Atoll K

This was part of a 3-DVD box-set, and it came with the Laurel and Hardy shorts Mud & Sand, Just Ramblin' Along, Oranges and Lemons, and the Three Stooges ones Brideless Groom and Sing a Song of Six Pants; it also came with another feature, Flying Deuces. The disc this was on came with The Tree in a Test Tube & Malice in the Palace. I haven't watched an awful lot of the duo, and other than the aforementioned ones, it has been years since I did. Not sure why this has such a low rating; it is genuinely funny and clever at its best(honestly, few of the light, goofy and, at times, cartoon-style slapstick gags fall flat), and it seldom, if ever, drags, for the 82 minute running time. It makes fun of politeness, taxes, and other everyday subjects, in spite of the unusual plot of a deceased eccentric uncle(always popular) leaving them an island. Inbetween clumsiness, knocking stuff over, falling, and other natural occurrences that are not presented as if they hurt, weepy Laurel(who looks so old and worn here) and dominating Hardy also explore social issues and government. Is that a good thing? Well, a lot of the way, the treatment of it is great. I don't think they quite keep up the quality all the way, though. Near the end(when this gets "big", with "action", as expected), this gets somewhat unrealistic, employs a sort of deus ex machina, and the conclusion has darkness to it. The FX are decent. Editing and cinematography are fine. A nice amount of laughs, and not boring. I recommend this to big fans of the two. 6/10

This film has the unfortunate distinction of being Laurel & Hardy's last film together. Though, it is true, you can see how ill Stan was and how age was ravishing both, it is NOT true that they had lost their charm. There are bits in this film that I found every bit as funny as those in the L&H heyday. Give it an honest try. I think you'll find this movie is unjustly maligned.

In their final movie together, Laurel and Hardy land on an island and try to establish their own society, but things don't quite go as planned after uranium is discovered on the island. "Atoll K" (also known as "Utopia") has the usual sorts of things that one would expect in a Laurel and Hardy movie, what with the various mishaps and things. It's surprising to learn that this flick was from France, but I'm sure that these guys are loved the world over.

All in all, this is a good lesson about what might happen when one tries to form a society. Stan and Ollie will definitely live on in the annals of comedy forever.

Probably the best Laurel and Hardy film since 1939's "The Flying Deuces", and their last motion picture appearance. Better than the generally unfunny Fox studio films of the 1940's. Its a somewhat underrated European-style farce with a mild social commentary about taxes, governmental control/interference combined with plot about Stan inheriting an island and eventually trying to setup an island country lacking in governmental controls. There are gags that will remind you of earlier L & H films and you can forward through the tedious love interest plot which seems tacked-on and is thankfully short. Overlook the generally annoying Euro-cast (though Max Elloy as the stateless man is OK), terrible dubbing, and Stan's haggard appearance and there are some laughs to be found. Get the DVD put out by Platinum Corp., which is way better in picture quality than the SLP mode public domain videos that have been available to this point. Just the improvement in picture quality was enough to make this film a lot more enjoyable.

I have read so many negative reviews of this film that I expected a really horrible film. Surprise, surprise. The film is actually not bad at all. Sure, Stan does look ill in some shots but the boys are still funny and the story is engaging enough. I love the fact that the film was shot in Europe. It gives it a fresh look that is absent from their older studio-bound films. Some gags are better than others(the loading of the boat is quite funny), and the whole premise of the boys creating a country without taxes and laws works quite well. In a very funny moment, Ollie declares himself president and names the other 3 original inhabitants to key posts, relegating poor Stan to the status of "the people". The supporting cast are all dubbed, but this does not hinder the film. What doesn't quite work is the whole sub-plot about the sexy French singer and her fiancé. They could have cut that down a bit. Overall, not bad at all. If you're a L&H fan do yourself a favour and give this film a chance.