Who wants a prejudiced and ill-informed guide to every single Laurel and Hardy film? You do, don’t you? You all do.

Well, I’ve done precious little to justify my continued absorption of oxygen for the year 2018, but one thing I have accomplished is to have written a little blog about each and every Laurel and Hardy film.

And so here they are.

They are in reverse order chronologically – so if you were to read them (or far far far better yet watch the movies they describe) from top to bottom you’d be going back in time thirty years.

Perhaps that’s not a bad way to do it.  Do it the Martin Amis Times’s Arrow way and watch them rejuvenate. Start with the painful and surreal fable of Atoll K, then enjoy some intermittent and tolerable comedy courtesy of the Fox and MGM studios.  Then you can reward yourself with some of their best “feature length” (usually not much more than an hour) comedies before seeing how they distilled their craft into perfect twenty minute slices.

Then the sound will disappear and yet the sound of their voices will still echo in your heads as their characters react to each other and to a hostile world in larger more direct terms.

Eventually you find yourself watching “A Lucky Dog” and seeing the four cheeks of their two arses kiss for the first time.

Much have I traveled in realms of gold.  “Stan and Ollie” – a fictional construct quite distinct from Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy, represent co-dependent innocents in a world that is never innocent.  Stan is like the perpetual immigrant, wide eyed and hopeful.  Ollie offers the decayed gentility of the Old South.  Theirs is a comedy that takes its time because it is always committed.  Theirs is a clowning that is not about pain and destruction but the reaction to pain and destruction and a realisation that fully learning from mistakes would mean the end of life itself.

Enjoy.

Atoll K:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/29/when-you-get-to-the-island-you-better-see-an-optimist-laurel-and-hardy-in-atoll-k-1951/

The Bullfighters:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/ill-skin-them-both-alive-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-bullfighters-1945/

The Big Noise:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/27/i-am-become-death-the-destroyer-of-worlds-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-big-noise-1944/

Nothing but Trouble:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/the-hereditary-principle-considered-laurel-and-hardy-in-nothing-but-trouble-1944/

The Dancing Masters:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/the-harder-they-fall-the-bigger-i-am-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-dancing-masters-1943/

Jitterbugs:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/18/get-with-the-beat-hep-cats-its-laurel-and-hardy-in-jitterbugs-1943/

Air Raid Wardens:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/14/uncle-sam-didnt-want-us-laurel-and-hardy-in-air-raid-wardens-1942/

The Tree in a Test Tube:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/laurel-and-hardy-are-asked-about-wood-for-five-minutes-the-tree-in-a-test-tube-1942/

A Haunting We Will Go:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/there-are-no-ghosts-not-a-hint-of-one-laurel-and-hardy-in-a-haunting-we-will-go-1942/

Great Guns:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/oh-hamlet-what-a-falling-off-was-there-laurel-and-hardy-in-great-guns-1941/

Saps at Sea:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/11/21/around-the-horn-laurel-and-hardy-in-saps-at-sea-1940/

A Chump at Oxford

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/11/18/paddington-at-large-laurel-and-hardy-in-chumps-at-oxford/

The Flying Deuces:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/people-will-stare-at-you-wondering-what-you-are-and-i-wont-be-there-to-tell-them-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-flying-deuces-1939/

Blockheads:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/11/03/theres-going-to-be-a-fight-laurel-and-hardy-in-blockheads-1938/

Swiss Miss:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/yes-were-in-central-europe-again-yes-everybodys-singing-but-this-time-theres-a-gorilla-a-piano-and-a-rope-bridge-over-a-ravine-laurel-and-hardy-in-swiss-miss-1938/

Way Out West:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/10/18/laurel-and-hardy-in-way-out-west-1937-obviously/

Pick a Star:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/completists-youre-aware-of-these-two-sketches-arent-you-of-course-you-are-laurel-and-hardy-in-pick-a-star-1937/

Our Relations

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/10/03/four-for-the-price-of-two-laurel-and-hardy-in-our-relations-1936/

On the Wrong Trek:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/09/27/mother-knows-best-12-seconds-of-laurel-and-hardy-in-on-the-wrong-trek-1936/

The Bohemian Girl:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/09/23/let-me-hear-you-sing-that-again-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-bohemian-girl-1936/

Bonnie Scotland:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/09/13/the-pipes-are-calling-laurel-and-hardy-in-bonnie-scotland/

Thicker than Water

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/08/31/end-of-an-era-laurel-and-hardy-in-thicker-than-water-1935/

The Fixer Uppers:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/08/30/a-kiss-is-just-a-kiss-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-fixer-uppers-1935/

Tit for Tat:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/he-who-filters-your-good-name-steals-trash-laurel-and-hardy-in-tit-for-tat-1935/

The Live Ghost:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/08/20/walking-north-facing-south-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-live-ghost-1934/

