5/29/2019


Berth Marks with more of Laurel & Hardy, Union Suit Fans

In Hal Roach's April, 1929 Berth Marks, starring Laurel & Hardy, the boys were inept vaudevillian musicians traveling from Santa Fe Station to their next gig in Pottsville. The film was directed by Lewis R. Foster and distributed by MGM. In the age of this “talkie,” Pottsville was a real location, very popular among performers of all sorts. Stan and Ollie have a time finding each other prior to boarding the train, dropping music, tripping over instruments and the like. But they finally proceed to board the train and make their way to a sleeping car. It is in one of the berths where they intend to spend the trip sleeping. Ahhhh, But!

They first bumbled into the wrong sleeping cars, one of which startled an undressing woman. Her upset and irate husband then mistaked another passenger for the intruder and proceeded to rip that man's jacket in revenge. This lead to the men ripping up each other's clothes down to their underwear. Other passengers soon joined the melee!



The train conductor unsuccessfully tried to calm the passengers. But he too was stripped to rags and long underwear by the time he passed through the mob.

Stan and Ollie were unaware that their antics had set off such commotion. In the meantime, the boys found a cramped berth, climbed in, and began undressing. 
They spent the remainder of their trip getting in each other's way, resulting in their fighting and getting no sleep. They slapped each other and threw their clothes around the close quarters. At one point, Stan began to cry. As you probably know this became his trademark and was used to great and funny affect thereafter. Both men finally ended up down to their union suits ready for a snooze.




































At the end of this short movie, the boys realized they were about to miss their destination and quickly disembarked the train in only their long underwear. It is then they realized that in their haste their musical instruments were left on board the departed train.



 



Berth Marks was only the second sound film made and released featuring this exceptional comic duo. It was one, perhaps the only movie, in which Hardy appeared in a union suit. Hope you enjoyed the above out takes!

If you'd like to see the film, click below:




5/14/2019


Funny Men, Laurel & Hardy, in the Limelight!

Arguably, Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and Oliver Hardy (1892-1957) were the earliest and most entertaining duo comedy act ever. Their films are without doubt some of my all time favorites. In my opinion, their very best was a silent movie entitled From Soup to Nuts. It was produced by Hal Roach and directed by Edgar Kennedy. Filming commenced in December, 1927 and was completed in January, 1928 when the men were in their thirties. Anita Garvin starred as the frustrated dinner host.

Fans of these geniuses will remember Laurel appearing in a number of their shorts and longer length films in his long underwear, always the one-piece type. If a scene called for the boys to be in underwear, Laurel always wore a white union suit. In some scenes, he slipped a night shirt on over his union suit. If Hardy split the rear of his trousers or lost them for some reason, he generally appeared in white boxer shorts.

The Story: In From Soup to Nuts, Stan and Ollie were hired as waiters to serve ritzy guests at a formal dinner party. Typically, the boys had all sorts of mishaps serving dinner to their high society guests. The host for the evening told Ollie to begin with the soup and then to “serve the salad undressed.” Ollie served the soup while he assigned Stan the salad task. The dismayed Stan nervously returned to the kitchen confused. He confided in the maid and asked her what he should do. She told him that she always served the salad that way and for him to go ahead and do so as well. Oh dear!

In the next scene, erstwhile Stan, predictably, had stripped down to his union suit and socks. He was determined to serve the dinner guests even if it meant he had to do so in his underwear. 








He ineptly proceeded to distribute the salad (undressed) to the tony guests. I still chuckle every time I watch this memorable segment.
































The term “classic” is thrown around a lot these days. I believe this film truly is a classic and betting that you'll agree. Enjoy: "Serving the Salad Undressed!"



                                      THE END

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 https://youtu.be/HmsBEZ47FT8