"The Music Box" is a half-hour black-and white movie featuring Laurel and Hardy. It is probably their most known piece of filmmaking. It was made almost 85 years ago and features the two already during their talking career. Silent movies were a thing of the past in 1932. This also won filmmaking legend Hal Roach one of his two Oscars in a year that featured Academy Awards for short film for the very first time. The director is James Parrott, a very prolific filmmaker at this point and also a successful actor in the past although by 1932 his acting career was pretty much long over. He was also the brother of silent film star Charley Chase.
However, I cannot agree with the Academy here. The only really funny thing about these 30 minutes in my opinion were Laurel's face expressions. Those were really hilarious. But everything else about this one gets repetitive pretty quickly, for example the ways in which Hardy gets constantly hit by something, most of the time due to Laurel's mistakes. But here and there Laurel gets his fair share too. The ending I am not too sure. It was probably intended funny with the piano allegedly being at the wrong location and then being at the right as it was supposed to be a present. And well.. the close camera shot of the pen getting ink all over the angry guy's face? I have seen better. Back in the day and also by Laurel and Hardy. This is not their best work, but it's also not as big a mess as the house at the end of this film. All in all, one of the weaker Academy Award winners in the short film category. It would have been better if they had kept it more essential at 15 or 20 minutes max. Not recommended.
However, I cannot agree with the Academy here. The only really funny thing about these 30 minutes in my opinion were Laurel's face expressions. Those were really hilarious. But everything else about this one gets repetitive pretty quickly, for example the ways in which Hardy gets constantly hit by something, most of the time due to Laurel's mistakes. But here and there Laurel gets his fair share too. The ending I am not too sure. It was probably intended funny with the piano allegedly being at the wrong location and then being at the right as it was supposed to be a present. And well.. the close camera shot of the pen getting ink all over the angry guy's face? I have seen better. Back in the day and also by Laurel and Hardy. This is not their best work, but it's also not as big a mess as the house at the end of this film. All in all, one of the weaker Academy Award winners in the short film category. It would have been better if they had kept it more essential at 15 or 20 minutes max. Not recommended.