Way Out West

John Chard 5/16/2024 3:22:17 PM 8.4

The boys spoof the western with joyous results. Running at just over one hour long, this Laurel & Hardy film is a none stop gag fest, both visually and orally. Perhaps more well known for being the film that contains the famous "Trail Of The Lonesome Pine" sequence, it should be noted that that scene is merely a part of a structured romp. Stan & Ollie are asked to deliver a gold mine deed to a young lady by the name of Mary Roberts (Rosina Lawrence), naturally they get embroiled in some daft shenanigans as they are duped by the devious duo of Mickey Finn (a delightfully fiendish James Finlayson) & Lola Marcel (Sharon Lynne) into handing over the deed to them instead of the rightful heir. After learning they have been conned we then follow the chaotic attempts of Stan & Ollie to recover the deed and give it to the real Mary. Watch as the boys get maximum laughter out of a hole in Stan's shoe, see Ollie's neck stretched, you will believe that a mule can fly, and embrace the rib tickler that is a saloon chase sequence late in the piece. Throw in a delightful dance routine the guys do to "At The Ball, That's All," and you have a simple recipe brought to the boil with wonderful results. End result? Comedy gold. 9/10