Just watched this Laurel & Hardy comedy on YouTube with Italian intertitles. Good thing I was a little familiar with the story of this one from reading Randy Skretvedt's book "Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies" which has reviews of every one of their films (though the one for the lost Hats Off had to rely on what critics at the time said about it). In this one, Stan and Ollie are stablemates at a horses ranch of which one of them is named Blue Boy. Meanwhile, police have arrested the thieves of the Blue Boy painting and are bringing it back to the rightful home. So when the boys overhear someone discussing the burglary, they decide to "return" the horse there as well. I'll stop there and just say how hilarious the short increasingly becomes when the two come in the mansion what with a female statue, a turn of the wrist to indicate how different some people are, where the owner wants Blue Boy to be put on, Stan's hat, and a piano leg. So if you're reading this and is curious about what happens, what are you waiting for? Go see Wrong Again. P.S. Director Leo McCarey got the inspiration for this short when he went to the dentist and saw the painting on the wall there.
9 Reviews
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival - David Jeffers for SIFFblog.com
rdjeffers18 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Sunday July 16, 12:30pm The Castro, San Francisco
Stan and Ollie somehow confuse a large horse with an oil painting and deliver 'Blue Boy' to the owner's house as requested. They are then asked to leave their delivery "on the piano" and a chase through the house ensues with Stan, Ollie, the horse and a potted plant. 'Blue Boy' is as animated and hilarious as his two handlers, and maybe a touch more intelligent!
The Laurel and Hardy program concluded with a film believed to be the last taken of Stan Laurel, in 1964 at his home. He mugs for the camera as always, this time with the long deserved Oscar he received in 1961. The image of this sweet old guy, still possessing the same delightful charm and humor, was a wonderful and moving surprise finish.
Stan and Ollie somehow confuse a large horse with an oil painting and deliver 'Blue Boy' to the owner's house as requested. They are then asked to leave their delivery "on the piano" and a chase through the house ensues with Stan, Ollie, the horse and a potted plant. 'Blue Boy' is as animated and hilarious as his two handlers, and maybe a touch more intelligent!
The Laurel and Hardy program concluded with a film believed to be the last taken of Stan Laurel, in 1964 at his home. He mugs for the camera as always, this time with the long deserved Oscar he received in 1961. The image of this sweet old guy, still possessing the same delightful charm and humor, was a wonderful and moving surprise finish.
Full of laughs--particularly towards the end
planktonrules6 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The main idea behind WRONG AGAIN is dumb, even for a Laurel and Hardy movie. Yet, because it was carried off so well, you could forgive the silly story idea--especially since the film ended well.
Stan and Ollie are working at a stable when they hear that "Blue Boy" was stolen. The horse they are taking care of is named Blue Boy so they think they'll get a fat reward when they return him. The problem is that the Blue Boy they heard about is the painting and Stan and Ollie proceed to take a full-grown horse into the millionaire's home. He's upstairs and just tells the boys to "stick it on the piano"--at which point they try to get the horse on the piano! It is a sight to see and a terrific stunt--particularly when the piano falls and seems to be resting on Ollie's back--with the horse STILL on the instrument! The film ends with a great scene where there are two exceptional sight gags--particularly the one involving the police man.
I think this silent comedy is a little better than its current rating and is an above average effort from the team. You just have to see the gags to know what I mean!
Stan and Ollie are working at a stable when they hear that "Blue Boy" was stolen. The horse they are taking care of is named Blue Boy so they think they'll get a fat reward when they return him. The problem is that the Blue Boy they heard about is the painting and Stan and Ollie proceed to take a full-grown horse into the millionaire's home. He's upstairs and just tells the boys to "stick it on the piano"--at which point they try to get the horse on the piano! It is a sight to see and a terrific stunt--particularly when the piano falls and seems to be resting on Ollie's back--with the horse STILL on the instrument! The film ends with a great scene where there are two exceptional sight gags--particularly the one involving the police man.
I think this silent comedy is a little better than its current rating and is an above average effort from the team. You just have to see the gags to know what I mean!
