Une Nuit Extravagante

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 'Blotto' as one of their best and a bit disappointing compared to their late 1928 and the best of their 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.

The story is extremely slight to the point of non-existence and the first part takes a little bit too time to get going and is a little formulaic.

When 'Blotto' does get going, which it does do quite quickly, it is great fun, not always hilarious but never less than very amusing, the best being classic hilarity. It is never too silly, there is a wackiness that never loses its energy and the sly wit is 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 'Blotto' and on the most part from 'Two Tars' onwards we are far from robbed of that. Their comic timing is impeccable.

'Blotto' 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 with a scene stealing Anita Garvin.

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

There is little story present and the movie can mainly be split into two separate parts. The first part of the story is about Stan, who tries to sneak out of the house from his wife, to meet up with Ollie to go and have a good time in 'Rainbow club'. The second part of the movie is about Stan and Ollie, who get 'drunk' in the 'Rainbow club'. The second part of the movie is more filled with some typical good slapstick humor and hardly any words are spoken in those sequences. It's in my opinion the best part of the movie and the timing and comedy-acting is top-class!

The movie has more than enough laughs in it to make "Blotto" an entertainingly watchable comical movie with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Especially the slapstick moments make this movie a fun one to watch and are good for some serious laughs.

Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel are good as always and once more show the wonderful chemistry the both of them had together. Also Anita Garvin is wonderful in the role of Mrs. Laurel.

The movie also provides a pretty good view on '30's nightlife, when the two enter the 'Rainbow club'.

Perfectly watchable when you want to have a good and fun 26 minutes.

7/10

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This is a nice Laurel & Hardy short film, although you can not say there is a story. Laurel is married and wants to go out but his wife forbids him. Hardy calls Laurel a couple of times and after a while he speaks to Laurel's wife. She is nice instead of angry but has a plan of her own. She pretends to be in the kitchen while Laurel is talking but she also grabs a phone and learns about a plan the men have. This is the first part of the short.

The second part is the actual plan of Laurel & Hardy. They are on a night out but they have brought their own bottle of liquor. What happens there with the wife who knows where they are and their own bottle of liquor I will not reveal but it is a nice piece of comedy.

Maybe the premise doesn't sound very good, but there are a lot of laughs here. Especially Stanley Laurel is great and he manages to get a smile out of the most simple situations. Still, this is definitely not one of their best. Because it has no story it gets a little boring. Fortunately the final moment is hilarious and makes sure you will enjoy this short film from start to finish.

Laurel and Hardy want to go out for a night at a bar, some sneaky drinking and an all round fun time. However, Laurel is unable to get out of the house as his wife has forbidden him. He manages to wrangle his way out of the house with the use of a faked telegram.

Having half the film with Laurel and Hardy separated was a bit of a risk, but one that the duo just about carry off. The plot sees Laurel trapped in his house by his wife while Hardy tries to contact him by phone. Laurel trying to play his wife is pretty amusing but, once the short moves out of the house it becomes less funny as the routines in the bar are less funny. It is still amusing but not quite as much.

As often happens, a Laurel and Hardy short that lacks one strong central sequence needs to achieve a consistent level of humour. This film neither has a peak or a high consistent level, meaning that it isn't as good as others in my opinion. Laurel does good work early on with his wife, and laughs convincingly towards the end. Hardy is less well used and his looks are used for reasons which are too slight and thus undervalue them slightly. Garvin is strong as Mrs Laurel though.

Overall this short needed to be consistently funny but it didn't manage to deliver it. Still funny but it lacks any parts which rise above the rest and lift the short as a whole.

A very refined work by Stan Laurel and Oliver hardy in early thirties (the peak time of this comedy team). Stan and Ollie are planning to go to Rainbow Club (which is opening same night) but Anita Garvin (Mrs. Laurel) listen the conversation of both of them on telephone. Stan is telling Ollie that he cant come because he cant find some genuine excuse to go out. Ollie suggest him to send him self a telegram '' important business'' , then Ollie asks from where they can get bottle, Stan says don't worry my wife has got one , he will be blaming it on the iceman. Anita Garvin listen all their plans and change the liquor with cold tea. Wonderful expression by Stan when he wants to talk to Oliver but cant due to the presence of his wife who is sitting close to him. In the end , famous weeping and specially laughing ( that they drank her liquor) by them reflects that they were really master of humour and their records will keep on alive in generations to come. And simultaneously when Anita Garvin tells them that it was cold tea not the liquor, at that very point the transition of them from ''Laughing guys'' to the serious ones reflects that how natural they were while acting. Anita Garvin, performed her role very well, and would be remembered specially , because of her work with these comedy legends.