The Fixer Uppers (1935)
 

The Fixer Uppers (1935)
Stan and Olly are selling Christmas cards door to door, Arthur Housman aka The Drunk opens his door to find the two of them on his doorstep, Arthur is obviously drunk as he constantly wears an ice pack on his head, even when he goes outside for a drink."Merry Christmas, Mother "Merry Christmas, Ma"Hi, Mommy-mommy "and a hot cha-cha".As they move on to the next door there greeted by the adorable Mae Busch as Madame Pierre Gustav who is obviously upset.
Stan:Ask her if she's got a husband.That gets them.
Olly:Pardon the presumption, but you have a husband, of course?
Mae:Yes
Olly:Now you're right up our alley!We have one here which I think
is one of Stanley's tenderest thoughts.Listen to this.
"A merry Christmas, husband,
happy New Year's nigh
"I wish you Easter greetings,
hooray for the Fourth of July"
We call that our four-in-one card.You can use it all the year round.
Mae still upset is comforted by the the boys,she explains that her husband pays her little attention anymore,this then triggers Stan to remember a story he heard.
Stan:You know what? I knew a woman once that had a case just like yours but you know what she did?She got a fella to make love to her in front of her husband and it made the husband jealous.
Olly:Then what happened?
Stan: Well, when the husband got jealous his wife knew that he was in love with her just because he was jealous.If he hadn't have been jealous,he wouldn't have paid any attention to the fella that made him jealous, see?
Olly:What'd the husband do?Go out and shoot the other fella?
Stan:No. When the husband found out he was so pleased that he was jealous,he took his wife and kissed her and they went out again
and got married all over and then he kissed her again...
Olly: Just a minute.What happened to the other fellow?
Stan:When the husband found out he was jealous,he was so pleased
that the fella had made him jealous he gave the fella a lot of money because he'd made him jealous and they all lived happy ever after.
Olly's abit cautious at first (hardly surprising after hearing Stan's story) but $50 dollars to make her husband jealous.You can do it cheaper by the week. Mae suggests that her Charles Middleton as Pierre Gustave should find them embraced in a kiss where upon Mae grabs Stan and gets him in a clinch. Olly looks on as the kiss seems to last ages, Olly taps Mae on the shoulders,she releases Stan he then faints,he gets back up gives her a kiss and then this time she faints.
Ollie: "Now look what you've done"
Stan: "Well she started it!"
Mae seeing her husband arrive grabs Olly and kisses him just in time for Pierre Gustave to witness this betrayal
Pierre Gustave :I'm looking for the viper that destroyed the sanctity of my home.
So we've gone from selling Christmas cards door to door to infidelity in one fatal swoop,surely Olly would of learnt his lesson by now, how can he even contemplate one of Stan's ideas when Stan himself can never get the plan right when he repeats it back to Olly.Of course with a name like Pierre were to assume he is a French hot head, which explains why he challenges Olly to a duel and lets be honest here Olly makes for a pretty big target.In fact it gets abit grim later on, when Pierre thinks he has killed Olly (Mae put blanks in his gun) he then announces he is going to cut him up into little bit, which then prompts the duo to leave as fast as they can with Pierre in hot pursuit blasting away behind them. The Fixer Uppers story wise is abit far fetched, but then again when has that ever stopped them, and also there's a major leap of coincidence that's gets from the bar back to Pierre's flat just in time for the duel. That said the boys do get to kiss Mae Busch so you can't blame them for that. Charles Middleton or as you may know him as Ming the Merciless. Yes he was that dastardly villain in the old Buster Crabbe serials, is as always pretty damn good and knows how to play the baddie for sure.Im really surprised we never got to see him in some juicy Rko style horror movies he makes the perfect villain. Add a touch of Mae Busch and you got a pretty darn entertaining 2-reel short.


