Directed by Jon S. Baird
Written by Jeff Pope
Starring:
Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel
John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy
Danny Huston as Hal Roach
Shirley Henderson as Lucille Hardy
Nina Arianda as Ida Kitaeva Laurel
Rated PG for some language, and for smoking
Runtime: 97 minutes
I grew up watching the best of the best vaudevillian comedy teams – The Three Stooges, Abbott & Costello, and Laurel & Hardy. But nothing compares to the genius of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Their films showed truly original humor and a partnership that will forever be remembered. I still laugh every bit as hard at their films today as I did when I watched them for the first time. One of my favorite bits involves the duo trying to carry a piano up a huge flight of stairs by themselves. It may seem very tongue-in-cheek, but even thinking of it now makes me chuckle. It’s no doubt that Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy have inspired a whole generation of comedians. Heck, the piano bit probably inspired the instant classic of the “Pivot!” scene on Friends (1994-2004).
I was delighted when I heard a movie was being made focusing on Laurel & Hardy’s real-life partnership. As a fan, I knew that they had real chemistry and an unbreakable bond. I knew that after Hardy died in 1957, Laurel turned down numerous offers to appear on both screen and stage. Laurel knew that without Hardy, he couldn’t be Laurel. Laurel remained retired until he died in 1965.
Stan & Ollie primarily focuses on the team’s 1953 European tour. After their string of feature-length films garnered a lukewarm reception, the comedic duo went on tour, hoping to earn enough money to create the project of their dreams: a spoof of Robin Hood. Laurel was even writing the screenplay himself during the tour. Considering how many times he dropped his suitcases, it’s amazing his poor typewriter survived to finish the job!
Throughout the tour, Laurel & Hardy recreate some of their most well-known gags on stage, including the never-ending derby switching bit, which never gets old. They have high hopes of winning back the hearts of their European fanbase, but the theaters remain mostly empty. Rather than believing that they are a thing of the past, the duo decides to soldier on and do what they do best.
As the flops pile up and success becomes a distant memory, tension mounts between the two. They discuss their past quite frequently (whenever they aren’t busy optimistically planning their future). Like many of us tend to do, Stan and Ollie have buried many of their frustrations over the years in hopes of not rocking the boat. Proving that the legendary duo is no less human than you or I, things come to a head and the issues of the past turn into a blow-out argument at a crowded hotel party. This is one of the key scenes in this biopic that shows that even the best friendships aren’t perfect – that it’s what happens after the bad times that matters.
However, this movie is an overall delight. There is plenty of laughter mixed in with the hard times, and it is fun to see Stan and Ollie play off each other. Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly were perfect for their roles. I read that these two were the casting team’s first choices, and I thoroughly applaud those choices. Both actors were at their career-best.
I loved the made-for-TV movie The Three Stooges (2000), which aired when I was in high school (uh oh, I’m dating myself now), and Stan & Ollie was the perfect treat for fans of Laurel & Hardy. I can only hope Hollywood will produce a biopic of Abbott & Costello soon.
Stan & Ollie took an amazingly realistic look into the inner workings of the pair. While Coogan and Reilly would do great justice to any portrayal of Laurel & Hardy regardless of the script, it was a true pleasure to get this insight into their real lives, rather than just another “zany adventures of” type piece.
I’m still smiling as I’m typing this (and my wife is starting to think I’ve lost it). That’s the kind of resonation that defines a great film (the smile, not the crazy – that’s all me). I highly recommend Stan & Ollie to all who read this. If you want a good laugh and a great look at one of the best Hollywood pairings of all time, Stan & Ollie is for you.
4/4 stars.
