DVD review – Stan & Ollie

Based on the book by AJ Marriot ‘Laurel & Hardy – The British Tours’, the movie ‘Stan & Ollie’ is a delight to watch.

Steve Coogan (Stan Laurel) and John C Reilly (Oliver Hardy) are both superb in their roles, especially Reilly who looks and sounds uncannily like Hardy. The main part of the film focuses on the duo’s UK tour of 1952 (they even played a week at the Theatre Royal, Hanley at the end of March, 1952). When they started out on the tour they were playing smaller venues than expected and to smaller audiences. But a bit of publicity by the duo at each town or city they visited soon started to get the crowds coming in.

The film captures the duo’s relationship off the stage and how they never really spent much time together off the film sets in their heyday. Stan can still not forgive Ollie for the film ‘Zenobia’ in which he appeared solo after Stan had left the Hal Roach studios. This tour was a great strain on Ollie’s failing health and although he announces his retirement to Stan after a heart attack, he can’t resist getting back on stage and off to Ireland the duo go.

Some of the duo’s famous skits are shown, including the dance and singing routine from ‘Way Out West’. One of the film’s most poignant moments is the final scene as you see the duo recreate that dance on stage and you know it is their final time together on the stage. Brings a tear to the eye…

If you grew up like me on the Laurel & Hardy shorts shown on the BBC back in the late 70’s, early 80s or just love a decent biopic, ‘Stan & Ollie’ is a must watch.