Berth Marks *** (1929, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Harry Bernard) – Classic Movie Review 7862

‘Mr Hardy told Mr Laurel to meet him at Santa Fe Station at a quarter of ten – but Mr Laurel became confused and thought he meant 9:45.’

Director Lewis R Foster’s 1929 Berth Marks is a sweet if a tiny bit disappointing Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy two-reeler comedy, with the duo, playing themselves as travelling music players, who have a bad night on a train to their next booking in Pottsville. They cause chaos by stumbling into the wrong sleeping compartment, then have to try to squeeze into a cramped single upper berth, finally leaving the train without their pants or instruments.

Released on 1 June 1929, it is Laurel and Hardy’s second sound film (following Unaccustomed As We Are) and the timing and plotting are slightly awry, showing that the beloved duo are clearly having some problems making a comedy that works for both the sound version and the silent version still needed for cinemas not yet wired to show talking pictures. Nevertheless, Berth Marks is good humoured and amusing throughout, and there are some hilarious moments, particularly the bizarre tit-for-tat clothes-ripping free-for-all highlight sequence.

Also in the cast are Charles [Charlie] Hall, Harry Bernard, Baldwin Cooke, Sammy Brooks, Eleanor Fredericks, Pat Harmon (notable as the stationmaster) and Silas D Wilcox (conductor), while future star Paulette Goddard has a walk-on part in her film debut as a train passenger.

Berth Marks is directed by Lewis R Foster, runs 20 minutes, is made by Hal Roach Studios, is released by MGM, is written by Leo McCarey (story) and H M Walker  (titles), is shot in black and white by Len Powers, is produced by Hal Roach, and is scored by William Axt (uncredited composer of stock music).

It was reissued in 1936 with a new musical score, which includes Marvin Hatley’s famous ‘Cuckoo’ song over the main credits, as well as a 1932 version of the ‘Cuckoo’ song played by the Van Phillips Orchestra over the first scene at the train depot. This is the only surviving version and is included in the 10-disc Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection DVD set.

Several train sequences, including a few not used in the English release, were used for foreign language releases versions of The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case in 1930.

The locomotive pulling the train is a 4-6-2 or an American Pacific type steam locomotive.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7862

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