It's time for another Laurel and Hardy adventure.This time Stan and Ollie find themselves in New Mexico, where the boys from Peoria, Illinois go as private detectives.Their job is to find Larceny Nell.There is also a certain Richard K. Muldoon, who the boys sent in prison a few years back.He was later found not guilty, but he seeks for revenge on those two saps.He wants to skin them alive, first the little one, then the big one.There's another fine mess Stan's gotten Ollie into.There also happens to be a huge resemblance between Stan and a famous matador from Barcelona.He doesn't get there on time because of some passport problems, so Stanley has to pretend to be him.And the poor little guy is allergic to bulls.The Bullfighters (1945) is directed by Malcolm St. Clair, but also Stan Laurel wrote and directed portions of this feature.This is Laurel's and Hardy's last movie to be made in America for 20th Century Fox and their second last movie in general.Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and Oliver Hardy (1892-1957) show us that they are the greatest comedy team ever lived.It's their childlikeness that makes them so likable.A good comedian never lets his inner child die, and they knew that.There's also a great supporting cast in this movie.Margo Woode portrays Senorita Tangerine.Richard Lane is 'Hot Shot' Coleman, the man who makes Stan a bullfighter.Diosa Costello (b.1917) plays Conchita, who sings Bim Bam Bum and shows her fantastic dance moves in the film.Carol Andrews plays Hattie Blake, also known as Larceny Nell.Ralph Sanford is Richard K. Muldoon.Hank Worden plays the part of Mr. McCoy.This movie contains many funny gags that will make the L&H fans laugh.When Stanley is kissed by a beautiful woman, and he faints, is one of those moments that I loved.And I liked the water fight at the fountain.The egg gag is pretty hilarious, where Larceny Nell and the boys start messing each other with eggs.Or Oliver disguising him with a mask when Muldoon comes in, and when he's in the telephone booth and falls on the poor guy.And when Stanley pretends to be Don Sebastian and he takes a big bow and hits his head on the table.You can't help but laugh at the little man's mishaps.And when the boys find themselves in a sticky situation hanging over the hay bales after the bull gets wild.In the end we see the boys with their bones rattling all over the place, after Muldoon has skinned them alive.To me this is a better movie than what has been said of it.I and my family really enjoyed this comedy by Laurel and Hardy.L&H have never left me with a disappointment.These boys brought us their comedy, which we still find amusing.There's a little less laughter and a little less joy when Stan and Ollie aren't there with their new movies.
Review of The Bullfighters
