La maison de la peur

This is another L & H short that deviates in some way from the general pattern of them; but this time, the central tennet is drastically different: the boys are implicated in a frankly absurd murder case. Dell Henderson's wonderfully creaking, slow turn, is a comic parody of horror movie 'housekeepers' and butlers before Universal horror really took off. I like the way an authority figure is sent up (as often in L & H); this time a bumbling, melodramatic detective, the actor hamming it up for all it was worth. There's barely a bone in this film's skeleton that isn't light and giddily brittle; only the early scene of Ollie musing on his friendship with Stan, the two of them sitting by the waterside, really seems like a typically L & H scene. And beautifully played and written it is too. It has that comic pathos that is entirely relinquished by the film from then on.

The remainder of this picture spirals off into the most obvious, overplayed silliness; but I loved it. Laurel and Hardy in a creaking, almost chuckling set, standing in for a haunted house; absurd, devilish do propagated by a leering, comatose housekeeper; predictable gags; a bat or two. Just bring it all to mind, and smile... give it a viewing some day, and I'm sure you'll be amused. "The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case" is a wonderfully enjoyable short; and a refreshing variant within their very consistent, fine work during this pre-feature length era.

Rating:- ****/*****

Whilst sleeping on a pier, Hardy notices that a man called Laurel has died and that his $3million estate will be divided at the will reading that night. They go to the will reading but find that the police have set it up to get all the relatives together to find who has murdered old man Laurel. The pair must stay in the old house with all the relatives – knowing a murderer (and a ghost!) may be among them.

I have always enjoyed Laurel and Hardy although some of their stuff isn't as consistent as you'd hope. Happily I found this to be very enjoyable even if it did start to spin off into being a horror spoof rather than the murder case of the title. The main humour involves pratfalls and running scared from various things that could be ghosts etc, but it does have some nice touches (the usual looks to the camera from Hardy) as well as some real nice lines. `$3,000,000' exclaims Laurel `is that more than a thousand?' `don't be foolish,' retorts Hardy `it's TWICE as much!'. The self-mocking humour helps lift the comedy above the level of people just falling down.

Both leads are excellent and I have always enjoyed Hardy's work to involve the audience by giving them looks of frustration at Laurel's foolishness! Laurel of course is just as good with double takes and god physical work. The support cast are not really worth a mention as you may not even notice they are there behind the dominant leads.

Overall I laughed out loud plenty of times during this short. The comedy may be basic routines that you've seen before but it's done so well and with so many nice touches that you'll enjoy it. The only weakness is that the plot is far from your mind for the most part and is weak when the film needs an ending.

A little longer and more slow-paced than most of their short features, "The Laurel & Hardy Murder Case" combines the duo's usual comedy gags with some old-fashioned gloomy-old-house atmosphere. When Stanley reads in the paper about the death of a rich man named Laurel, he and Ollie head to the house for the reading of the will, hoping that Stanley will inherit something. Instead, they are soon caught up in a murder mystery and a series of spooky/comic events. The attention paid to the ominous house and occupants slows things down, and makes this a lot less frantic than their best comedies, but it is still entertaining, and has a couple of hilarious sequences.

The Boys read that the heirs of Ebenezer Laurel should present themselves at his mansion for a reading of the will. Naturally, Mr. Hardy sees riches in front of his eyes, which he will share with Mr. Hardy. However, there is no will. It's a set-up by the police, in the form of perpetual dumb cop Fred Kelsey to trap the old man's murderer.

It's pretty elaborate for Laurel and Hardy, with an immense cast; they were quite capable of making a great short with just the two of them, and Charlie Hall to fight. Because of that, the cast takes up too much time, with too little of the boys being scared out of their.... well, they never had much in the way of wits before.

A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short.

Hoping to inherit the $3,000,000 left by the murdered Ebenezer Laurel, the Boys find themselves spending a terrified evening in haunted Laurel Mansion, full of things that go bump in the night & the usual (disappearing) suspects. Who will be left to solve THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE?

An elaborate little film, somewhat longer than usual, with lots of fine Gothic touches. It's a shame it has such a weak ending. Highlight: the bat under the sheet. That's Frank Austin as the creepy butler & Fred Kelsey as the police detective.