Laurel and Hardy: Hats Off [Documentary]

Hats Off is an affectionate documentary on the lives and work of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy – the boys.

In short, I enjoyed Hats Off, but not unreservedly. It’s short — under an hour long. The video clips and interviews are interesting, although little that I’d not heard before. But, I’ve read several biographies of Laurel and Hardy, so that’s not the documentary’s fault.

What is the documentary’s fault is the attempt at psychoanalyzing their lives. It tries to push the “all clowns are secretly sad” meme very hard. Yes, both Stan and Ollie had a miserable track record in marriage. But, the film tends to gloss over many of the happy moments in their lives. Stan’s daughter is mentioned once, for example. It also tries to push the idea that they bonded over the loss of a parent at an early age. Possibly, but no evidence is presented to back that assertion up.

Conclusion

Having said that, I don’t want to leave you with the wrong impression. I did enjoy Hats Off, having watched it for free on Tubi. I frankly wouldn’t have paid to watch it, however.

Editorial review of Laurel and Hardy: Hats Off courtesy of Amazon.com

Hats Off – A Documentary There are few film stars who are genuinely loved by their audiences, but back in the days of the silent movie, a com-edy duo enjoyed that from the very beginning. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, with their gentle mixture of slapstick and technical skill, brought laughter to millions through the 20th Century and are still continuing to generate laughter to this very day. Yet, like so many of the truly great Kings of Comedy, Laurel and Hardy often found it difficult to find laughter, peace, and contentment in their own lives and the story of the men behind the carefully constructed masks is both enlightening and entertaining. This program is a celebration of the magic of Laurel and Hardy and a rare glimpse into the private lives of these two enigmatic men.