Laurel and Hardy return from a spell on a whaler where Hardy was chief harpoon man and Laurel was the bait. They get into port and book into a hotel run by a gruff owner and a young woman working for him. When they realise that the man is forcing the girl to marry him they step in to help out and let the girl escape, but the man proves harder to get away from that they first thought.
Trading from the very start on their physical abilities more than anything else, this short is a firm entry into their stable as it shows the essence of their work in full flow. Our heroes step in to try and do the right thing but end up in trouble with the bad guy. The film takes a little time to set up but moves quickly into the chase and the punch line (literally!) scene. The body of the film is very funny and is good work. The fight is good with the interaction of the crowd and also Laurel really delivering the goods in the ring comedy-wise.
Laurel and Hardy show why they are so good at this stuff by really turning a standard idea into a much funnier film. They work well together and Laurel takes the opportunity to out shine his partner in the boxing match scene at the end. Walter Long as the aggressive, domineering hotel owner is larger than life `and twice as mean'.
Overall this is a good example of what Laurel and Hardy is all about, classy films with the focus on comedy and a talented duo who's delivery serves to make for a better film.
Trading from the very start on their physical abilities more than anything else, this short is a firm entry into their stable as it shows the essence of their work in full flow. Our heroes step in to try and do the right thing but end up in trouble with the bad guy. The film takes a little time to set up but moves quickly into the chase and the punch line (literally!) scene. The body of the film is very funny and is good work. The fight is good with the interaction of the crowd and also Laurel really delivering the goods in the ring comedy-wise.
Laurel and Hardy show why they are so good at this stuff by really turning a standard idea into a much funnier film. They work well together and Laurel takes the opportunity to out shine his partner in the boxing match scene at the end. Walter Long as the aggressive, domineering hotel owner is larger than life `and twice as mean'.
Overall this is a good example of what Laurel and Hardy is all about, classy films with the focus on comedy and a talented duo who's delivery serves to make for a better film.