Wrong Again
jboothmillard10 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the most famous comedy duo in history, and deservedly so, so I am happy to see any of their films. At the fashionable Piping Rock Riding Academy a man (William Gillespie) plans to give his horse Blue Boy as a birthday present to his daughter, and then we see Stan and Ollie causing trouble doing their farm work, including a hose pipe. After this the boys are told by two men that the famous Blue Boy has been stolen, and there is a $5,000 reward, and they assume that the report is about the horse, so they take it to the owner's address, 46 Collingwood Place. We find out that Blue Boy is actually a painting that has been stolen, and the authorities manage to catch the thieves and phone the owner (Dell Henderson) to tell him that they are returning it as soon as possible. Stan and Ollie turn up at the owner's house with Blue Bloy the horse round the side, and the owner tells them he wants "him" inside the house, and even though they are confused, they take it inside with he key. Entering the house with the horse, Ollie trips on a step making a statue fall over and break into three pieces, and when he puts it back together, he manages to put its backside the wrong way round. Stan is still confused about the horse being inside the house, but Ollie says millionaires are peculiar and like things to be in reverse, or backwards. Their confusion grows when the owner, busy upstairs, wants Blue Boy on top of the piano, so they scratch their heads wondering how to do that. It does jump on momentarily with Stan holding a plant on top for it to want to munch, and he and Ollie end up running around from the horse wanting the plant. After confusing the owner with a backwards gesture, Stan pulls what he thinks is the horse's tail to put it on the piano, but Ollie has managed to do this, and Stan was in fact pulling a curtain rope. Resting, Stan has his hat being knocked off by the horse, and he assumes it is Ollie, and after it stops and Stan sits on the piano, it collapses and they try to get the leg back underneath. While trying to do this the horse keeps knocking Stan's hat off (really repetitive ten times), but he does put the leg back, underneath Ollie's chin, and then correctly after that. Then the authorities arrive with the owner's mother (Josephine Crowell) and the real Blue Boy, so the owner is very beady-eyed about what Stan and Ollie have brought him, and they walk out with the horse realising they've made a mistake. The owner runs after them with a long barrelled shot gun, knocking one of the policemen's heads into the painting, looking like he has the body, and a policeman walks in with the owner, having powder burns on his backside. Also starring Charlie Hall as Neighbor. Filled with wonderful slapstick and all classic comedy you could want from a black and white silent film, it is an enjoyable film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Good!
The one with the horse on the piano
wmorrow5925 March 2002
Wrong Again was one of the last silent films to feature Laurel & Hardy, made at a time when the Hal Roach Studio was gearing up for 100% sound production, but there's nothing half-hearted or perfunctory about the effort put into this comedy. I feel it stands with the very best shorts the guys ever made: laugh-filled, clever, and unusual. And when we consider the high level of achievement they attained during this same period in such terrific late silents as That's My Wife and Big Business, and in their best early talkies such as Men O' War and Perfect Day, 1929 looks like the team's Golden Year. Wrong Again is perhaps not as well known as some of the others, at least in part because it doesn't readily lend itself to being excerpted; that is, the highlights don't work well when seen as brief clips. The plot is more convoluted than usual, although everything unfolds logically enough, given the misunderstanding at the heart of the story, yet the primary business at hand -- the placement of a horse upon a piano -- makes no sense when viewed out of context. In context however, when Stan and Ollie act in the sincere though erroneous belief that the horse's wealthy owner wants this done, their bizarre activity is oddly touching, surprisingly suspenseful, and genuinely funny.
Blue Boy the horse, by the way, appears calm, dignified, and self-possessed throughout. He earned his paycheck, whatever it was.
In addition to the unusually detailed plotting, Wrong Again relies more heavily on verbal humor via title cards than was typical for the team, but that's not a drawback in this case, for the dialog itself is witty and adds to the fun. The greater amount of verbiage could have been a result of the writers' anticipation of talkies looming ahead. We might wonder how this film would have differed if it had been made somewhat later with sound, but my feeling is that the silent screen was the ideal medium for this kind of 'naturalistic surrealism,' like Keaton's Sherlock Jr., which couldn't have been improved upon with sound, either. Viewing these silent images we relish the extended close-ups, first of Ollie, then of Stan, as they register shock, wonder, confusion, etc., concerning the task at hand. And it's worth mentioning that Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy give first-rate performances here. Some viewers may not think of them as actors at all, but watch how they process each surprising piece of information they pick up along the way: their expressions reveal precisely what they're thinking. Clowns they were, but consummate actors first and foremost.
Two more things I like about Wrong Again: the supporting players are allotted a few gags of their own, and the biggest laughs are saved until the last couple of minutes. This comedy doesn't peter out, it ends on a high note with a perfect "topper." It's such a pleasure to watch real professionals do what they do best, when they were all working at the top of their game!
