Another Fine Mess

[Angus McLaurel]

Stan and Ollie are on the run from the police. They take refuge in the home of Colonel Buckshot, who has just left to go hunting in Africa. Whilst they are there, a couple of people arrive to rent the house. Stan and Ollie pretend to be the owner and servants of the house.


There`s something about this film I really like. There aren`t many visual gags in it and most of the dialogue is standard, but the way Stan and Ollie perform in this film is brilliant. It even has spoken opening credits for a change, which is very different!

One of the best dialogue scenes from the film is a scene with two policemen.

COP 1: Say Kelly, did you see a couple of bozo`s round this way?
COP 2: Sure. A couple just went in there. What`s wrong?
COP 1: Trying to make a hotel out of the city park. Why, they even put a couple of benches together so they could have twin beds
COP 2: Oh yeah?
COP 1: Oh yes, and when I told them to move on, the little fellow tipped his hat and said "yes mam" !

When Stan & Ollie arrive at colonel Buckshot`s house, there are some great interaction between the two characters. The scenes of them on their own with the co-stars are good too. Particularly Stan, as he dresses as the maid (Agnes) and the butler (Hives). Lord Leopold Plumtree is good as well. (what a strange laugh he has) It`s interesting to see his name be mistaken for other trees (apple tree, fig tree) and even `flagpole`.

There`s a great fall by Stan when his knickers fall down and the scene as Agnes with Mrs. Plumtree (Thelma Todd) (which, apparently was ad-libbed)

THELMA: Tell me Agnes, how long have you been here?
STAN: About a half an hour.... How silly of me... I`m so nervous... I mean, er, a half a year... To be exact, three months.


There`s also a good scene with Ollie with his vast collection of Leopold`s business cards as he tries to find the billiard room. Another good scene with Ollie, when he plays the piano, cracking each finger before he does so.

OLLIE: Call me a cab
STAN: Hhh?
OLLIE: Call me a cab
STAN: You`re a cab!

I like the reaction of Stan when he has to keep switching from maid to butler, even getting undressed as he his on his way out of the room (crying).

There`s also some great `double-takes` by James Finlayson, and an appearance by what I think is the father of `Dobin` the pantomime horse from `Rentaghost`. One question: How does the policemen`s clothes manage to come off when the train goes past? `Another Fine Mess` is a re-make of their 3rd film together ,`Duck Soup` (1927), and is more or less the same film, but the use of sound makes it more worthwhile. I also believe that this is the reason behind the mis-quoted "Here`s another `fine` (instead of nice) mess you`ve gotten me into". 8/10

[mgm]

The spoken opening titles are brilliant. You can't get the staff can you. Twin beds…no comment. The film that spawned a million misquotes. They should have just hid until the heat was off.

The Marx Brothers may have been at the mansion, how do I come to that conclusion? Stan wears Harpo's wig. I not sure who's knickers they are though. What a chinless wonder Lord Plumtree is, how did he pull Thelma Todd?. How many cards does he carry by the way.

Stan gets the best dialogue and some nice double entendres with Thelma Todd. Is Thelma bi? (in this film I mean, she seems rather interested in ‘Agnes'. Thelma quickly corrects getting her husbands name wrong.

Is this the first film to use the `call me a cab` line?. A pleasant if slight film with a very weird ending. 6/10 We thank you