Lost Films of Laurel and Hardy Volume 01. A compilation of some of Laurel and Hardy‘s classic short films. These are some of Laurel and Hardy’s funniest films. My personal favorite is Big Business, although all 4 of the movies are funny. The DVD also includes 2 shorts starring Stan Laurel, “On the Front Page” and “Hustling for Health”.
- Big Business – a classic Laurel and Hardy film, which begins with the boys selling Christmas trees in July, only to run into their frequent nemesis, James Finlayson, who not only refuses to purchase, but begins and ever-escalating war of destruction between the boys and himself, ending with the destruction of his home and their business. Truly hilarious.
- Do Detectives Think? – the first “true” Laurel and Hardy film, where they play the characters now known so well. They’re bumbling detectives hired to protect a judge (James Finlayson) from the escaped murderer he sent to jail. Despite the boys’ best efforts, they manage to capture the murderer.
- The Finishing Touch – Laurel and Hardy guest-star in this film
- Call of the Cuckoo – Laurel and Hardy as building contractors, trying to finish a house in one day, as they are harassed by Edgar Kennedy, a regular in their films, as a police officer.
Editorial Reviews of Lost Films of Laurel & Hardy Volume 01 (1919), courtesy Amazon.com
The greatest comedy team of all time has come to DVD, in collected volumes of Laurel and Hardy’s rarest shorts. Mastered from original 35mm materials, this pristine set really captures the Boys at their naughtiest. These films are fast and furious masterpieces of silent slapstick.
Volume One contains such classics as Big Business (selling Christmas trees door to door can be such dangerous fun), Do Detectives Think? (a dumb pair of detectives, with the first appearance of the legendary “mixed-up derby hat” gag), The Finishing Touch (the first of the uproarious “laborer” comedies), and Call of the Cuckoo (about the house from hell featuring an all-star supporting cast), plus two early Laurel solo efforts.
By the way, Stanley isn’t always such a nitwit here. Sometimes he’s downright mischievous. And that’s director-to-be George Stevens doing the camera work. As with all volumes of this collection, this one’s a comic treasure. —Bill Desowitz