Blue Boy the horse, by the way, appears calm, dignified, and self-possessed throughout. He earned his paycheck, whatever it was.
In addition to the unusually detailed plotting, Wrong Again relies more heavily on verbal humor via title cards than was typical for the team, but that's not a drawback in this case, for the dialog itself is witty and adds to the fun. The greater amount of verbiage could have been a result of the writers' anticipation of talkies looming ahead. We might wonder how this film would have differed if it had been made somewhat later with sound, but my feeling is that the silent screen was the ideal medium for this kind of 'naturalistic surrealism,' like Keaton's Sherlock Jr., which couldn't have been improved upon with sound, either. Viewing these silent images we relish the extended close-ups, first of Ollie, then of Stan, as they register shock, wonder, confusion, etc., concerning the task at hand. And it's worth mentioning that Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy give first-rate performances here. Some viewers may not think of them as actors at all, but watch how they process each surprising piece of information they pick up along the way: their expressions reveal precisely what they're thinking. Clowns they were, but consummate actors first and foremost.
Two more things I like about Wrong Again: the supporting players are allotted a few gags of their own, and the biggest laughs are saved until the last couple of minutes. This comedy doesn't peter out, it ends on a high note with a perfect "topper." It's such a pleasure to watch real professionals do what they do best, when they were all working at the top of their game!
The comedy duo of Laurel and Hardy provides a lot of laughter for 'Wrong Again'.
FilmCriticLalitRao31 October 2014
American director Leo McCarey is known for his comedy films. "Wrong Again" is one of his famous silent comedy films for which he worked with undisputed kings of comedy namely 'Stan Laurel' and 'Oliver Hardy'. This is a film which offers twenty minutes of pure laughter without any boring moments. As in other films with Laurel and Hardy, it takes some time to build an atmosphere for comedy. Before such an atmosphere is created, viewers get to see them as ordinary people like you and I. In the beginning, they are seen as workers in a stable whose task is to take good care of an important horse who is called "Blue Boy". However, once they get hold of something comic, daring, both of them make a point to launch an all out attack using their comical methods. For "Wrong Again", Laurel and Hardy get into trouble as they are unable to decipher the message correctly from a group of people. Apart from these two comedians, there is also a horse who works hard only when he is pushed to do so Lastly, wrong Again is the a kind of film where humans and an animal try to outsmart each other !
Paintings and horses
TheLittleSongbird24 August 2018
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.
Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess), Along with 'Two Tars' and 'Liberty', 'Wrong Again' is the best and funniest Laurel and Hardy short film up to this point of their output, one of their best from their overall early work and very nearly one of my personal favourites of theirs. Their filmography, apart from a few bumps along the way, was getting better and better and 'Wrong Again' exemplifies this.
A couple of awkward moments to begin with, but hardly anything to criticise here.
Once again, 'Wrong Again' is non-stop funniness all the way, its best part being the riotous ending. There is insane craziness that doesn't get too silly, a wackiness that never loses its energy, an appealing semi-surreal bizarreness that is a large part of 'Wrong Again's' memorability and the sly wit emerges here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually feels fresh and it doesn't get repetitive.
Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'Wrong Again' we are far from robbed of that.
'Wrong Again' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid.
Concluding, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess), Along with 'Two Tars' and 'Liberty', 'Wrong Again' is the best and funniest Laurel and Hardy short film up to this point of their output, one of their best from their overall early work and very nearly one of my personal favourites of theirs. Their filmography, apart from a few bumps along the way, was getting better and better and 'Wrong Again' exemplifies this.
A couple of awkward moments to begin with, but hardly anything to criticise here.
Once again, 'Wrong Again' is non-stop funniness all the way, its best part being the riotous ending. There is insane craziness that doesn't get too silly, a wackiness that never loses its energy, an appealing semi-surreal bizarreness that is a large part of 'Wrong Again's' memorability and the sly wit emerges here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually feels fresh and it doesn't get repetitive.
Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'Wrong Again' we are far from robbed of that.
'Wrong Again' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid.
