Wrong Again *** (1929, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Dell Henderson, Josephine Crowell, Harry Bernard) – Classic Movie Review 7414

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are on good form in director Leo McCarey’s bizarre and amusing 1929 20-minute two-reel farcical comedy Wrong Again, written by H M Walker (titles), based on a story by Lewis R Foster and Leo McCarey.

Stan and Ollie play dozy stable lads who overhear about a $5,000 reward for The Blue Boy, and naturally they naturally think that it is the horse at their barn named Blue Boy that is the missing object in question and not a stolen painting.

It is entertaining throughout, with a particularly funny and surreal scene when the boys take the horse to the millionaire (Dell Henderson) for the reward and place it, as ordered, on the grand piano, with them supporting it from below (both horse and piano!) when a piano leg gives way. Ollie later apologies for the ‘faux pas’ as he twiddles his tie.

Producer Hal Roach rounds up a fine crop of the usual suspects in support: Dell Henderson, Harry Bernard as policeman, Josephine Crowell as millionaire’s mother, William Gillespie as horse owner, Charlie Hall as neighbour, Jack Hill as man on buckboard, Fred Holmes as stableboy, Fred Kelsey, Sam Lufkin as Sullivan and Anders Randolf.

Wrong Again is made as a silent and prepared for sound with a music track for cinemas equipped for sound, but the silent version survives and was for long familiar as a home-edition 8mm or 16mm film. The sound version has synchronised music and sound effects only.

Wrong Again is directed by Leo McCarey, runs 20 minutes, is made by Hal Roach Studios, is released by MGM, is written by H M Walker (titles), based on a story by Lewis R Foster and Leo McCarey, is shot in black and white by Jack Roach and George Stevens, and is produced by Hal Roach.

The stable scenes were shot at The Uplifters sports complex, polo field and ranch in Rustic Canyon, Los Angeles.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7414

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