Innovative effects and the first time paring of silent era icons Laurel and Hardy make “The Lucky Dog” a haunting bit of cinema history.
Released 100 years ago in December of 1921, “The Lucky Dog” is a treat for cinaphiles and students of film alike. We witness the legendary duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy; names we all know but have most likely never watched, and their brand of slapstick humor that made them celebrities in their time while still being referenced today.
It’s a 20-minute trip into the way distant past, with no spoken dialogue and abhorrently constant music. It makes me feel sorry for those in theaters a century ago with no mute option, which is the only way one can get through this.
Stan Laurel in “The Lucky Dog”
The plot is so simplistic that the true appreciation comes from its place in history. One character remarks about the war debt. No, they are not referring to the Afghanistan invasion, but World War I. In the background of a scene we see a wall with hand written lettering that spells out Los Angeles, a testament to the power the city of Angels had on the motion picture industry. And Seinfeld fans will also enjoy the physical nature of Stan Laurel, who Michael Richards often cites as one of his influences. Laurel flips and slams his body all about in a way that will instantly remind you of Cosmo Kramer.
Watch “The Lucky Dog” for its place in the archives of movie lore. Modern audiences won’t laugh hysterically, but will certainly appreciate the genesis of a bygone era that paved the way for the movies of today. For 30 Days of April Fools, there were no bigger or legendary fools that Laurel and Hardy.
