Flying Elephants ** (1928, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Viola Richard) – Classic Movie Review 8513

‘6000 years ago all men were forced to marry or work on the rock pile – that’s why it was called the Stone Age.’

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy star as battling Stone Age cavemen folk Little Twinkle Star and Mighty Giant, who are ordered to marry, but both of them fancy Blushing Rose (Viola Richard), the lovely daughter of an ancient sorcerer caveman with a toothache, Saxophonus (James Finlayson), in directors Fred Butler and (uncredited) Hal Roach’s 1928 two-reel silent short film Flying Elephants.

Based on a story by Hal Roach, and written by H M Walker (titles), Flying Elephants is a largely only mildly amusing comedy, filmed casually all outdoors with inappropriate Twenties modern jokes, in which the stars appear mostly separately before their success as a team. It has a jolly atmosphere and there are one or two laughs and a few smiles, but no more than that.

Also in the cast are Dorothy Coburn (as Gorgeous Wrestler), Tiny Sanford (as Hulking Caveman), Leo Willis (as Fisherman), Edna Marion (as Cavewoman), Fay Lanphier (as Blonde Cavewoman) and Budd Fine (as Hulking Caveman).

It was filmed back in May 1927 but released on 12 February 1928 after their success as a team. The irrelevant title refers to a short cartoon scene showing three flying elephants, either by Walter Lantz or by Roy Seawright, head of the Hal Roach animation department. It is the last Laurel and Hardy film to be released by Pathé Exchange.

The rocky desert locations were shot in Moapa, Nevada, which were re-used in 1940 for Hal Roach’s prehistoric film One Million BC.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8513

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