Concluding, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
BlueBoy is a horse of a different color: an overrated L&H comedy.
weezeralfalfa13 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Very contrived and simple story, with scattered bits of humor that often aren't particularly funny, except for the novel scene of a horse standing on a piano.......Stan and Ollie are stable hands at the Piping Rock Riding Academy. One of the horses is named Blue Boy. They happen to overhear 2 men talking about Blue Boy has been stolen, with a $5000. reward for its return. The name and address of the owner is given in the newspaper the men are looking at. Never having heard of the painting "Blue Boy", the boys naturally assume the horse is stolen property(But, they should recognize the horse as being one that has been around for a while). Naturally, the address of the owner is within walking distance of the stables!! So, they set out with the horse to collect their $5000. When they arrive, the owner is too busy(?) to come down and receive his prize painting, so, from the upstairs window, he shouts to bring it in the house. The boys think this is strange, but comply. They sit on a sofa, awaiting confirmation and their $5000. reward. The way they pass time is not amusing. The owner, again from upstairs, shouts to put Blue Boy on the piano, where he normally is kept. The boys think this is mighty strange, but comply. (Having a large painting, such as Blue Boy, on the piano, rather than the wall, is mighty strange too, but necessary to provide more humor to the story!!) Well, Blue Boy wants to eat the potted plant that Stan just took off the piano. So, he gets down and chases Stan, still clutching the pot, around the house. Later, they again get Blue Boy on the piano, where he stays put. But, when the boys sit on the piano, it's too much weight for the legs, and one pops out of position, to cause that end of the piano to drop to the floor. Amazingly, Blue Boy stayed on the piano! The boys try to get the leg back in it's socket, with Ollie on all fours, trying to hold up the piano. This is amusing, but goes on too long. Meanwhile, Stan is trying to get the leg in position, with great difficulty, and with Blue Boy repeatedly knocking his hat off. At one point, he has Ollie's neck between the piano and the leg! Finally, they get it right. But, then, the owner's mother shows up with the painting. So, the owner finally has the curiosity to find out what the boys have. When he sees the horse, he goes ballistic, shooing them out, and getting his shotgun. He fires once , hitting a policeman in the rear.
Absolutely brilliant! Or should I say, "Absolutely right!"
JohnHowardReid7 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Director: LEO McCAREY, assisted by Lewis R. Foster. Screenplay: Leo McCarey, Lewis R. Foster, Stan Laurel. Story: Leo McCarey. Titles: H.M. Walker. Photographed by George Stevens, assisted by Jack Roach. Film editor: Richard Currier. Standing sets made over and dressed by Ted Driscoll. Assistant director: Lloyd French. Producer: Hal Roach. Released with synchronized music and sound effects.
Copyright 5 March 1929 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. U.S. release: 23 February 1929. 2 reels. 20 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: The famous Gainsborough painting, "Blue Boy", is reported stolen. Two stable workers assume that the missing "Blue Boy" is actually a horse of that name. In expectation of a $5,000 reward, they collar the horse and set out to return him to the painting's millionaire owner.
NOTES: Shooting from 21 November to 1 December 1928. Final movie appearance of Josephine Crowell, who never made a sound film. She died in 1932.
COMMENT: A really funny film which demonstrates not only the superb comic expertise of Laurel and Hardy, but the extremely deft way the comedians gradually manage the transition during the course of the film from slapstick misunderstandings of an ordinary or garden variety into the glorious realms of surrealistic humor. In their gifted hands, it all seems so natural, so completely realistic, one never suspects for a second that it's actually a sheer flight of fantasy. Having the advantage of cleverly established characters, the boys are free to concentrate on their timing. And as usual, they have it down to perfection.
Copyright 5 March 1929 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. U.S. release: 23 February 1929. 2 reels. 20 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: The famous Gainsborough painting, "Blue Boy", is reported stolen. Two stable workers assume that the missing "Blue Boy" is actually a horse of that name. In expectation of a $5,000 reward, they collar the horse and set out to return him to the painting's millionaire owner.
NOTES: Shooting from 21 November to 1 December 1928. Final movie appearance of Josephine Crowell, who never made a sound film. She died in 1932.
COMMENT: A really funny film which demonstrates not only the superb comic expertise of Laurel and Hardy, but the extremely deft way the comedians gradually manage the transition during the course of the film from slapstick misunderstandings of an ordinary or garden variety into the glorious realms of surrealistic humor. In their gifted hands, it all seems so natural, so completely realistic, one never suspects for a second that it's actually a sheer flight of fantasy. Having the advantage of cleverly established characters, the boys are free to concentrate on their timing. And as usual, they have it down to perfection.
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