THE LUCKY DOG is a short film from 1921 which stands as the first on-screen pairing of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, although this was years before they had established their classic double act routine. Watching it, however, and you become aware that a lot of the mechanism behind their huge success was already in place, flowing naturally from the talents of the two actors.
Laurel is the main star in this and the film charts his misadventures with a little stray dog that adopts him. He later attempts to get it in a dog show which causes all manner of slapstick mayhem. Laurel's persona is very close to that we know and love, although he looks a little different and his heavy eyeliner is a little odd. Dogs are always good value in silent cinema and the one in this is an exceptionally energetic ball of life.
Hardy has less to do here and pops up in support as a thuggish criminal. The scenes in which he crosses paths with Laurel are of course the best bits of the movie and great fun. An extended run-in at a country house is the funniest part of this short, with some truly surreal, cartoonish and violent antics. LUCKY DOG is only available in an average-looking print these days which has a few missing bits (one scene cuts from Laurel standing outside the dog show, trying to get in, to lying on a table inside) but it's still a must for fans of the comedy pairing.
Laurel is the main star in this and the film charts his misadventures with a little stray dog that adopts him. He later attempts to get it in a dog show which causes all manner of slapstick mayhem. Laurel's persona is very close to that we know and love, although he looks a little different and his heavy eyeliner is a little odd. Dogs are always good value in silent cinema and the one in this is an exceptionally energetic ball of life.
Hardy has less to do here and pops up in support as a thuggish criminal. The scenes in which he crosses paths with Laurel are of course the best bits of the movie and great fun. An extended run-in at a country house is the funniest part of this short, with some truly surreal, cartoonish and violent antics. LUCKY DOG is only available in an average-looking print these days which has a few missing bits (one scene cuts from Laurel standing outside the dog show, trying to get in, to lying on a table inside) but it's still a must for fans of the comedy pairing.