People are voting emotionally.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

"Big Business" is another winner from Laurel and Hardy. They play two salesmen of Christmas trees and their sales haven't been too promising (hardly surprising when it's July). They visit different addresses in order to make a sale but no success. Then they incur the wrath of James Finlayson who cuts up one of their trees. This soon escalates into a game of tit for tat as the boys commit damage to Finlayson's house for every act of vandalism that's caused them. Laurel and Hardy knew how to make such slapstick very creative and they are just that in "Big Business." In an exceptionally rare moment, we witness Ollie burst into tears! I can hardly recall another film where that happened. I loved this short, I can't stop laughing.

In this twenty-minute silent short, Laurel and Hardy are door-to-door Christmas tree salesmen. They make the mistake of knocking on James Finlayson's door. Finlayson doesn't want a tree but in closing the door he catches one of its branches, which requires Hardy to ring the doorbell again. It happens again. Then it happens with Laurel's overcoat.One thing leads to another and Finlayson demolishes Laurel and Hardy's Model T Ford, while they do their best to flatten his home.It was to become a fairly regular routine in Laurel and Hardy's movies and has been imitated in other comedies since then -- one man standing there, watching with interest, as a second man deliberately assaults him with a can of paint or a pair of scissors. (See "The Great Race" for at least one example.) An amusing diversion.

The year of 1929 marked the Big Turnabout for Hollywood. The clamor for Sound Film, "the Talkies", "All Singing, All Talking" and what have you, had started out slow and was rapidly snowballing to the point that "sounded" the end of silents. In this year we had both sound and silent films released as well as some released in both sound and silent versions. If there were to be any more Silent Masterpieces, now was the time to do it, or forever remain Silent.As it just so happened that there was to be this one, truly unique Silent Laurel & Hardy Comedy Short coming down the pike! And this was 1929, it was surely none too soon!One thing for sure is that BIG BUSINESS was far better known by title to the public than most any other L & H Silent Short. This is mainly because of the Robert Youngson compilation film FOUR CLOWNS (1970). The film from Mr. Youngson centered on the Silent Screen work of 4 of the top artists from that period. They were: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charley Chase and Buster Keaton. Among the titles that were reviewed and condensed was BIG BUSINESS. Furthermore, back in the1970's, before the advent of Home Video Recorders, film buffs/collectors had film with which to pursue their hobby. There was 16 mm and 8 mm. And late in the game we saw the arrival of the format of Super 8 and finally, Super 8 Magnetic Sound films.Various catalogue houses around the country provided us with the titles we wanted. At that time, one firm, Blackhawk Films of Davenport, Iowa, was perhaps the greatest company in that field. As well as featuring titles from other companies (Castle Films aka Universal 8, Ken Films, Official Films), Blackhawk was probably the largest company to bring more titles into 16 mm, 8 mm and Super 8 formats under their own label.Furthermore, it was the folks at Blackhawk who had the exclusive with Hal Roach Studios to manufacture and offer for sale the titles from the Roach back-log. And that of course meant a legalized monopoly on Laurel & Hardy Films! So, an awful lot of collectors in those early days of yesteryear made their first Laurel & Hardy home film BIG BUSINESS. I know we did! OUR STORY: As the movie opens, we see Stan & 'Babe'* riding along in their truck with facial expressions betraying the fact that they haven't been doing so well that day. They stop and very ceremoniously unload a Christmas Tree from the back and proceed to go up to the door of the 1st house in front of them to sell their wares. After an absurd exchange with a Lady, they go to the second house. After having no more luck and even receiving a clunk on the head they finally get to the house of old nemesis, James Finlayson .The sale not only goes bad, but the three get involved in an ever escalating back and forth battle, which is in itself a classic example of what Roach Studios Directorial Supervisor, Mr. Leo McCarey had dubbed, "Reciprocal Destruction. As things continue to intensify, more and more neighbors are drawn into the gallery. At last, a Police Officer (Stanley J. "Tiny" Sandford) arrives via Prowl Car; but at first, rather than making his considerable presence known, 'Tiny' sits pen in hand, jotting down his observations in his notebook.Finally we see an official Police intervention and it has the effect of pouring oil on a choppy sea. One by one, the Beat Cop gets the story from each about the disturbance, and some questionable "Crocadile Tears" from "the Boys" turns the mood to sadness and conciliation. Peace is restored and tranquility reigns supreme, momentarily, that is until…..No, no Senor, I'm not gonna tell! See the Picture! Or better yet, buy the Picture! In the whole scheme of things, at least in regards to film history, BIG BUSINESS ranks as just about the zenith of the Laurel & Hardy silents. It showed a team that had been together for nearly 3 years, all the time finding their way and perfecting the business between the twosome that, to the public, was Laurel & Hardy.And BIG BUSINESS was perhaps the finest single film exponent of that above mentioned "Reciprocal Destruction". What a fitting way to bid a fond farewell to the '20's and the Silents, and a hello to an Exclusively Sound output.NOTE: * Oliver Norvell Hardy, while known on the screen and to the public as "Ollie", had, to all his friends, the nickname of 'Babe'.

The premise of this movie is very good. Laurel & Hardy are trying to sell Christmas trees in sunny California. Of course nobody wants to buy any. One of their costumers is being played by James Finlayson, with who they get into a serious brawl.Basically the movie only has one big joke; The two boys totally wrecking Finlayson's house, while he totally wrecks the boys their car and Christmas trees. It's sort of fun to watch, mainly thanks to the acting and of the chemistry the three of them have on the screen. But it's not really a movie that made me laugh constantly. Sure of course I laughed and the movie had its moments of greatness but it overall wasn't really surprising enough to make this for me a memorable Laurel & Hardy comedy short.Call me old fashioned but I prefer a Laurel & Hardy short with more slapstick humor in it, rather than just constantly wrecking and throwing things.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/