Laughing Gravy (1931)

To me, this movie is perfection.

disgusting, overrated, pointless

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

This film is Wonderful stuff! If you want to educate your kids or grandkids, as to what Laurel and Hardy were all about, just let them watch this.Everything great about them is here for all to see. Trying to be nice and kind, but everything that can go wrong does go wrong, but all comes round in the end!

Laurel and Hardy, clowns that they are, end up looking like them, but with chimney soot for makeup, not white greasepaint dabbed with the colors of the rainbow. They will drive nasty landlord Charlie Hall to the brink in this short, first hiding a dig, then getting locked outside, and finally ending up on the roof which can barely withstand the weight of the snow and the dog, let alone two grown men, actually one overgrown. It's a dark, rather sinister situation, with slow moving scenes indicating a melodramatic mood that it seems enjoying making fun of. There is a continuation after the first two reels flash "the end", seemingly more like an outtake than released footage. These three reelers were often dark in theme, its comedy more adult than some of their true classics.

This is the L&H short I come back to more than most others.It has a compact cast,great sound effects of the snow swirling around on the roof, bricks hitting Olly on the head and Charlie Hall at his best.The alternate ending that is available on later DVD versions is a nice bonus but it's already a classic with the original ending.The things that happen to poor Charlie include his bed collapsing,bursting in to the room and ending up wrapped up in some kitchen shelving,being knocked out by a brick whilst opening the window and being covered in the dog's bath water.Unlike 'Tit for tat' where he got revenge for each L&H act, in this film he is mostly the victim and it's too much for him in the end.

Laughing Gravy (1931) *** (out of 4) 2-reel version Laurel and Hardy try to hide their pet dog from the landlord. I wouldn't say this short is overly funny but there's enough fun moments to keep it entertaining. All the stuff with the landlord is good but the stuff with the dog doesn't work as well. Hardy falling in a barrel of water is certainly the highlight.Laughing Gravy (1931) ** 1/2 (out of 4) extended 3-reel version Foreign markets got this extended version with an extra reel, which really hurts the film. Nothing in this added reel is funny so it's no wonder why it was cut out in most places.