The Devil’s Brother [Fra Diavolo] **** (1933, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Dennis King) – Classic Movie Review 7365

Directors Hal Roach and Charles [Charley] Rogers’s 1933 comedy The Devil’s Brother [Fra Diavolo] is Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy’s first and perhaps best operetta send-up (in this case of Daniel F Auber’s 1830 comic opera Fra Diavolo).

In the story, set in early 18th-century Northern Italy, the titular bandit Fra Diavolo (Dennis King) poses as the foppish Marquis de San Marco to rob the rich, is held up by Stanlio and Ollio (a reshaping of Giacomo and Beppo from the original), whom he takes on as undercover agents to help him rob a beautiful flirty milady, Lady Pamela (Thelma Todd), and her rich aged husband Lord Rocburg (James Finlayson).

The Devil’s Brother [Fra Diavolo] is full of good gags, the boys are funny doing their routines in period costume, and when they are not on screen the film does not fall apart because the comedy and music are well handled by the other players.

Also in the cast are Henry Armetta, Lane Chandler, Arthur Pierson, Lucille Browne, George Miller, Tiny Sandford, Nina Quartaro, Jack Hill, Dick Gilbert, Arthur Stone, John Qualen, Edith Fellows, Jackie Taylor, Rolfe Sedan, Matt McHugh and Harry Bernard.

The film runs 90 minutes but was previewed at 117 minutes.

It was known as Fra Diavolo in the UK.

The Devil’s Brother [Fra Diavolo] is directed by Hal Roach and Charles [Charley] Rogers, runs 90 minutes, is made by Hal Roach Studios, is released by MGM, is written by Jeanie Macpherson (adaptation), based on Daniel-François Auber’s comic opera Fra Diavolo, with the libretto by Eugène Scribe, is shot in black and white by Art Lloyd and Hap Depew, is produced by Hal Roach and is scored by Leroy Shield (musical director and composer of additional music).

Babes in Toyland (1934) and The Bohemian Girl (1936) followed.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7365

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