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Sons of the Desert

Director: William A. Seiter
Year: 1933
Run-time: 1 hr 4 min
Source: Amazon Video

- This is the first and perhaps only Laurel and Hardy film on the list. As a comedy, it's very different in style than Duck Soup, and I liked it a fair bit more.  The contrast between the two characters is delightful, and there's no modern equivalent to the comedy duo riffing on each other like this.  (The only example that comes to mind is Conan O'Brien and Jordan Schlansky.)  There's also no cinematic clown quite like Stan Laurel.  Plus the theme of husbands dominated by their wives plays surprisingly well against today's expectations.

- Recently Steve Coogan starred with John C. Reilly in a biopic of Laurel and Hardy late in their careers.  I haven't seen the film, but I did see an interview with Coogan where he gave an impression of Laurel and one of his antics.  It was a funny bit, but at least compared to the Laurel of this film I'm not sure Coogan was the right fit.


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