:xmaslol: :xmaslol: :xmaslol: :xmaslol: out of 5

Punch Drunks (1934)
 

Punch Drunks (1934)
Punch drunks was the 2nd official Three Stooges short film,Moe is a most unlikely boxing promoter who falls out with his associates. Curly's a waiter at a restaurant,Larry is a fiddler at the restaurant (what a coincidence) is playing the song pop goes the weasel.Hearing the song Curly goes into a rage and knocks out a boxer at the restaurant.Moe see's a chance of making money with Curly as a boxing champion and Larry on the fiddle.Where as Laurel and Hardy were fairly gentle in there slapstick,well compared to the Three Stooges they are.The Stooges are relentless in there eye poking , head slapping and general insanity.Story was written by Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard , which may explain why its not actually War and Peace.But its quite a clever little gag having Curly turn into a fighter whenever he hears the Pop goes the Weasel song. The verbal jokes are all pretty weak and poor so its a good job the endless arguing and bickering and fighting is more than enough to keep you amused.You kind of knew with Laurel and hardy that at the core of there stories was there friendship,you never get any of that with the Stooges,Moe constant barks orders at Curly and Larry like the Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket but with even less compassion.Curly takes a good old beating in the boxing ring while Larry looks for a replacement for his violin."victim of soycumstance!"Eventually Larry gets hold of campaign truck with speakers blaring the pop goes the weasel tune,and Curly wins the fight to become world champion,unfortunately for Moe and Larry the music keeps on playing and Curly knocks the pair of them out,and then heads straight to the camera heading for us YIKES. The world is split into two types those that love the Stooges and those that don't,I do.

:psychosanta: :psychosanta: :psychosanta: :psychosanta: out of 5

I've never seen any Three Stooges films.

you is a stooge
 

As far as I remember the only time they got shown on British television was by channel 4 in there afternoon slot before countdown occasionally.go figure?

They can't be any worse than Abbott and Costello.

Get your coat, you're no longer welcome here! [emoji12]

I second that, although I should really see myself out because I don't like Laurel & Hardy....

The MTDS boy is a big fan after watching the recent, er, updated film which given what it is, isn't too bad. I then forced him to watch the original short films on YouTube until he poked his own eye out!

The Private Life of Oliver the Eighth (1934)
 

The Private Life of Oliver the Eighth 1932
Before the internet and Tinder,dating had to be done through the private add columns of the newspaper.Mae Busch a widow,is looking for a congenial young man to marry,Olly seeing Stan cutting the advert dismisses the idea "some old crab with a face that would stop a clock". Stan manages to convince Olly that its a good idea with Stan's usual "Tell me that again" so they both send letters to the widow making a bet on whole get a reply,or do they? Olly doesn't post Stan's letter a sign he was a bit insecure about the the whole bet in the first place.

Stanley: No, listen... I'd take some of the money, and I'd have her face lifted. Then we could settle down, congenial, and we would have to scrape chins any more... wouldn't have to work hard any more.

Oliver: Tell me that again.

Stanley: Well, I could take some of the money... and I'd have her skinned... and she'd be able to look at a clock without having to work hard any more... and we could settle down and scrape each other's chin... and congenial... if I didn't have to work hard anymore.

Oliver: I know exactly what you mean.

Well Olly wins the bet and goes off to marry the merry widow,when he arrives at the widows house he's greeted by the butler (Jack Barty) a raving loony who plays imaginary cards and serves imaginary food,this leads to two great gags one involving Stan showing Olly a card trick,only for Olly to smack the cards out of Stan's hand.The Butler picks up the cards only for Stan to spot that he has left one of the imaginary cards behind.Also you can see Stan's rising confusion as the imaginary food is served by the Butler. Of course Mae's intentions are not only dishonest but homicidal,apparently dumped by an Oliver she now swears vengeance on any man called Oliver,by cutting there throats.I have read some reviews that say this short is too long and a little slowly paced,but the longer the short the better I say,In fact Oliver the Eighth does feel more like a feature film than a 3 reel short comedy.There are some bizarre scenes in the film,like when Stan finds a pump action shotgun in the bedroom? then blasts a pair of Olly's long john's leaving a gaping hole.And seeing Mae Busch coming towards the camera brandishing a butchers knife is quite unsettling. Although its not an out an out horror,it does go to show you can mix comedy and chills pretty effectively given the right setting,this and the other short The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case really has an Old Dark House feel to it. But hey wouldn't you know it it was all just a dream THE END.

