In 2011 I did a musical advent calendar that I posted to Google+ (remember that) and a final summary on this blog. In 2012 I did a cinematic advent calendar of twenty four films. These were films that I really liked and have enjoyed at the cinema. In 2019 I did a televisual advent calendar of twenty four television programmes. These were television programmes that I really liked and have enjoyed watching. This year on a similar theme I will be posting a movie advent calendar of twenty four movies.
I got Stan & Ollie on Blu-Ray for a present, though it took a while for me to sit down and watch it.
I remember watching Laurel and Hardy films when I was young on the television, so was aware of their fame and background.
The film focuses on details of the comedy duo’s personal relationship while relating how they embarked on a gruelling music hall tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland during 1953 and struggled to get another film made. Though they were famous for their movies, by 1953 their careers were waning and they were less popular than they were back in their heyday.
I loved the production and cinematography of this movie. It made clever use of CGI to recreate 1950s Britain. The story is both funny and also sad.
I really enjoyed the film and made me appreciate the life, challenges and difficulties that Laurel and Hardy faced in their professional lives.
A text epilogue explains they never performed together again. Oliver’s health did not recover and he died in 1957. Stan refused all offers to perform without Oliver but continued, until his death in 1965, to write material for Laurel and Hardy.
Get Stan & Ollie at Amazon.