Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy wreak havoc on the French Foreign Legion in this film. As in most of their films, they played themselves (in some with very funny derivatives of their first or last names). Stan and Ollie had been a team for a dozen years when they made "Flying Deuces." Their best full length films were those produced in their first 13 years as a team at Hal Roach studios. Most viewers wouldn't consider this among their best films, but it is very good.
What struck me most about this movie though is that the pair are both clueless throughout most of the film. It's a departure from the usual plot in which Ollie knows at least something about whatever they are encountering, and Stan is the dunce. But here we see a naiveté by both men. They've heard of the Foreign Legion but apparently lack even the least bit of sense about what military service is about. It's a wonderful set up for what happens from then on. Lots of fun, for sure. It's safe to say that neither of them were cut out for any type of military.
As I've watched Laurel and Hardy over the years, I've come to appreciate more Oliver Hardy and his role as the straight-man, at least some of the time. This sure turned out to be a winning match that Hal Roach put together in 1927. I was amazed to find how long Hardy had been on the scene and how many productions he had been made. Granted, most were shorts his first 10 years. But, he turned out a phenomenal number. He was in more than 270 shorts and half a dozen films from 1914 until he teamed up with Stan Laurel. He made 145 of those over three years, with 39 in 1914, 47 in 1915 and 59 in 1916. Stand Laurel's career had been much shorter. He started in 1917 and was in 54 shorts before teaming up with Hardy.
The better of their films will make modern audiences laugh just as audiences did back in their day.
What struck me most about this movie though is that the pair are both clueless throughout most of the film. It's a departure from the usual plot in which Ollie knows at least something about whatever they are encountering, and Stan is the dunce. But here we see a naiveté by both men. They've heard of the Foreign Legion but apparently lack even the least bit of sense about what military service is about. It's a wonderful set up for what happens from then on. Lots of fun, for sure. It's safe to say that neither of them were cut out for any type of military.
As I've watched Laurel and Hardy over the years, I've come to appreciate more Oliver Hardy and his role as the straight-man, at least some of the time. This sure turned out to be a winning match that Hal Roach put together in 1927. I was amazed to find how long Hardy had been on the scene and how many productions he had been made. Granted, most were shorts his first 10 years. But, he turned out a phenomenal number. He was in more than 270 shorts and half a dozen films from 1914 until he teamed up with Stan Laurel. He made 145 of those over three years, with 39 in 1914, 47 in 1915 and 59 in 1916. Stand Laurel's career had been much shorter. He started in 1917 and was in 54 shorts before teaming up with Hardy.
The better of their films will make modern audiences laugh just as audiences did back in their day.