:xmasnuts: :xmasnuts: :xmasnuts: :xmasnuts: out of 5

Ants in the Pantry (1936)
 

Ants in the Pantry 1936
Anybody interested I can highly recommend the Three Stooges Collection,available as a box set or as individual discs,there all in order of releases starting from 1934 to right till 1959,every short film they made for Colombia Pictures.Considering the age of some of these films the picture quality is excellent,no print damage,no scratches no deterioration at all, unfortunately this cannot be said for the Laurel Hardy Hal Roach short features,most look like they have been through a tree shredder,strange ? In fact The Three Stooges Collection is some of the best bits of remastering ive seen,anyone who has bought one of those cheap public domain compilation dvds will know how terrible some of the prints were. Ants in the Pants poses that age old question of who in the hell would employ these three numb skulls, This time around they are pest exterminators ,and they've been told by there boss A.Mouser (what a name) if they don't drum up dome business then there sacked..You dumbkopf!' Seeing the first big posh mansion they come across they decide to invest the place with all sorts of insects and bugs and vermin. I really like the whole premise of this short film, it just gives a perfect excuse for the boys to cause untold havoc and chaos at a very upper class party., don't be conspicuous the waiter tells the boys,so there dressed in riding gear like the other party goers, they look anything but conspicuous .After that its just an excuse for Larry to hit curly with a hammer and people to scratch themselves silly with fleas while Moe goes around with one of those old fashioned pest sprayers.Bizarre moment ,Moe drops Larry into a piano full of cats,much ass kicking and eye poking proceed. In fact Curly gets a nice double slap from Moe .ouchh.

:xmaslol: :xmaslol: :xmaslol: :xmaslol: out 5



Gawkins - the Butler: ...and above all, don't be conspicuous!

Moe: Hey, if that conspicerous means what I think it does, I may have to punch you right in the nose.

Curley: Pipe down, it's derived from the Latin, no canna speaka da Ingalish.

Gawkins - the Butler: ...and above all, don't be conspicuous!

Moe: Hey, if that conspicerous means what I think it does, I may have to punch you right in the nose.

Curley: Pipe down, it's derived from the Latin, no canna speaka da Ingalish.

So good it was worth saying twice!

What's with the made up title?

Inspector Vic Ron struggles with cut and paste.

oliver the eighth was the US title,but it was retitled for its initial uk release as private lives,I title I much prefer.:xmastongue: due to be released around the same time as The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) with go old Charlie laughton.

When you're right, you're right.

The Private Life of Oliver the Eighth (1934)

Didn't know that. You're a mine of info. :)

As it's an American film i'd always go with it's US release title. Just as i would always go with a UK made films's UK release title no matter which i prefer.

Being a loose cannon who does not play by the rules the first thing I did was ignore the US title...:snowball:

You are the John McClane of Cult Labs. The Martin Riggs of the forum world. The Flying Squad of the internet.

I have always wanted to throw Alan Rickman of a rather tall building.

Their First Mistake (1932)
 

Their First Mistake (1932)
Surprisingly risqué subject matter for a comedy,Mrs. Hardy (Mae Busch) is jealous because Olly spends more time with Stan than he does with her.In fact she divorces Olly and Stan is being sued for the alienation of Hardy's affection?? And before this even happens Stan suggests that Olly adopts a baby.
Stan: "I'm not as dumb as you look"
Ollie: "You bet your life you're not"
Today this would be a social services nightmare, two men adopting a baby, a wife jealous of another man,this surely has the makings of an episode of Jeremy Kyle Show.Of course our two would be daddies now have to look after the baby,cue lots of mishaps with baby bottles and Stan taking the odd swig when he thinks Olly isn't looking. It never seems odd that Stan and Olly share a bed allot,it just cements there friendship even more,although it does get a bit weird when Olly is feeding Stan the babies bottle while both are still half a sleep.Stan usually has the more submissive role but in a great bit of gender reversal Oliver takes the role of an almost a single mother when Stan decides he doesn't want anything to do with bring up the baby and has his career and future to think of. You could really give yourself a headache with the plot of this one,Stan and Olly taking on the role of parents (well before Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish did the same ). Most of the humour comes from baby sitting and the boys approach to father hood,although with Stan hogging the milk its hardly surprising the baby never stops crying, social services would of been in there like a shot.My only real criticism is that there's no resolution to the story which is a pity as I read there was an alternative ending where Mrs. Hardy (Mae Busch) had the same idea and comes home with twins.POM POM.

