Double Whoopee (1929)

Just perfect...

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

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 silent Laurel and Hardy short is chiefly memorable for being the one in which young Jean Harlow loses her dress after Stan traps its hem in the door of the cab from which she has just emerged. Other than that moment there isn't much of any note in this film. Stan and Ollie play temporary doormen, sent to work at a posh hotel, who are initially mistaken for a Prussian prince and his prime minister.The boys create the usual mayhem; Ollie, with the curiosity typical of a small child, blows his the whistle on his uniform to see what happens and is berated by the cabbie who turns up to find a non-existent fare. Later, Stan does the same thing which is the cue for a tit-for-tat battle between the cabbie and the boys. It's an entertaining enough film, but definitely not one of the boy's best.

For years there has been a half-truth among Hollywood lore that Howard Hughes "discovered" Jean Harlow when he cast her to star in HELL'S ANGELS. While this may have been her first big role, she'd already appeared in quite a few shorts for the Hal Roach Studios. This film, in fact, was the second Laurel and Hardy film in which she appeared (the other being LIBERTY). While her role is not huge, it's very clear that this is Jean--though her 1930s trademark looks are not present in DOUBLE WHOOPEE.Aside from Jean, it's pretty much an average to below average Laurel and Hardy film. I think most of this is because while funny, the chemistry isn't quite right here, though it's hard to exactly put my finger on it. It just didn't seem quite like a Laurel and Hardy film--and by 1929 the style and format of their shorts was pretty much established.The boys play employees that are sent by an agency to work at a nice New York hotel. At the same time, a rich European prince arrives and the folks at the hotel mistake Stan and Ollie for the prince and his Prime Minister. After finally discovering the mistake, they put the boys to work.There are two main "big gags" in this film. The first involves a contrived bit involving an incredibly unsafe elevator. Through no fault of Stan and Ollie, the Prince keeps falling down the elevator shaft. This bit was a bit over-used and also had me wondering if they really made elevators like this. If so, then I am surprised that most Americans weren't killed! The second is a series of bit like you'd see in other Laurel and Hardy films such as TIT FOR TAT and TWO TARS. A small argument escalates and Ollie and a tough guy (Charles Hall--in a very typical role for him) start destroying each other's clothes--and Stan joining in for good measure. This bit is reprised later inside the hotel with the other hotel employees and soon everyone is fighting and destroying each other's outfits. Both gags are reasonably funny to watch but also seem amazingly contrived if not impossible--making the humor just a bit forced. Still, it's not a bad film at all, though one that is best remembered for a small part played by a young and relatively inexperienced Jean Harlow.

The Sound Era was fast, crashing down on the movie industry in when DOUBLE WHOOPEE (Hal Roach/MGM, 1929) was released on May 18th of that year. The Laurel & Hardy show had just about hit its pinnacle; following years of trial and error after their accidental pairing in 1926. The two distinguished members of the Hal Roach All-Stars, Stan & "Babe", had truly found their destinies for immortality together.Stan's penchant for slowly and meticulously working out gags, slowing down the pacing in order to milk all of the situations of their maximum laugh potential. Working closely with the Boss Man, Hal Roach and Writer/Director and later Supervising Director, Leo McCarey and his principle of "Reciprocal Destruction", the Laurel & Hardy style was established and known. Now, polished both on the surface and on the inside, the Team was ready to conquer other worlds. But first, they had to complete the last of their Silent Shorts.OUR STORY………..DOUBLE WHOOPEE begins with a double case of mistaken identity. With the Hotel's receiving word of the anticipated arrival of the 'Prince' and his Prime Minister, Stan & Ollie are falsely believed to be them. Every courtesy is extended to them; up to the point of being overly obsequious.The Hotel Manager (William Gillespie) was right on hand to supervise the Front Desk Clerk (Rolf Sedan) in his registering the visiting "Royalty." The first extended gag of the picture occurs here as Ollie insists on the proper etiquette of having his hat removed while signing the register. The team s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s out the whole bit with Hardy's unsuccessful attempts to get Laurel to do the same.Eventually the Royal Party does arrive, with the Prince (Hans Joby), an Eric Von Stroheim look-alike and Prime Minister (Charley Rogers). At that time the boys present a letter from their employment agency concerning the pair's limited abilities and competence as the Hotel's new Doorman (Babe) and Coachman (Stan).The bulk of the film was occupied with the boys having troubles with the Prince and the Elevator, their interplay with a couple of Cabbies (Charlie Hall, Ham Kinsey) and their confrontation with the Cop pounding' the Beat (Stanley J. 'Tiny' Sandford). As Doorman, Ollie has a brief encounter with a lovely Blonde Bombshell (Jean Harlowe). Arriving by way of another Taxicab, the lovely Miss Harlowe (Woo, woo, woo, woo!) is greeted by 'Babe'with the line: "Might I presume that you would condescend to accept my escortage?" Then, offering his arm to her, he walks her to the revolving door, while catching the train of her dress in the Cab's door! DOUBLE WHOOPEE was one film that was even a little slower than most other L&H's, but by the same token, it was an excellent example of the Roach/McCarey/Laurel brand of slow moving, carefully designed and meticulously fashioned laugh schtick! And it appears to have been filmed at nighttime, after dark in and about areal, fancy old Hotel.Along with BIG BUSINESS (Hal Roach/MGM, also 1929) gave the Laurel & Hardy silents a great send-off, with top notch, out door and beautiful looking shorts. They had successfully developed their style, routines and could practically "hear" the characters. Now that sound had arrived and other actors struggled with their real vocal gyrations; the danger being that the voice wasn't fit for the sound screen. Of course that was no problem for "the Boys" as their voices fit their screen persona perfectly.After a few slow starts in sound, Stanley & Oliver regained their stride and never looked back. They would shortly conquer the new medium. They were then and now tops in the field! POODLE SCHNITZ!!

"Must" viewing for all Stan and Ollie fans, as they make short shrift of an upscale hotel. It's also worth viewing for what is surely the only erotic moment in a Laurel & Hardy fan, as Stan causes Jean Harlow to inadvertently lose her dress. In R-rated terms it's nothing, but for 1929, it's pretty darn