact truly is on its own.

Not the best or most interesting Laurel & Hardy silent comedy shorts but enough things present to make this movie a better than average one.

7/10

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