:santanukem: :santanukem: :santanukem: :santanukem: OUT 5

Considering she was going to slit his throat in the last film reviewed, this is quite a surprising development. :jollysanta:

Some Will, Some Won't (1970)
 

Some Will, Some Won't (1970)
Wilfrid Brambell as Henry Russell is an eccentric millionaire (why are all rich people eccentric?),Brambell is nearly unrecognisable due to wearing a rather weird grey fright wig.Henry Russell is also abit of a practicable joker,and when he dies fooling around on the hands of big Ben believe it or not he leaves his money to his relatives but there's a catch. Each relative has to perform a task before they get there hands on the £150,000 inheritance.Based on the film Laughter in Paradise (1951) with Alastair Sim , Some Will Some Won't (1970) is directed by Duncan Wood who worked on Hancocks Half Hour and Steptoe And Son, so it was a bit of surprise to find that Some Will, Some Won't isn't the laughter fest I was hoping for.In fact the jokes are pretty dire and the script is less than sparkling.It does have a stellar cast Arthur Lowe, Dennis Price, James Robertson Justice, Leslie Phillips, Michael Hordern, Ronnie Corbett, Sheila Steafel, Stephen Lewis, Thora Hird and Wilfrid Brambell and overall is nicely filmed. It comes across slightly old fashioned by the 1970's standards,with some slight bawdiness hinted at especially with good old Leslie Phillips scenes as he plays usual Romeo character tying to woo the ladies. But overall the film feels very stilted and lifeless,In fact the only time I thought it had any real humour was when Wilfrid Brambell appeared on screen,which is shame has he only has a cameo appearance,when I felt he was the best character out of the whole lot,you always get your money's worth from Wilfrid Brambell a man who pops up every where from The Witchfinder General cranky old farmer,Holiday on the Buses cranky old lecherous man and Steptoe and Son where he's just a cranky old man.On the whole its an average farce,with some decent talent on show,and ill be looking to seek out Laughter in Paradise just to see what the original has to offer.

:santanukem: :santanukem: 1/2 out of 5

That looks like Leslie Philips smoothing up to Barbara Murray on the dvd cover.

Is she in it a lot? I feel to have been watching her every week for a year in The Plane Makers and it's spin off The Power Game. She gets a raw deal from her husband Patrick Wymark in those series with all his adultery. Leslie Philips is probably a step too far. :jollysanta:

Yes that's Babs Murray alright,yes she in it abit,more than just a cameo any way,she's Dennis Price niece in the film,she's trying to marry Leslie for his inheritance.

I think i might pick it up in the next Network sale. Sounds okay to me. I might find it funnier you never know.

Casino Royale (1967)
 

Casino Royale (1967)
I've never been the biggest Bond fan,and the only two I can hand on heart say Im a fan of is Live and Let Die (1973),great song,I do like Roger Moore,he was so much better as Lord Brett Sinclair in The Persuaders! (TV Series)and mainly because it comes across as big budget Blaxploitation film made by a bunch of middle class English honkys, which it was.The other favourite is Moonraker , obviously Cubby thought star wars/Star Trek how can we get on this band wagon,hey presto Moonraker. And when anyone asks me who my favourite bond is I either tell them to p**s off and get a life or I say David Niven which will confuse them no end.Obviously the purists have wiped Casino Royale (1967) from there memory banks, but after a recent re-watch I decided it wasn't the awful mess were are supposed to remember it as. Ok so its credited with five ,correction six (i forgot Val Guest) different directors for five different parts of the film, and yes there is a slight difference in style in direction some of the scenes,but nothing as jarring as were lead to believe. In fact considering the level of criticism aimed at some of the recent Bond films,(even Spectre which was thought to be ok is now getting the back lash) its not looking bad at all now,some what Psychedelic even with that 60's feel only Austin Powers's could dream of catching abit of. The cast is pretty amazing as well David Niven,Peter Sellers,Barbara Bouchet,Ursula Andress, Woody Allen and Orson Welles to name but a few. And also forget all that toss about who is going to sing the next bond theme Burt Bacharach blows them all out of the water with his theme tune played Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass ,and the song "The Look of Love" – Dusty Springfield make Adele,well look crap really. And if that wasn't enough the making of the film with all its back biting and unfinished scenes make it more interesting than anything Ian Fleming ever wrote. So if you want a very silly spy spoof then look here,in fact time has been good to this film and its come full circle to be probably the ultimate spy spoof film.

