Blotto (1930)

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

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. Stan is pacing the floor, which is annoying his wife (Anita Garvin), but she's not letting him go out unless it's for something important. Ollie rings Stan's house, but twice he gets hung up, and the third time Ollie gives him a feedback blare, and Stan blows Ollie's hat off. Ollie invites Stan to the Rainbow Club, where he has reserved a table, and he suggests making a fake telegram as an excuse to Mrs. Laurel. Unfortunately she was listening on the other end of the phone, so she heard this conversation, so to teach them a lesson she pours away the saved liquor and replaces it with some cold tea and kitchen ingredients. Stan finishes the fake telegram, and jumps out the window to have it delivered, and Mrs. Laurel pretends she knows nothing about what she heard, but she does say goodbye to Stan, and Ollie hiding outside. They get to the club, and after a crashing bottle opening, Ollie is first to drink the fake liquor, with some soda, and Stan soon joins too, and they are sure they drinking genuine booze. After seeing a female dancer in the club, we see Mrs. Laurel buying herself a new double-barrelled shotgun. So she arrives at the club without Stan or Ollie realising, but when they do, they just laugh, and only stop when she tells them about the fake booze. Then she gets out the gun, and they run out of the club being chased, and the cab they get into collapses with her shot, it ends fading to black with her running towards them. Filled with good slapstick and all classic comedy you want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!

I would have to say that seeing Stan Laurel laugh and cry in this short at the club is probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen. It's always good for a laugh.I guess it's the contrast between his simpleton character and the overload of the sad and happy emotions he displays when he's 'drunk' which makes it so.The drunken laughing scene in Fra Diavolo comes close, but I like this Blotto scene better, since it 'goes to 11', then you add to that his deadly serious wife.I'm very surprised that Ollie can keep a straight face at the beginning of both segments. Though it's pretty funny when he too laughs uncontrollably with Stan, then wildly shakes his head 'No' when Stan wants him to tell his wife what they're laughing about. Jeff Daniels makes a similar move in Dumb and Dumber - when betting with Lloyd, though it's not as funny and is probably just coincidental.Admittedly, there's not much of a plot, but how much of a plot can you expect with a 26 minute short? Just when is this going to be available in the US on DVD?????? I'd be glad to hear of any other scenes you think top this, as I haven't seen all of their best material. I assume their Hal Roach shorts were their best.

A very refined work by Stan Laurel and Oliver hardy in early thirties (the peak time of this comedy team). Stan and Ollie are planning to go to Rainbow Club (which is opening same night) but Anita Garvin (Mrs. Laurel) listen the conversation of both of them on telephone. Stan is telling Ollie that he cant come because he cant find some genuine excuse to go out. Ollie suggest him to send him self a telegram '' important business'' , then Ollie asks from where they can get bottle, Stan says don't worry my wife has got one , he will be blaming it on the iceman. Anita Garvin listen all their plans and change the liquor with cold tea. Wonderful expression by Stan when he wants to talk to Oliver but cant due to the presence of his wife who is sitting close to him. In the end , famous weeping and specially laughing ( that they drank her liquor) by them reflects that they were really master of humour and their records will keep on alive in generations to come. And simultaneously when Anita Garvin tells them that it was cold tea not the liquor, at that very point the transition of them from ''Laughing guys'' to the serious ones reflects that how natural they were while acting. Anita Garvin, performed her role very well, and would be remembered specially , because of her work with these comedy legends.

This is a nice Laurel & Hardy short film, although you can not say there is a story. Laurel is married and wants to go out but his wife forbids him. Hardy calls Laurel a couple of times and after a while he speaks to Laurel's wife. She is nice instead of angry but has a plan of her own. She pretends to be in the kitchen while Laurel is talking but she also grabs a phone and learns about a plan the men have. This is the first part of the short.The second part is the actual plan of Laurel & Hardy. They are on a night out but they have brought their own bottle of liquor. What happens there with the wife who knows where they are and their own bottle of liquor I will not reveal but it is a nice piece of comedy.Maybe the premise doesn't sound very good, but there are a lot of laughs here. Especially Stanley Laurel is great and he manages to get a smile out of the most simple situations. Still, this is definitely not one of their best. Because it has no story it gets a little boring. Fortunately the final moment is hilarious and makes sure you will enjoy this short film from start to finish.