Post by Angus McLaurel on Aug 27, 2008 16:35:27 GMT
Stan & Ollie are members of the `Sons of the Desert`, a fraternal organisation. They swear on oath that they will attend the next annual convention in Chicago, although Stan is a little unsure of what his wife might say. Ollie convinces him into going, but he is the one with the stubborn wife, as she refuses to let him go.
Ollie suddenly comes down with a fever, in an attempt to con his wife into letting him go. Stan organises a doctor to visit (turns out to be a vet!) to prescribe Ollie an ocean voyage. He too is in on the act.
Eventually Mrs. Hardy agrees that Ollie can go on the voyage to Honolulu.
After conning their wives, Stan & Ollie don`t go on any voyage, but to the convention as promised to their `exhausted ruler` at their meeting, and have a swell time.
The voyage they should have gone on hits the newspaper headlines "Honolulu Liner Sinking, Foundering in Typhoon". The wives panic that their husbands are in danger and go out to find out more about it. They visit the local cinema to watch newsreel footage. The footage they see, is not of the sinking ship, but footage of the Chicago convention, with Stan & Ollie on camera, smiling away and enjoying themselves. The wives realise that they have been had and return home to await their husbands return...
This film is superb, a pleasant plot (although Stan & Ollie very rarely use plot in their classic stuff) Lots of funny gags and routines. The opening scene at the meeting is pure Laurel & Hardy, as they arrive late to the meeting and disrupt the proceedings. Stan`s acceptance of the oath is brilliant, especially his little cry at the end of the song, `We are the Sons of the Desert`
Another classic moment is the scene which seems to be done silently (for the obvious reason) in which Stan munches on an apple for about five minutes (only Stan can eat that way and get laughs) to find out that it is made of wax.
Ollie`s faked illness leads to more amusing scenes, firstly where he asks Stan to take his temperature...
OLLIE: What does it say?
STAN: Wet n` Windy!
OLLIE: That`s a barometer
My favourite piece of dialogue has to be when the vet arrives...
OLLIE: Why did you get a veternariun?
STAN: Well I didn`t think his religion would make any difference
The film moves on to the convetion scenes, in which they meet Charlie Chase, the practical joker. He sets up the `dropped wallet` joke and gets Ollie with it. As he is about to pick up the wallet, `CRACK`, straight across the arse with a cricket bat (must've hurt that!) The funny moment here is when Stan gets whacked, he runs away like a scared child.
I love stan's delayed reaction to the worm type thing that jumps of of the cigarette tin.
The later scenes in the attic are pure classic, as Stan bangs his head on a beam, and rubs his arse to ease the pain!, the two peas in a pod `d gag, and Ollie`s well used dialogue...
OLLIE: To catch a Hardy, they`ve got to get up very early in the morning
STAN: What time?
OLLIE: Oh, about half-past...
and I love this bit...
STAN: I`m going down and I`m gonna tell her everything...
OLLIE: So you`re turning yellow
STAN: Hhh!
OLLIE: You`re yellow
STAN: (slight pause) Must be the lightning!
A very good film indeed, as Charlie Chase would say "A Dob!" If any film deserves full marks, this one does. (10/10)
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