:psychosanta: :psychosanta: :psychosanta: 1/2 out of 5

The Live Ghost (1934)
 

The Live Ghost (1934)
Live Ghost is one of those I remember watching on BBc2 when I was a kid,and I was struck by how menacing and brutal the sea captain (Walter Long) is.Just a total psycho (which he does so well) a man that when he says he is gonna twist your head backwards,well you just better believe it when he says it,that's all im saying.Walter is just one of the all time great bad asses,and its a real shame he never seemed to make many more films later on,he appears in four Laurel Hardy shorts and also one Three Stooges short Three Little Pigskins. The captain manages to convince the boys to help him shanghaiing sailors for his ship,(capt having problems recruiting people because rumour has it his ship is haunted,but don't let him hear that,or you will be in trouble). Why the captain would hire Stan and Olly as strong arm men is know ones business,but it does lead to a great routine where Stan goes into the bar room full of sailors,bets one of them that they cant put an egg in their mouth without breaking it,then when they put it in their mouth,Stan pops them in the chin,they chase after Stan,and Olly whacks them with a frying pan.Of course all goes well until they change roles and Oliver goes into the saloon only to have Charlie Hall,who has witnessed the gag before trick him instead,this leads to Stan whacking everybody with the frying pan even the Captain.The film is very atmospheric, and the whole set of the ship does give the appearance of a ghost ship (~oops I hope he didn't hear me) .Yet again Stan manages to finds a gun and accidentally shots the bunk where they think Arthur Housman is sleeping.(yet again he's the drunk who has been banned from going ashore). What is surprising is the Stan and Olly have no qualms about sticking what they think is a body,in a weighted down sack and throwing it overboard. With its ghost ship setting and what looks like a nice foggy atmosphere to top it off,the film ends with a rather painful pair of neck twisting.OUCHH

Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973)
 

Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973)
They say never work with children or animals,so after working with a baby in the first film they throw caution to the wind and work with a greyhound this time.The first half of the film is mostly small vignettes until it gets to the main part of the story which is faking Albert's death so they can claim the insurance company. Ray Galton and Alan Simpson keep the characters and film fresh by coming up with new material instead of re-cycling stories from the tv show,a mistake allot of the tv to film crossovers have made.We have several little mini adventures before the film really kicks off. First before the credits Albert tries to shot a neighbours chicken for food,a gag which carries on through the course of the film. Harold while out collecting,gets called to the top of a tower block only to be given a carrot for his horse.Next up he runs into Diana Dors a randy short skirt wearing mum who tries to seduce Harold,only trouble is her husband who has just died is in the next bed.Harold's troubles get worse when he falls asleep on the cart only to ride straight on the back of removals van to be taken up to York. "York,who the hell do you think you are Dick Turpin" Albert exclaims. Poor old Hercules after walking back from York has a poorly heart and has to be retired,in quite a touching scene Albert pleads with Harold not to let him be put down,but placed in a horses rest home. So with no horse they have to go to the Southall market and pick up a new horse with Albert's life savings £80.Unfortunately for Harold after sending Albert home so he can buy the horse himself,Harold runs into local gangster Henry Woolf as Frankie Barrow,you may remember him from the great Steptoe and Son episode The Seven Steptoerai a really funny Seven Samurai rip off. Now they needed a horse to pull the cart,what Harold brings back,in a rather drunk state is a grey hound,Hercules the Second.Not only can he not pull a cart but he is also short sighted and can't see a thing,especially the rabbit at the race track.And on top of this they still owe Frankie Barrow for the dog.Now they have to come up with the money otherwise Frankie and the boys will be coming round.There can't be many films that have had a greyhound wear reading glasses,or one that eats cigarette butts. Needless to say Hercules the Second in the words of Albert is a w**ker. Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H. Corbett star. Ray Galton and Alan Simpson are the writers what more do want,Peter Sykes directs this the same year as The House in Nightmare Park (1973) with Frankie Howerd.

