Double Whoopee

I recently took a look at several Jean Harlow films, and learned today that she appeared in a Laurel and Hardy short, a silent film from 1929 called Double Whoopee. I've seen just about all of the comedy duo's sound films, but not as many of the silents. I have a DVD collection of all of their films, so I found the correct disc and popped it in.

It's a fair representation of their work, with most of the trademarks in place: Hardy's sense of misplaced dignity, Stan's blank face, crying, and mussing his hair, and engaging in violence with Charlie Hall, who was their frequent nemesis (he appeared in fifty of their films).

The plot has the boys arriving for work at a swanky hotel as a doorman and footman (their letter of introduction reads, "Sorry, this is the best we could do on short notice"). At first they are mistaken for a visiting prince, and there is some comedy involving them trying to sign the guest book, with of course some spilled ink.

Later, the prince will suffer the indignity of falling into an open elevator shaft twice. Hall is a cab driver who is called by Hardy's whistle, though there are no fares, which gets Hall out of the cab and in one of the classic tit-for-tats with the boys (these are the funniest things L&H did. What I love about them is that they simply stand there and watch what the other person is going to do, sometimes looking into the camera, contemplating their fate). After something is perpetrated, such as having a hat destroyed, the victim will do the slow burn, which Hardy was a master of.

Harlow gets third billing in the picture, though she appears only briefly. Her dress gets caught in a cab door, and her bare back is shown. For 1929, I suppose that was pretty risky. She must have been only 17 when this film was shot.

The film ends with people swinging their fists or poking each other' in the eye, and the prince once again falling into the open elevator shaft.