The Music Box (1932)

Director:

James Parrott

Writer:

H.M. Walker (dialogue)

Release Date:

16 April 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Tagline:

Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy decided to reorganize and resupervise their entire financial structure- so they took the $3.80 and went into business.

Plot:

Like the legendary Sisyphus, deliverymen Laurel and Hardy struggle to push a large crated piano up a seemingly insurmountable flight of stairs.

Plot Keywords:

Piano | Stairs | Player Piano | Professor | Birthday Present

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Stan Laurel	...	Stan
Oliver Hardy	...	Ollie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gladys Gale	...	Mrs. von Schwarzenhoffen (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert	...	Professor von Schwarzenhoffen (uncredited)
William Gillespie	...	Piano Salesman (uncredited)
Charlie Hall	...	Postman (uncredited)
Lilyan Irene	...	Nursemaid (uncredited)
Sam Lufkin	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
James Parrott

Writing credits
H.M. Walker		(dialogue)

Produced by
Hal Roach	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Harry Graham		(uncredited)
Marvin Hatley		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Len Powers		(photographed by)
Walter Lundin		(photographed by) (uncredited)

Film Editing by
Richard C. Currier		(as Richard Currier)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Morey Lightfoot	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Greene	....	sound recording engineer (as James Green)

Music Department
Marvin Hatley	....	composer: theme music (uncredited)
Leroy Shield	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Hal Roach	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Hal Roach Studios

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1932) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1944) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Artisan Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Hills Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Hallmark Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS) (as Nostalgia Merchant)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (DVD)
• RHI Entertainment (????) (USA) (TV)
• Top Tape (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

29 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:U | USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

This is reported to be a remake of one of their earlier silent films, Hats Off (1927), which is presumed lost.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the scenes where Oliver Hardy first falls in the water fountain and when Stan Laurel falls down into the fountain from the second floor, water marks are clearly visible on the walls caused from splashes during previous takes.

Quotes:

Ollie: Where there's a will, there's a way.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Soundtrack:

(I Wish I Was in) Dixie's Land

Not just Laurel and Hardy's best, but the funniest movie ever made.

Put simply, this is the funniest movie of all time. I cannot believe that there is anyone in the world who can watch this film and not be in hysterics by the last scene. Laurel and Hardy provided the template for all (and I mean all) comedy films that followed, and this was their absolute best.