:psychosanta: :psychosanta: :psychosanta: :psychosanta: out of 5

The Music Box (1932)
 

The Music Box (1932)
Laurel & Hardy's Transfer Co. (foundered in 1931) have the job of delivering a rather large piano to Hazel Howell as Mrs. Schwarzenhoffen,which is a supposed to be a surprise present for her husband Billy Gilbert as Professor von Schwarzenhoffen .When the boys arrive at the address there given 1127 Walnut Avenue,they ask a passing postman where the house exactly is,Charlie Hall (the Postman) informs them that the house they want is right at the top of a series of steps. At this point in the film you do wonder how many jobs Laurel & Hardy's Transfer Co. have undertaken and how many have ended in tragedy for both the boys and there clients. On there first attempt to climb the steps there interrupted by a nursemaid and her buggy,this leads to the first attempt of the piano crashing to the bottom. Hysterical the nanny can't stop laughing at Stan and Olly,this leads to Stan to kick her up the backside,she in turn bops Stan in the face, Olly burst out laughing and gets a milk bottle smashed over his head for his trouble.Not only is this a brilliant bit of violent slapstick but it also leads to a great bit of dialogue between the nanny and a passing policeman.
Nursemaid: And not only that, he kicked me.
Policeman: He kicked you?
Nursemaid: Yes, officer, right in the middle of my daily duty.
Policeman: Oh, he kicked you did he?
Its the "line right in the middle of my daily duty",which makes the policeman hesitate for a second.With the piano halfway up the steps again,this time its the Policeman that interrupts them.
Stan: What do you want?
Policeman: I don't want you. I want that other monkey.
[Stan whistles to Ollie]
Ollie: What?
Stan: He doesn't want me! He wants the other monkey!
[Ollie looks around]
Stan: You!
This then leads to another confrontation between the boys and the policeman, Stan: Don't you think you're bounding over your step? which gets him hit over the head for his troubles, with the policeman's baton.On there third attempt to get the piano up the steps they come across Prof. von Schwarzenhoffen, who is totally unaware that the piano is for him,but he also refuses to move out of there way.This again leads to another fight,where upon von Schwarzenhoffen shouts "Well? Either of you two numbskulls going to take this thing out of the way?" which is a corker of a line even by today's standards.By this time were only halve way through the film,and the only thing that's stopping the piano falling apart is the packing case its in,which has been helpfully labeled end 'fragile',side/back "this way up ,side/front "do not nail",top "use no hooks".But nowhere does it say don't drop down a flight of stairs. There is also the ridiculous twist involving the postman,which I won't go into as it beggars belief.Not only a great funny film but won the first Academy Award for Live Action Short Film (Comedy) 1932.

Absolutely timeless comedy gold. As good today as it was back then.

School for Scoundrels (1960)
 

School for Scoundrels (1960)
For years I was on the precipice of a dilemma,what was my favourite Ealing comedy? was it the brilliant The Ladykillers (1955) with its top class cast of actors or was it School for Scoundrels (1960) with its top class cast of actors,well I have now decided its the The Ladykillers (1955),not because I think its better than School for Scoundrels,(there fairly equal in my opinion) the reason being is that School for Scoundrels isn't an Ealing film after all. ( years of ignorance,how I hung my head in shame),but I think calling School for Scoundrels an Ealing film is the highest praise any film could get,its witty,sharp and takes a swipe at British society,whether its a pompous jobs worth like senior clerk, Gloatbridge played by Edward Chapman (Mr Grimsdale) or the upper class Lothario Raymond Delauney (Terry-Thomas). Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey is a nice likeable middle class chap,but he seems to be always on the back foot,being a total victim to seedy car salesman,insolent employees and generally a door mat to all and sundry even head waiters at restaurants,played with much class and aloofness by John Le Mesurier as the Head Waiter who stands as the gate keeper in a posh French restaurant.
Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey plays upper class idiots like no one else,apart from Hugh Laurie that is,so its no surprise they have both portrayed Bertie Wooster. Combined with Alastair Sim as Mr. S. Potter who runs the "School of Lifemanship" in Yeovil, A place where gentlemen learn to get one up over there rivals in all areas of life,whether its love,sport or cooking the books at work,they have subjects for everyone. Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney is Henry Palfrey's main rival,especially for the affection of lovely Janette Scott as April Smith,and Thomas is at his most tricky and cunning,this must rate as one of his best roles. ( factoid Basil Brush was based on Terry-Thomas persona). School for Scoundrels may be a bit old fashioned humour wise,but its such a satisfying film,with a great outcome and a sort of happy ending.Now I got to decide which is my favourite Boulting Brothers movie.

