Classic movie site with rare images, original ads, and behind-the-scenes photos, with informative and insightful commentary. We like to have fun with movies!
Archive and Links
grbrpix@aol.com
Search Index Here




Saturday, August 24, 2013

Laurel and Hardy Ride The Rails


Deeper Into Talkies With Berth Marks (1929)

Laurel-Hardy's second talker, and one I increasingly like despite Bill Everson once placing it among their weakest shorts. Most of action is confined to an upper train berth in which the boys try to get out of clothes and to sleep, an exercise in frustration shared by  some viewers not so crazy about L&H, but manna for those who figure this team can do no wrong. The added and orchestral (for a reissue) Cuckoo theme in opener scenes takes me aback still as prints our local TV ran in the 60/70's were mute after titles, which I frankly prefer for train station ambience and more natural sounds. The platform attendant's fast recite of stops must have been a big laff-getter in '29 when  gags based on novelty of sound were fresher than fresh. I've read of location onlookers disrupting work with giggle noise, a bane for comedians who'd had luxury of silent-era shoots where crowd chatter didn't matter. Is this part of why Stan later said he preferred doing those earlier shorts? Trains are such leviathans in this and same-period shot Railroadin' with Our Gang, Roach crews clocking days among choo-choos that fascinate us for sheer brute. An on-board and clothes-ripping Battle Of The Century is drug in by heels, L&H still guided by tropes reliable from a start of teaming. Paulette Goddard is said to be among train extras; has anyone made positive identification? I haven't so far. Mournful sounds of rail travel drone over Stan/Babe caught in their garment tangle, an effect maybe not intended, but a plus for those who like vibe of starter talkies. There's a silent version of Berth Marks out there that would make interesting comparison. Blackhawk used to sell it. I wonder how many collectors still have prints in 8 and 16mm.

7 Comments:

Blogger Dave K said...

Everson, of course, also slammed the later L&H feature THE BIG NOISE which contains a wonderful reworking of the berth sequence, this time with the added ingredient of a drunk Jack Norton. Both versions still play pretty great with a crowd, although you pretty much have to drop into a Sons of the Desert gathering to see these on a big screen (programers for more general screenings always seem to avoid the 'lesser' L&H films, staying safe with a handful of well know 'classics').

11:39 AM  
Blogger Ken Zimmerman Jr. said...

I have to agree with Dave. I think The Big Noise and Chumps at Oxford are under rated. It is hard to find a bad Laurel and Hardy film, whether they are a short or feature film. The local programmer normally plays March of the Wooden Soldiers around Thanksgiving. It has become a holiday favorite.

1:01 PM  
Blogger Reg Hartt said...

I learned early not to be guided by the opinions of writers.

Too many films I had read were not very good turned out to be pretty amazing when viewed with an audience.

We forget that movies were made to be seen in theaters with hundreds, possibly thousands, of other people.

When you see a film a writer dismissed with an audience that enjoys it immensely it is a quickening experience.

I learned early in my animation programs NOT to give the audience a list of titles as,invariably, some "expert" would say,"That's good,that's not good, this is good, why is he showing us this?" which colored the reaction of the crowd.

I use my screenings to learn. The books are, depending on the authors, good for history but it is important to remember that opinions expressed are those of one person only. We don't have to agree with them.

In fact,until we have seen the film with several HUGE non-fan audiences we should not express an opinion at all. And that is not a good measure,either. The classic example is The Marx Brother's DUCK SOUP which, by all accounts,was not greeted with great enthusiasm on original release.

4:26 PM  
Blogger John McElwee said...

Donald Benson reflects on "Berth Marks" and a memorable gag:


For some reason, my personal biggest laugh comes when their music is scattered to the four winds. After Ollie asks rhetorically what they're going to do, Stan considers for a moment and says "We can fake it."


Also, Hardy singing romantic ballads to Laurel's soulful accompaniment on bass sounds like an act worth seeing.

7:39 PM  
Blogger Reg Hartt said...

Always enjoy Hardy's singing.

10:13 AM  
Blogger Kevin K. said...

The Spanish release of "Berth Marks" (which combines with "The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case")completely eliminates the fast-talking conductor, but features extended scenes of pants-ripping among the train passengers. It's interesting to see the two movies presented as a feature, titled "Noches de Duendes"("Night of Elves")and wonder how U.S. audiences would have responded to it.

There are two Charley Chase shorts, "High C's" and "Rough Seas" that were obviously intended to be a feature, but were eventually released separately. I wonder if these were put back together for foreign release.

And as for Everson's opinion on Laurel & Hardy's "weaker" movies -- I've always found "Be Big" to be funnier than he gave it credit for. And while "Berth Marks" is no "Music Box," it's more entertaining than he believed it to be. Now, "Twice Two" -- that's pretty much unwatchable.

9:04 AM  
Blogger StevensScope said...

