Post by Angus McLaurel on Sept 2, 2008 16:16:14 GMT
Stan & Ollie are a Vaudeville double act. They are catching a train to Pottsville...
Berth Marks is one of Laurel & Hardy`s early talkie films, with a mixture of silent movie style to it. It starts off OK, with Stan & Ollie trying to find each other at the station. Then there`s the classic "Does this train go to Pottsville?" routine, followed by a couple of good comedy falls. Particularly the one where the bloke trips over Stan`s fiddle.
Then they catch the train. Stan & Ollie accidentally disturb passenger (Charlie Hall`s) lady friend, leading to Charlie Hall going outside, ripping the jacket of an innocent man, therfore leading the train into chaos as it breaks into a clothes ripping saga. (what was it about ripping one and other`s clothes in those days?)
There`s a nice funny moment when Stan climbs on Ollie`s back to reach his bunk. While he`s still on Ollie`s back, he takes time out to take off his coat while he`s there.
After this, the film is then stretched to the end as Stan & Ollie have to get undressed in a tiny space each. This seems to go on forever, but I suppose it`s the only way the final gag would work, which is when they are finally undressed, the train guard announces the next stop is Pottsville!
On the whole, the first half of the film is OK, but not great, and is weakened by a very over milked finale. 5/10
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