:xmasnuts: :xmasnuts: :xmasnuts: :xmasnuts: out 0f 5

Blotto (1930)
 

Blotto (1930)
An ever recurring theme in a few of Laurel and Hardy's short films,is the fact that one or both of the boys are hen pecked by a domineering wife,unfortunately for our duo a couple of times the women have managed to obtain double barrel shotguns,and Anita Garvin as Mrs. Laurel is one of them.Blotto doesn't really have that much of a story,Stan pace's impatiently at home,when asked what's wrong by Anita Garvin,he timidly asks permission to go out but is flatly refused. Of course Stan is being lead astray by Olly who wants him to go to a nightclub and get drunk. Seeing as this is the prohibition era ,he needs Stan to sneak out a bottle of hooch.In fact you can hardly blame Mrs Laurel for being slightly annoyed when you consider how devious and under handed there being.In fact its one of the few times they actually deserve there comeuppance for being devious.The plot is pretty thin to say the least,even for a short 3 reel film it does feel a bit slight. Still there some nice caustic dialogue between Stan and Mrs laurel,as she brow beats him every which way,Im not sure what poor old Stan had done previous to this moment but Mrs Laurel is in no mood to be messed with tonight. Over hearing a phone conversation between Stan and Olly ,as they work out a plan for Stan to escape,Mrs Laurel takes the precaution of swapping the bottle of alcohol for some cold tea. In fact allot of the humour comes from the knowledge that are deadly duo,who seem to getting drunker by the minute,are only really drinking cold tea and a few other horrible things that Mrs Laurel could get her hands on at the time. And of course they only realise this when Mrs Laurel confronts them at the nightclub,shotgun and all. They soon sober up,and start running for there lives,literally, not sure what kind of shot she put in her gun but it sure makes a mess of the taxi the guys hide in.Its not necessarily there best short film but I do enjoy it,as its one I remember watching on BBc2 all those years ago when I were a lad.

:pound::pound::pound::pound: out of 5

This film was simultaneously produced in a Spanish language version, La vida nocturna (1930) and a French language version, Une nuit extravagante (1930) with the actors speaking their own lines. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy read their lines from cue cards on which the appropriate language was printed phonetically. At the time of early talkies, dubbing was not yet practical.

The spirit of Stan and Ollie in 'Busy Bodies' lives on!

Broadway Danny Rose
 

Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
To me Woody Allen is never better than when he's at his most neurotic,but here he manages to combine this with a seemingly over confident New York talent agent who has some of the worst acts on the circuit,yet he constantly strives to get them work,even though there the kind of acts that wouldn't even get booking on New Faces (retro reference). But Danny Rose (Woody Allen) has one act who's star is on the rise,Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte) is a alcoholic lounge singer,but he's on the comeback trail due to a rise in the nostalgia ,slowly Lou Canova starts getting more bookings and Danny has high hoped for this ageing singer.Lou,who has a wife and three kids is having an affair with Tina (Mia Farrow) an recognisable Mia with big hair and even bigger sunglasses who also happened to date a gangster previously and still has associations with Johnny Rispoli (Edwin Bordo ) and his brothers. Although there's very little in the way of slapstick (Bananas and Sleeper have Woody at his silliest and his most likeable) this does feel more like his pre Annie Hall movie's. His constant verbal diarrhoea whenever he gets into a panic,is Allen's classic verbal self defence , whether he is being chased by gangsters through a warehouse full of Thanksgiving parade floats,or just being threatened in general ,Danny Rose:" I don't wanna get my legs chopped off cos I do a guy a favour. " Broadway Danny Rose is just chocked full of quotable lines,and there is know denying that the chemistry between Woody and Mia Farrow is both warm and caustic at the same time. Which makes Tina's betrayal of Danny with Lou Canova,as she advises Lou to change Agent's and leave Danny,that gives the film a nice bitter sweet ending . Shot entirely in black and white,the film does look tremendous although it would of been just as good in colour (same goes for Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in my humble opinion ) I love Woody's earlier films,but really can't stand allot of his later films except Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993),even Whatever Works (2009) with the great Larry David failed to really capture there great talents combined together.Broadway Danny Rose premise is all told via flashback through a group of ageing comedians who are all trying to remember there best Danny Rose story,until Sandy Baron (vamp) tells the Lou Canova story.In a strange way the film reminds me allot of Goodfellas, and I have no good reason to compare the two,except there both have great stories,and both have few gangsters of course.Its to Woody's credit that it does almost feel like a true story, and the characters,especially the variety acts that Danny Rose handles as an agent,all feel so real.

