Aug 2nd
Babes in Toyland**
aka: Toyland; March of the Wood Soldiers; Laurel and Hardy in Toyland
US 1934. Hal Roach. 77m. bw
Little Bo Peep and Tom-Tom the Piper's Son outwit the evil Barnaby, with a little help from two toymakers.
The stilted filming and acting are irrelevant; the tailoring of these two comics to an essentially theatrical children's operetta makes all the difference, utilising well-used comic routines to still good effect, if rather toned down from their usual brilliance. One of the most magical and child-like of the Laurel & Hardy features, distinguished further by the beautifully mounted production.
Written by: Nick Grinde, Frank Butler, based on the operatta by Glen MacDonough, Victor Herbert.
Directors: Charles Rogers, Gus Meins.
Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Henry Kleinbach (later Henry Brandon), Felix Knight, Florence Roberts, William Burress.
Music: Victor Herbert.
Lyrics: Glen MacDonough.
Musical Direction: Harry Jackson.
Photography: Art Lloyd, Francis Corby.
+ the numerous title changes came about mostly because of the 1960 Walt Disney remake of the same name, whose makers removed most intact copies of the original 1934 negative. Sadly a fully intact print has yet to materialise.
Babes in Toyland**
aka: Toyland; March of the Wood Soldiers; Laurel and Hardy in Toyland
US 1934. Hal Roach. 77m. bw
Little Bo Peep and Tom-Tom the Piper's Son outwit the evil Barnaby, with a little help from two toymakers.
The stilted filming and acting are irrelevant; the tailoring of these two comics to an essentially theatrical children's operetta makes all the difference, utilising well-used comic routines to still good effect, if rather toned down from their usual brilliance. One of the most magical and child-like of the Laurel & Hardy features, distinguished further by the beautifully mounted production.
Written by: Nick Grinde, Frank Butler, based on the operatta by Glen MacDonough, Victor Herbert.
Directors: Charles Rogers, Gus Meins.
Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Henry Kleinbach (later Henry Brandon), Felix Knight, Florence Roberts, William Burress.
Music: Victor Herbert.
Lyrics: Glen MacDonough.
Musical Direction: Harry Jackson.
Photography: Art Lloyd, Francis Corby.
+ the numerous title changes came about mostly because of the 1960 Walt Disney remake of the same name, whose makers removed most intact copies of the original 1934 negative. Sadly a fully intact print has yet to materialise.
posted by Joe at 6:33 PM
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