Babes in Toyland

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/08/17/babes-in-toyland-1934-laurel-and-hardy-and-the-unheimlich/

Them Thar Hills:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-pom-pom-laurel-and-hardy-in-them-thar-hills-1934/

Going Bye Bye:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/07/23/couldnt-you-see-that-he-was-annoyed-laurel-and-hardy-in-going-bye-bye/

Hollywood Party:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/in-the-middle-of-it-all-laurel-and-hardy-in-hollywood-party-1934/

Oliver the Eighth:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/06/20/i-was-dreaming-i-was-awake-then-i-woke-up-and-found-myself-asleep-laurel-and-hardy-in-oliver-the-eighth-1933/
Sons of the Desert

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/06/15/the-greatest-marital-comedy-ever-made-laurel-and-hardy-in-sons-of-the-desert-1933/

Dirty Work:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/06/06/you-can-always-drop-another-brick-laurel-and-hardy-in-dirty-work-1933-2/

Wild Poses:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/06/03/are-you-a-laurel-and-hardy-completist-of-course-you-are-thats-why-youll-watch-wild-poses-1933/

Busy Bodies:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/the-one-in-a-sawmill-laurel-and-hardy-in-busy-bodies-1933/

The Midnight Patrol:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/cold-blooded-murder-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-midnight-patrol-1933/

The Devil’s Brother

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/a-little-light-opera-a-little-gallows-humour-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-devils-brother-aka-fra-diavolo-1933/

Me and my Pal

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/05/19/how-to-wreck-a-high-profile-wedding-easier-than-you-think-laurel-and-hardy-in-me-and-my-pal-1933/

Twice Two:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/05/15/the-cakeman-always-rings-twice-laurel-and-hardy-in-twice-two-1933/

Towed in a Hole:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/perhaps-as-good-as-it-gets-laurel-and-hardy-in-towed-in-a-hole-1932/

Their First Mistake:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/03/16/oliver-she-says-i-think-more-of-you-than-i-do-of-her-stanley-well-you-do-dont-you-oliver-well-we-wont-go-into-that-laurel-and-hardy-in-their-first-mistake-1932/

Pack Up Your Troubles

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/labour-of-love-laurel-and-hardy-in-pack-up-your-troubles-1932/

Scram:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/see-what-a-little-kindness-will-do-laurel-and-hardy-in-scram-1932/

County Hospital:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/hasnt-he-suffered-enough-stan-visits-ollie-in-county-hospital-1932/

The Chimp:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/is-there-a-primatologist-in-the-house-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-chimp-1932/

The Music Box:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/01/18/stairway-to-heaven-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-music-box-1932/

Any Old Port:

https://wordpress.com/post/conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/33082

Helpmates:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2018/01/09/ollies-worst-and-finest-twenty-minutes-laurel-and-hardy-in-helpmates-1932/

“On the Loose”:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/12/12/on-the-loose-41-seconds-of-laurel-and-hardy-2/

Beau Hunks:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/11/29/no-time-for-levity-its-laurel-and-hardy-in-beau-hunks-1931/

One Good Turn:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/11/25/we-havent-eaten-for-three-whole-days-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow-laurel-and-hardy-in-one-good-turn-1931/

Come Clean:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/well-tell-the-truth-about-this-woman-well-come-clean-now-you-go-in-and-tell-em-laurel-and-hardy-in-come-clean-1931/ 

Pardon Us:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/11/10/they-fought-the-law-and-the-law-won-laurel-and-hardy-in-pardon-us-1931/

Laughing Gravy:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/and-now-a-choice-of-endings-laurel-and-hardy-in-laughing-gravy-1931/

The Stolen Jools:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/10/17/the-stolen-jools-all-of-1931-hollywood-in-2-reels-part-of-why-laurel-and-hardy-is-great-2/

Chickens Come Home:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/everybody-has-a-past-laurel-and-hardy-in-chickens-come-home-1931/

Be Big:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/these-boots-arent-made-for-walking-laurel-and-hardy-in-be-big-1931/

Another Fine Mess:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/10/07/the-most-famous-misquoted-catchphrase-of-them-all-laurel-and-hardy-in-another-fine-mess-1930/

The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/oh-the-grimacing-butler-the-laurel-and-hardy-murder-case-1930/

Hog Wild

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/what-price-decent-reception-laurel-and-hardy-in-hog-wild-1930/

Below Zero:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/what-have-they-done-to-deserve-this-laurel-and-hardy-in-below-zero-1930/

Brats:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/20/child-is-the-father-to-the-man-laurel-and-hardy-in-brats-1930/

Blotto:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/09/they-should-never-have-ended-prohibition-laurel-and-hardy-in-blotto-1930/

Here is Night Owls:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/07/breaking-and-entering-laurel-and-hardy-in-night-owls-1930/

Angora Love:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/angora-love-laurel-and-hardys-last-silent-comedy-the-one-with-the-goat/

