The Second 100 Years (1927)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Fred Guiol

Writers:

Leo McCarey (story)
H.M. Walker (titles)

Release Date:

8 October 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

Two convicts (Laurel & Hardy), in an escape attempt, tunnel into the warden's office, instead. They...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Laurel And Hardy | Two Reeler | Candle | Time In Title

Cast

Stan Laurel	...	Little Goofy
Oliver Hardy	...	Big Goofy
Charlie Hall	...	Convict
James Finlayson	...	Gov. Browne Van Dyke
Otto Fries	...	Lecoque
Rosemary Theby	...	Dinner Guest
Ellinor Vanderveer	...	Countess de Cognac (as Ellinor Van der Veer)
Dorothy Coburn	...	Flapper
Tiny Sandford	...	Guard
William Gillespie	...	Extra
Frank Brownlee	...	Prison Warden
Edgar Dearing	...	Officer
Charles A. Bachman	...	Officer
Bob O'Connor	...	Voitrex (as Bob O'Conor)
Eugene Pallette	...	Dinner Guest

Also Known As:

The Second Hundred Years (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

20 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Germany:o.Al. | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

Laurel and Hardy's heads were shaved for their appearance in this film, and their hair had not yet grown back in their roles in Max Davidson's Call of the Cuckoos (1927), released a week after this film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 4 Clowns (1970)

Laurel & Hardy in one of their first teaming ups. I wish I could say it also was one of their best..

The movie is amusing enough but it's far from being the best Laurel & Hardy silent comedy shorts. The movie is at certain points dragging to much for that, especially toward its stretched out ending.

It's a movie that certainly does have its great comical moments but not quite enough to really stand out as a comedy. The movie has a fun premise and some good comical moments and situations. However these moments and situations are rather stretched out in this movie, which causes them to be too long with as a result that it loses some of its comical power. This especially is the case in the ending of the movie, which takes too long. It makes the movie as a whole also feel too long, even though it of course is shorter than 20 minutes.

But yes, the good moments in this movie certainly make sure that you'll still be entertained by this movie as a whole.

The boys are in good form in this movie, which was one of their first teaming ups as a comedy duo. Especially Stan Laurel is in his element, while Oliver Hardy was still clearly searching and developing his character. It was a bit weird to see the boys without hair but unlike Samson, they don't lose any of their power. It's always fun to see James Finlayson in a Laurel & Hardy movie, even when it's a silent one. I thought I also noticed Walter Long as one of the convicts but I'm not too sure of this, also since he isn't credited.

Slightly disappointing when compared to Laurel & Hardy's other work but entertaining enough to watch nevertheless.

6/10