The Battle of the Century (1927)

Cautiously Recommended

USA

Short Film

Director: Clyde Bruckman

Writers: Hal Roach, H.M. Walker

Cinematographer: George Stevens

Cast: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Noah Young, Sam Lufkin, Charlie Hall, Anita Garvin

After his crushing defeat to 'Thunder-Clap' Callahan, Hardy’s boxing trainer takes out an insurance policy against his fighter (Laurel), and sets out to get a return upon it by carefully placing an errant banana peel for him to slip up on – unfortunately for them, a baker’s assistant comes a cropper instead, spilling his goods onto the street as he does so, and in so doing triggering a mass custard pie fight, in this generally entertaining (though partially lost) Laurel and Hardy short, which starts well with a hilarious boxing scene, but loses its way somewhat when the main action begins. Iain.Stott