Duck Soup (1927)

Recommended

USA

Short Film

Director: Fred Guiol

Writers: H.M. Walker, Arthur J. Jefferson

Cast: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Marcus, Stuart Holmes, Madeline Hurlock, William Austin, Bob Kortman

Attempting to avoid the attentions of a press-ganging forest ranger looking to recruit fire-fighters to battle a large blaze, Hives and Maltravers (Laurel and Hardy), a pair of dishevelled but well-spoken down-and-outs spy an opportunity to stay in a holidaying millionaire’s mansion, albeit one that requires them to pose as master and maid and interview potential renters in order to do so – alas, they don’t bank on him returning home early to fetch his forgotten bow and arrow set, in this enjoyable, prototypical early Laurel and Hardy short, their first real collaboration. Iain.Stott