I've always thought Oliver HARDY'S two characters, as himself and as Stan's wife, as wonderful stuff; especially facto Hardy's female voice dubbed by Hal Roach comedy-co-star May Wallace as being so hilariously perfect,("SPENT THE FIFTEEN CENTS CALLING ME UP!") bringing laughter from the very thought of his character(s). (Another scene has OLLIE's camera reaction after Stan's silent question pertaining his pocket money being snatched....!). I always thought that OLLIE in drag tuned in better than STAN's version as female (rather embarrassing in the later FOX FILM "THE DANCING MASTERS" & others; STAN being much older for that kind of stuff & having no say in the Fox Films).Stan's NAPKIN BIT bit at the dinner table,(as Ollie's husband) I thought, was one of his best! "TWICE TWO", methinks, is much better than the sort-of-somewhat unfavorable views it has weathered throughout the years.

12:54 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

grbrpix@aol.com
  • December 2005
  • January 2006
  • February 2006
  • March 2006
  • April 2006
  • May 2006
  • June 2006
  • July 2006
  • August 2006
  • September 2006
  • October 2006
  • November 2006
  • December 2006
  • January 2007
  • February 2007
  • March 2007
  • April 2007
  • May 2007
  • June 2007
  • July 2007
  • August 2007
  • September 2007
  • October 2007
  • November 2007
  • December 2007
  • January 2008
  • February 2008
  • March 2008
  • April 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2008
  • July 2008
  • August 2008
  • September 2008
  • October 2008
  • November 2008
  • December 2008
  • January 2009
  • February 2009
  • March 2009
  • April 2009
  • May 2009
  • June 2009
  • July 2009
  • August 2009
  • September 2009
  • October 2009
  • November 2009
  • December 2009
  • January 2010
  • February 2010
  • March 2010
  • April 2010
  • May 2010
  • June 2010
  • July 2010
  • August 2010
  • September 2010
  • October 2010
  • November 2010
  • December 2010
  • January 2011
  • February 2011
  • March 2011
  • April 2011
  • May 2011
  • June 2011
  • July 2011
  • August 2011
  • September 2011
  • October 2011
  • November 2011
  • December 2011
  • January 2012
  • February 2012
  • March 2012
  • April 2012
  • May 2012
  • June 2012
  • July 2012
  • August 2012
  • September 2012
  • October 2012
  • November 2012
  • December 2012
  • January 2013
  • February 2013
  • March 2013
  • April 2013
  • May 2013
  • June 2013
  • July 2013
  • August 2013
  • September 2013
  • October 2013
  • November 2013
  • December 2013
  • January 2014
  • February 2014
  • March 2014
  • April 2014
  • May 2014
  • June 2014
  • July 2014
  • August 2014
  • September 2014
  • October 2014
  • November 2014
  • December 2014
  • January 2015
  • February 2015
  • March 2015
  • April 2015
  • May 2015
  • June 2015
  • July 2015
  • August 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2015
  • November 2015
  • December 2015
  • January 2016
  • February 2016
  • March 2016
  • April 2016
  • May 2016
  • June 2016
  • July 2016
  • August 2016
  • September 2016
  • October 2016
  • November 2016
  • December 2016
  • January 2017
  • February 2017
  • March 2017
  • April 2017
  • May 2017
  • June 2017
  • July 2017
  • August 2017
  • September 2017
  • October 2017
  • November 2017
  • December 2017
  • January 2018
  • February 2018
  • March 2018
  • April 2018
  • May 2018
  • June 2018
  • July 2018
  • August 2018
  • September 2018
  • October 2018
  • November 2018
  • December 2018
  • January 2019
  • February 2019
  • March 2019
  • April 2019
  • May 2019
  • June 2019
  • July 2019
  • August 2019
  • September 2019
  • October 2019
  • November 2019
  • December 2019
  • January 2020
  • February 2020
  • March 2020
  • April 2020
  • May 2020
  • June 2020
  • July 2020
  • August 2020
  • September 2020
  • October 2020
  • November 2020
  • December 2020
  • January 2021
  • February 2021
  • March 2021
  • April 2021
  • May 2021
  • June 2021
  • July 2021
  • August 2021
  • September 2021
  • October 2021
  • November 2021
  • December 2021
  • January 2022
  • February 2022
  • March 2022
  • April 2022
  • May 2022
  • June 2022
  • July 2022
  • August 2022
  • September 2022
  • October 2022
  • November 2022
  • December 2022
  • January 2023
  • February 2023
  • March 2023
  • April 2023
  • May 2023
  • June 2023
  • July 2023
  • August 2023
  • September 2023
  • October 2023
  • November 2023
  • December 2023
  • January 2024
  • February 2024
  • March 2024
  • April 2024
  • May 2024
  • June 2024
  • July 2024
  • August 2024
  • September 2024
  • October 2024
  • November 2024
  • December 2024