Laurel & Hardy at Xmas

Dec 6th
Manifest Theatre, Manningtree

Another evening of the films organised by the "Men O'War" Tent of The Sons of the Desert L&H Appreciation Society, which followed a Christmas/winter theme, with a quiz half-way through where the organisers performed some Charades sketches dressed as familiar L&H characters. As to the films selected, it was definitely a case of saving the Best for First:

Big Business***
(US 1929. 20m. bw. silent; Christmas tree sellers pester an uncooperative customer, and then gradually proceed to destroy each others' property.; w: Leo McCarey, H.M. Walker; d: James Horne; s: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Tiny Sandford.)

Laughing Gravy***
(US 1931. 20m. bw; Stan and Ollie try to keep their pet dog away from the unscrupulous landlord.; w: H.M. Walker; d: James Horne; s: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlie Hall.)

Below Zero*
(US 1930. 20m. bw; Two hard-up street musicians discover a wallet lying in the street, which happens to belong to the policeman whom they invite for lunch.; w: H.M.Walker; d: James Parrott; s: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hard, Frank Holliday, Tiny Sandford, Charlie Hall.)

The Fixer-Uppers*
(US 1935. 20m. bw; Ollie tries to patch-up a neglected wife's marriage by pretending to have an affair - the husband naturally misunderstands.; d: Charles Rogers; s: Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Mae Busch, Charles Middleton, Arthur Housman.)
+ there is no writer credit for this film, although the plot does bear strong similarities to a much earlier L&H silent, Slipping Wives in 1927.