Laurel And Hardy - Good, clean, classic comedy! - Page 38

Inspector Abberline · #**371** 14th December 2016, 08:52 PM

The Music Box (1932)

the_music_box__credits_.jpg

Tall oaks From Little acorns grow.The boys have to deliver a piano,now that should be easy?
That's the house up there right on top of the stoop.Informs Charlie Hall as the postman.Ollie then repeats this to Stan,and they both look upwards to a rather high set of steep stairs going up to a rather grand looking house.There first obstacle is a rather cute looking nanny pushing a baby buggy,the duo happily oblige and let her pass,but as Ollie helps her with the buggy the piano slides back down the hill.This obviously amuses the nanny,so Stan gives her a kick up the backside, only to be punched in the face for his trouble,Ollie then bursts into laughter and get a milk bottle smashed over his head,violent these nannies.This leads to a rather funny scene where the nanny reports the boys to the police ,Policeman: He kicked you? Nursemaid: Yes, officer, right in the middle of my daily duty. So as the boys make there way back up the stairs with the piano yet again,they are beckoned from below by the policeman,Stan is sent to investigate.Which leads to another great line from the policeman when confronted by Stan,Policeman: I don't want you. I want that other monkey. Stan then repeats this to Ollie,who then does a double take realising he is the monkey the policeman was referring to,and of course as soon as Ollie leaves the piano it comes crashing down behind them.Stan then decides to challenge the policeman's authority for some reason and accuses him,Say listen, don't you think you're bounding over your step? Which then gets him hit over the head and poked in the stomach with a truncheon.So back up the stairs they go,and this time they are confronted by Billy Gilbert as Professor Theodore von Schwarzenhoffen, M.D., A.D., D.D.S., F.L.D., F-F-F-and-F,who calls the pair a couple of numbskulls and then gets his top hat knocked off by Stan,and it sails down the hill in the wind with the professor chasing it.This time the boys manage to get the piano to the house and nearly in the gold fish pond as well,and just as they ring the doorbell,Ollie is dragged down the stairs right to the very bottom.Eventually they manage to get it to the top,this time the postman informs them that all they had to do was follow the road and it would of brought them to the very same doorstep.So in what has to be the silliest scene ever,they takes the piano back down the stairs, back on the horse and cart and re-deliver it via the road.Of course no one is at home,so obviously they decide to use a block and tackle to lift the piano into the bedroom window and down the stairs of the house.This film genuinely makes me feel tired watching how Stan and Ollie exert so much energy into delivering that damn piano,it is also frustrating seeing how many times they get to the front door for it only to roll back down again.Its a classic,and pretty much a perfect film.

Susan Foreman · #**372** 15th December 2016, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

The Music Box (1932)

This film genuinely makes me feel tired watching how Stan and Ollie exert so much energy into delivering that damn piano,it is also frustrating seeing how many times they get to the front door for it only to roll back down again.Its a classic,and pretty much a perfect film.

You forgot to mention that the film won an Oscar in 1932

Incidentally, the steps that the piano is taken up, which are located on Descanso Drive, Los Angeles, are now known as the...

Susan Foreman · #**373** 20th December 2016, 04:06 PM

December 25th, 1953

Stan and Ollie behind the bar of Stan's sister's (Olga) pub - The Bull Inn, Bottesford, Nottingham

Susan Foreman · #**374** 20th December 2016, 04:16 PM

December 1953

Stan and Ollie help with the making of a Christmas pudding at Nottingham's County Hotel

What could possibly go wrong?

Susan Foreman · #**375** 21st December 2016, 03:41 PM

1954 - the Palace Theatre in Grimsby

Inspector Abberline · #**376** 1st January 2017, 09:12 AM

Below Zero 1930
Down on there luck yet again,the duo are busking out on the cold wintry streets,with the snow and blizzards blowing around them,Stan and Ollie are playing In the good old summertime,which for some reason is not going down to well with the local residents.What they fail to realise is that they have been playing outside a Institute for the deaf and dumb for two hours,so its no wonder the passer bys have not been making donations in there little tin cup.Of course it is only when Stanley moves his accordion that Ollie sees the sign. So they decide to up sticks and move up the road a little where they will be playing under some sort of heating duct.This time a local woman asks how much they make per street,she then gives them a dollar and tells them to move down the street. They do not have much luck,Ollie gets a snowball in the face from regular Charlie Hall,a pigeon drops an egg into Stan;s collecting cup,a rather large woman shoves a snowball into Ollie's face then smashes his double bass over his head,she then grabs Stan's accordion and throws it into the road where a car runs over it.Well there luck suddenly changes when they spot a wallet on the floor full of money,this is also noticed by a passing crook who gives chase,but after running into a local cop and crashing through a window,Stan and Ollie tells the policeman about being chased,he warns them about the area and about the local pickpockets.Well the boys invite the policeman to a meal to show there gratitude.After some rather large steak and onions have been consumed by the trio,it is time to pay the bill,in one of those massive coincidences you only ever get in the movies,the boys discover it is the policeman's wallet they had found.Of course he sees the wallet and tells the restaurant manager that he will pay for his share and that Stan and Ollie will have to pay for there's.The restaurant has a reputation for sorting out people who cannot pay there bills,and so the lights go out and allot of crashing can be heard as the pair are sorted out and thrown into the street,well Ollie is,Stan gets put into a barrel of freezing cold water,(something which seems incredible cruel considering the weather). When Ollie realises Stan is missing he tries to get back into he restaurant but he then realises Stan is in the barrel,but where is the water? Stan has drank it all,and waddles into the credits.. Below Zero is a great fast paced short running at just 20 mins,so zips along at a tremendous speed. And is there a more a bizarre sight than Stan Laurel looking like he has swallowed a barrel of water,alright its just a big ball up his shirt but its still a sight to behold.And the scene where the duo are playing there instruments is quite an iconic picture.