Another Fine Mess *** (1930, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Thelma Todd, Charles Gerrard, Eddie Dunn, Harry Bernard) – Classic Movie Review 7407

‘Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy have many ups and downs. – Mr Hardy takes charge of the upping and Mr Laurel does most of the downing.’ The title Another Fine Mess gives away director James Parrott’s 1930 film as a Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy comedy named after Ollie’s famous catchphrase.

This near-vintage early sound film finds the beloved duo as homeless vagrants on the run from a cop, who take refuge in a big-game hunter’s home, pretending to be the palatial house’s gentleman and his maidservant, when the owner Colonel Wilberforce Buckshot (James Finlayson) departs for Africa and the real bulter (Eddie Dunn) and maid (Gertrude Sutton) go off for the weekend. Then Lord and Lady Plumtree (Charles Gerrard, Thelma Todd) arrive to rent the house.

They could have called it Man and Maid. Stan, in his guise as Agnes, engages in girl talk with Lady Plumtree. It is funny because it is a bit creepy. Stan makes one ugly looking woman.

Another Fine Mess is a bit stretched at the longer 30-minute running time of three reels, instead of their regular two reels, but the funny dialogue, the low slapstick count, plus Hardy’s smooth turn as the bogus millionaire and Laurel’s dizzy dame put it in the upper class.

The yarn is based on a 1908 play sketch called Home from the Honeymoon by Stan’s actor and theatre manager father, Arthur K Jefferson, with the film’s dialogue by H M Walker. Stan’s real name of course was Arthur Stanley Jefferson. It is a remake of their 1927 silent comedy short film Duck Soup.

Also in the cast are Harry Bernard, Bill Knight, Bob Mimford, Bobby Burns and Joe Mole.

The technical credits are recited at the start by two girls in usherette uniforms. It is Beverly and Betty Mae Crane who perform the talking titles.

The house was the villa of Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens, at 3500 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Another Fine Mess is the first Laurel and Hardy film to feature Leroy Shield’s scorings for background music. It is shot by Jack Stevens in black and white, but a colourised version is on YouTube.

In case you are wondering, Laurel and Hardy appeared in 107 films between 1921 and 1951.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7407

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