Laurel and Hardy wreck James Finlayson's dinner party. Then. as street sweepers, they stop a bank robber. The bank's president, in gratitude, sends them to Oxford University, where they are hazed by the students -- who range in age from 26 -- Peter Cushing, in his second movie -- to 51. Then Stan gets bonked on the head and recalls his previous life as genius Lord Paddington.
This was issued as one of Hal Roach's streamliners, minus the Finlayson episode, then at its current length, The boys are in fine form, reusing their old gags for new purposes, and Stan demonstrating he could play a different comic character for the first time since their first short together. Because of the addition of the dinner party, this one has an episodic feel: a two-reeler with Finlayson, a one-reeler as street sweepers, a two-reeler during the hazing, and a one-reeler as Stan plays a genius. I have no complaints. The gags are always freshly improvised, and there's no sign of flagging in the partnership.
This was issued as one of Hal Roach's streamliners, minus the Finlayson episode, then at its current length, The boys are in fine form, reusing their old gags for new purposes, and Stan demonstrating he could play a different comic character for the first time since their first short together. Because of the addition of the dinner party, this one has an episodic feel: a two-reeler with Finlayson, a one-reeler as street sweepers, a two-reeler during the hazing, and a one-reeler as Stan plays a genius. I have no complaints. The gags are always freshly improvised, and there's no sign of flagging in the partnership.