mark.waltz
A rare example of a three reel short that with less than a reel more could have been considered a "streamlined" feature. "Ollie, I'm scared" is a phrase I'm most familiar with, having remembered it from the Scooby Doo mysteries where actors pretending to be them kept the legend going when youngsters like me discovered them on T.V., an hour each day devoted to these family friendly comedies, followed by an hour of the Little Rascals, aka "Our Gang". I owe part of my love for classic cinema to these shorts, later rediscovered when AMC broadcasted a 24 hour marathon of these films.This one manages to be both chilling and funny, with down on his luck Laurel claiming to be an heir to a murdered miser's fortune, and forced to sleep in a creaky old house that appears to be haunted. Flying sheets flying around appear to be ghosts, scaring everybody including dumb detective Fred Kelsey. The supporting cast is presented to be quite creepy, adding more eerie fun into the mix. Stan and Ollie are the two least likely solvers of murder, but oh how they make it fun!
MartinHafer
This is one of the most original films Laurel and Hardy made together. In so many of their wonderful shorts, there is a tendency to repeat the same themes again and again, so I was thrilled at this film. Now it isn't the funniest film they ever made, though it is better than average and provided some excellent laughs. The film begins with Stan and Ollie in their usual situation--they are hungry and don't have a job. However, Ollie sees a classified ad seeking to disburse a fortune to a man who Stan happens to be related to! However, just before they walk in to claim the fortune, the police announce that the uncle was murdered and everyone--including Stan and Ollie, are suspects. The rest of the film are the to be expected haunted house gags, but they are done very well. And the conclusion is also done excellently. The film is a nice departure and one I strongly recommend you see if you want a laugh.
Klutch
If you love Laurel and Hardy, you'll like this! Not only is it witty, but clever as well. By this I mean to say the two silly boys show their cleverness in getting themselves out of some very witty situations. How did this pudgy-faced minstrel and his awkward looking partner ever become so popular anyway? Oh well, no matter. We shall continue to enjoy their outrageously hilarious short subjects for many more years to come. Don't miss this remarkable true story about two vagrant bums who dream up a scheme to murder their rich uncle Alfred in order to collect the insurance money. All this and more. It's an excellent film, and everyone ought to see it.
Ron Oliver
A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short.Hoping to inherit the $3,000,000 left by the murdered Ebenezer Laurel, the Boys find themselves spending a terrified evening in haunted Laurel Mansion, full of things that go bump in the night & the usual (disappearing) suspects. Who will be left to solve THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE?An elaborate little film, somewhat longer than usual, with lots of fine Gothic touches. It's a shame it has such a weak ending. Highlight: the bat under the sheet. That's Frank Austin as the creepy butler & Fred Kelsey as the police detective.
AD
