Hello!
As a child, I grew up in the 70's, and let’s face it, there wasn’t a lot of choice. We had three channels — BBC1, BBC2 & ITV. That was it! Colour television was new (if you were lucky enough to have a colour TV) and there were still plenty of black-and-white shows which were repeats. One repeat I really didn’t mind was Laurel and Hardy. As a kid, I didn’t know that my parents had probably watched this comedy duo as children too and their parents had probably seen it at the cinema as it was released in 1937. I found myself laughing a lot at what I consider the greatest comedy duo ever seen, who managed to transition from silent films to ‘talkies’. Not only were they hilarious, but their timing was impeccable- they could sing, and dance, and both seemed damn-near indestructible, no matter what hit or fell on them (which was usually on poor Oliver Hardy). I was hooked.
The action starts in a very busy Mickey Finn’s Saloon where Lola Marcel is billboarding. Beer is sliding down the bar, punters are gambling-it’s organised chaos. The proprietor Mickey Flynn (James Finlayson-who appeared in no less than 33 Laurel & Hardy Films!) is busying about and tells poor Cinderella-like Mary Roberts (Rosina Lawrence that she has to go and help Lola Marcel (Sharon Lynn) get ready. The crowd in the bar is getting restless until Lola appears on stage and has them out of in the palm of her hand.
Meanwhile, Stan and Ollie are making their way to town. Stan is walking with a mule that is towing Oliie along like he’s the Queen of Sheeba. This is going well until they cross a river, leaving Ollie stranded in the water and he catches a cold. They hitch a ride on a passing stagecoach into town with the mule in tow. Ollie tries to chat up the female passenger with lines like ‘a lot of weather we’ve been having lately’ and ‘Do you believe in Santa Claus?’ They arrive in Brushwood Gulch and the lady passenger’s husband is waiting (he’s actually the town Sheriff). She complains to him that Stan and Ollie were bothering her and he tells them to leave on the next stagecoach as they don’t like peddlers in the town. Ollie explains that they have business to attend to.
Outside Mickey Flynn’s Saloon, there are a bunch of cowboys playing music and singing. This is one of my favourite parts of the film. The quartet’s name is The Avalon Boys and they were famous in the 1930’s, appearing in a number of films. Chill Wills, the bass lead singer had such a fantastic voice and later went into acting. Stan and Ollie are drawn to the music and begin the most delightful dance routine that matches the increasing tempo of the music. If you can keep a straight face during this, you probably need to wake up.
Stan and Ollie go inside the bar and ask the barman if they can see Mary Roberts. Flynn overhears this and tells them he's Mary's guardian. Stan blurts out that they have the deeds to a gold mine in Mary's name left her by her father. Flynn says he'll go and get Mary (after checking if the pair have ever met her before). Flynn persuades Lola to be Mary and tells Stan and Ollie that he will introduce them to Mary Roberts. The real Mary hears him say this and says 'Did you call me?'. Ollie looks a little suspicious but doesn't twig. They meet Lola, who pulls off a great performance as a grief-stricken Mary, even holding lilies. There's a funny bit in the room where Mary, who's found the deeds at the foot of the stairs, knocks on the door. Fynn says 'who's there?' and Mary says 'Mary', Stan says 'Mary who?' and Fynn says 'Mary Christmas'. Fynn shoes her away and Ollie gives her the deeds to the mine and a family heirloom of a gold pendant. They still need to get the deed signed over by Mary.
Flynn gives Stan and Ollie free drinks at the bar. Here comes my all-time favourite scene in ANY Laurel and Hardy film... Drumroll, please... A cowboy starts to strum a guitar and sing 'Trail of the Lonesome Pine. Stan and Ollie turn around-every noticed how they can't resist music anywhere? Ollie takes over singing from the second verse. They all harmonise in the chorus. As usual, Stan does something unexpected and starts to sing a very deep voice (actually provided by Chill Wills-uncredited). Ollie gets given a mallet by the barman and clonks stan over the head. Stan finishes the song in a falsetto voice and then promptly collapses into a pile of spitoons, where falls asleep. Classic. So enjoyable. As a kid growing up, I sadly didn't have the benefit of a VHS till much later, so I couldn't rewind and play again. By the way, this record was released in the UK charts in 1975 and became a hit-sadly both actors had passed away.
Mary makes the deed over to Flynn and Lola. Stand and Ollie say goodbye to everyone and on the way out see Mary. She inadvertedly tells them her name is Mary Roberts and they smell a rat. They speak to Mary in the kitchen and realise what's happened. Stan says if they don't get the deeds back he'll eat Ollie's hat. They confront Loal and Fynn and there's an epic fight to recover the deeds culminating with Stan and Lola being in the bedroom. Stan hides the deeds down his shirt and fights on the bed-a classic of Stan at his best who can't stop laughing because Lola has tickled him to the nth degree. Fynn is holding a gun and he and Lola eventually get the deeds back and put them in their safe. The sheriff arrives but he's the guy who told Stan and Ollie to leave earlier. He chases them out of town. Ollie makes Staneat his hat. He does, much to Ollie's annoyance-even adding seasoning to it. Ollie snatches his beleaguered hat back. Ever notice how there's something supernatural about Stan-like the way he can create a lighter with his thumb or eat things which nobody else can?
Later that evening Stan and Ollie return to Fynn's bar. Everyone's gone to bed. Their plan is to rob the safe and get the deeds back. Getting into the building proves tricky and they wake Fynn who comes down in his nightgown brandishing a shotgun. Stan hoists Ollie up the building using a block and tackle pulley. This takes a while, with the customary screw-ups that we're used to seeing. Stan crashes through the cellar door, and they gain entry that way. Ollie's head gets stuck in the cellar door and Mary appears. She hides Stan as Flynn appears again with the shotgun. He goes back to bed and they free Ollie.
I'm going to stop there because I don't want to spoil the ending for you. This is my favourite Laurel and Hardy film by far. The guys in my opinion are at the top of their game. You can forgive the way the painted scenery and cameraman wobbles-to be honest, it adds to the overall humour. Watching this film is a great pick-me-up and I recommend watching it any time you need cheering up. Comedy genius by two comedy geniuses. Nuff said.
Thanks for reading
Matt AKA Chillichap
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