Wrong Again (1929)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Lewis R. Foster (story)
Leo McCarey (story)
(more)

Release Date:

23 February 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

Among the horses stable hands Stanley and Oliver are tending is a thoroughbred named "Blue Boy." But...

Plot Keywords:

Pitchfork

Cast

Stan Laurel	...	Stan
Oliver Hardy	...	Ollie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Bernard	...	Policeman
Josephine Crowell	...	Painting owner's mother
William Gillespie	...	Horse owner
Charlie Hall	...	Neighbor
Dell Henderson	...	Painting owner
Jack Hill	...	Man on buckboard
Fred Holmes	...	Stableboy
Fred Kelsey
Sam Lufkin	...	Sullivan
Anders Randolf

Directed by
Leo McCarey

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lewis R. Foster		story
Leo McCarey		story
H.M. Walker		titles

Produced by
Hal Roach	....	producer

Cinematography by
Jack Roach
George Stevens

Film Editing by
Richard C. Currier

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lewis R. Foster	....	assistant director
Lloyd French	....	assistant director

Art Department
Theodore Driscoll	....	set dresser
Duncan	....	assistant property master
Morey Lightfoot	....	property master (as Morrie Lightfoot)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Roach	....	camera operator
E.V. White	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Other crew
Jones	....	animal wrangler: horses

Production Companies

• Hal Roach Studios

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1929) (USA) (theatrical)
• Distribuidora Internacional de Filmes (DIF) (Brazil) (VHS) (on "Festival O Gordo e o Magro")

Runtime:

20 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Silent

Certification:

Australia:G | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

Director Leo McCarey got the inspiration for the movie's plot while sitting in his dentist's chair and seeing a copy of the famous "Blue Boy" painting on the dentist's wall.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)

The one with the horse on the piano

WRONG AGAIN was one of the last silent films to feature Laurel & Hardy, made at a time when the Hal Roach Studio was gearing up for 100% sound production, but there's nothing half-hearted or perfunctory about the effort put into this comedy; in fact, it stands with the very best the guys ever made, laugh-filled, clever, and highly unusual. And when we consider the high level of achievement they attained during this same period in such terrific late silents as THAT'S MY WIFE and BIG BUSINESS, and in their best early talkies, MEN O' WAR and PERFECT DAY, 1929 looks like Stan and Ollie's Golden Year. WRONG AGAIN is perhaps not as well known as some of the other comedies, at least in part because it doesn't "excerpt" as smoothly as some of the others. The plot is more convoluted than usual, although everything unfolds logically enough, that is, given the misunderstanding which launches the plot; and yet the primary business at hand-- the placement of a horse upon a piano --is difficult to explain out of context. In context, acting in the sincere though erroneous belief that the horse's wealthy owner wants this done, Stan and Ollie's bizarre activity is oddly touching, surprisingly suspenseful, and genuinely funny.

Blue Boy the horse, by the way, appears calm, dignified, and self-possessed throughout. He earned his paycheck, whatever it was.

In addition to the unusually detailed plotting, WRONG AGAIN relies more heavily on verbal humor via title cards than was typical for the team, but that's not a drawback in this case, for the dialog itself is witty and adds to the fun. The greater amount of verbiage may well have been a result of the writers' anticipation of talkies looming ahead. We might wonder how this film would have differed if it had been made somewhat later with sound, but my feeling is that the silent screen was the ideal medium for this kind of 'naturalistic surrealism' (like Keaton's SHERLOCK JR., which wouldn't have been better with sound, either.) Viewing these silent images we relish the extended close-ups, first of Ollie, then of Stan, as they register shock, wonder, confusion, etc., concerning the task at hand. And it's worth mentioning that Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy give first-rate performances here. We may not think of them as actors at all, but watch how they process each surprising piece of information they pick up along the way: their expressions reveal precisely what they're thinking. Clowns they were, but consummate actors first and foremost.

Two more things I like about WRONG AGAIN: the supporting players are allotted a few gags of their own, and the biggest laughs are saved until the last couple of minutes. This comedy doesn't peter out, it ends on a high note with a perfect "topper." It's such a pleasure to watch real professionals do what they do best, when they were all playing at the top of their games!