:tongue1::tongue1::tongue1::tongue1: out 0f 5

Isn't one of Danny's acts a one legged tap dancer? It makes me smile just thinking about it.

I'm pretty sure you're right – I think he also represents a blind pianist or xylophone player and ventriloquist with a stutter or other such speech impediment.

The Longest Yard (1974)
 

The Mean Machine (1974) "The Longest Yard" (original title)
Burt Rynolds made some rather interesting films before he became a mega 1970's sexy moustache wearing womanising super star.In fact ironically his character Paul "Wrecking" Crewe is a washed up pro American football player,who gets arrested for having a drunken bust up with his girlfriend Anitra Ford as Melissa.He steals her Maserati,gets chased by the cops,gets into a drunken punch up with the arresting police officers.As soon as he enters the prison Reynolds has his trade mark tache shaved off,as the wardens mock him for his past decadent life style. Not being a sports fan,for some reason I don't mind the odd sports film,Slap Shot (1977) violent hockey, Caddyshack (1980) violent rodent golf and The Hustler (1961) er pool. Robert Aldrich directs a sharp and fast paced comedy / drama that's part prison movie part sports action film. Eddie Albert as Warden Rudolph Hazen blackmails Paul "Wrecking" Crewe into putting together an all convict team to play his semi pro warden team.Not surprisingly the only way to get the viewers to side with convicts team is to make the wardens side a bigger bunch of ugly sweaty red necks. In fact the penal system as shown here in Georgia,is very brutal,and the chief Warden Rudolph Hazen has is no different,when he realises his team is in the process of losing to the convicts,he again blackmails Reynold's character,this time into losing the game. I have no idea what is going on with American football,when it comes to the rules and regulations.But whatever all those blokes are doing when there running up and down that field,cinematic ally it looks fast,furious and violent.There's a whole host of great character actors,Robert Tessier as Connie Shokner as psychopathic killer and Richard Kiel as Samson are both excellent ,and its strange that we side with the convicts,considering there all made up of killer's and thieves.There was a trend of for barbaric prison flicks which showed the corruption of the system and the violence of its inmates,this falls somewhere in between Robert Redfords Brubaker and the exploitation of the Penitentiary movies. Robert Aldrich who has directed such a myriad of wonderful movies during his life from Kiss Me Deadly (1955) ,What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) to The Dirty Dozen (1967) to name a few. He was a marvellous and versatile director and The Longest Yard (1974) is worth a viewing.

:tongue1::tongue1::tongue1::tongue1: out of 5

It's exactly that. It's also incredibly complicated! I've been watching for the past 15 or so years and I'm learning new terminology all the time.

When i was at school a few of us were heavily into American football. I decided the Redskins would be my team. It was the time of Jay Schroeder, Art Monk etal.

I picked up the rules really quickly, part in thanks to an excellent year book Marks and Spencer brought out in the mid to late 80's. There were around thirty of us heavily into it. We even used to play it during break and dinner time. I wasn't a bad thrower of the ball, but a better catcher. Some of the lads had real quarterback talent it seemed, always got the correct spin and distance on the laces during a throw.

I lost interest once we left school and the group broke up.