The Hoose Gow:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/a-hard-time-had-by-all-laurel-and-hardy-in-the-hoose-gow-1929-reviewed/

They Go Boom:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/08/10/they-go-boom-1929-they-really-do-this-laurel-and-hardy-title-does-what-it-says-on-the-tin/

Perfect Day:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/perfect-day-laurel-and-hardys-not-lou-reeds/

Men O’ War:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/08/05/men-owar-and-the-dawn-of-doh-laurel-and-hardy-in-1929/

Berthmarks:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/07/30/berth-marks-1929-laurel-and-hardy-and-the-comedy-of-confined-spaces/

Unaccustomed as We are Are:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/unaccustomed-as-we-are-laurel-and-hardys-first-sound-film-in-1929/

Bacon Grabbers:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/07/12/repo-men-original-and-best-laurel-and-hardy-in-bacon-grabbers-1929/

Double Whoopee:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/double-whoopee-the-laurel-and-hardy-film-set-entirely-in-a-hotel-lobby-and-in-the-street-just-outside-it/

Big Business:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/06/27/retributive-perfection-laurel-and-hardy-in-big-business-1929/

That’s My Wife:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/06/25/the-marriage-of-true-minds-laurel-and-hardys-thats-my-wife-1929/

Wrong Again:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/06/19/rich-people-are-different-laurel-and-hardy-in-wrong-again/

Liberty:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/laurel-and-hardy-nearly-plummeting-to-their-deaths-over-and-over-again-liberty-1929/

We Faw Down:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/secrets-and-lies-laurel-and-hardy-in-we-faw-down-1928/

Habeas Corpus:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/05/24/knowing-where-the-bodies-are-buried-laurel-and-hardy-in-habeas-corpus-1928/

Two Tars:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/05/21/appetite-for-autodestruction-two-tars-1928-reviewed/

Early to Bed:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/05/17/will-success-spoil-oliver-hardy-oh-you-betcha-early-to-bed-1928/

Should Married Men Go Home?:
https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/the-golfing-one-laurel-and-hardy-in-should-married-men-go-home-1928/

Their Purple Moment:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/04/24/their-purple-moment-1928-dont-you-just-love-it-when-stan-and-ollie-are-all-shy-and-flirty/

You’re Darn Tootin’:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/the-descent-to-trouser-fighting-youre-darn-tootin-1928/

From Soup to Nuts:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/04/13/laurel-and-hardy-embarrassing-rich-folk-satisfaction-guaranteed-from-soup-to-nuts-1928/

The Finishing Touch:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/the-finishing-touch-1928-ah-the-destruction-of-property/

Leave em Laughing:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/04/03/leave-em-laughing-1928-gas-attack-in-culver-city/

Battle of the Century:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/27/battle-of-the-century-1927-the-pie-fight-is-sublimely-vindicated/

Putting Pants on Philip:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/25/putting-pants-on-philip-laurel-and-hardy-and-coming-to-america/

Hats Off:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/indiana-jones-why-dont-you-try-to-find-hats-off-the-lost-laurel-and-hardy-film/

Call of the Cuckoo:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/16/call-of-the-cuckoo-1927-laurel-and-hardy-are-bit-players-again-and-their-hair-hasnt-grown-back-yet/

The Second Hundred Years:
https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/12/laurel-and-hardy-in-the-second-hundred-years-1927-it-begins/

Flying Elephants:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/flying-elephants-laurel-and-hardy-were-never-faster-or-crazier/

Sugar Daddies:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/03/05/sugar-daddies-1927-laurel-and-hardy-and-finlayson-go-to-venice-beach/

Do Detectives Think?

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/watching-the-detectives-laurel-and-hardy-do-detectives-think-1927-this-one-is-the-real-thing/

Sailors Beware!:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/02/15/laurel-and-hardy-in-sailors-beware-1927-the-worlds-first-eisenstein-parody/

With Love and Hisses:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/with-love-and-hisses-1927-laurel-hardy-and-the-archaeology-of-kickdownism/

Love ‘Em and Weep:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/01/19/love-em-and-weep-still-not-a-laurel-and-hardy-film-but-say-hello-to-james-finlayson-and-mae-busch/

Why Girls Love Sailors:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/why-girls-love-sailors-1927/

Slipping Wives:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/01/15/slipping-wives-1927-and-yes-i-am-going-to-blog-a-review-of-every-single-laurel-and-hardy-movie-i-genuinely-think-its-a-good-use-of-my-time/

45 Minutes from Hollywood:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/45-minutes-from-hollywood-some-context-for-laurel-and-hardy/

Duck Soup:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/duck-soup-the-laurel-and-hardy-film-the-first-laurel-and-hardy-film-arguably/

The Lucky Dog:

https://conradbrunstrom.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/the-lucky-dog-laurel-and-hardy-first-meet-on-film/