That was an excellent one.

Instant Favorite.

Crappy film

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Testifying against criminal Walter Long, Laurel and Hardy desperately try to leave town after a sinister threat causes them concern. They advertise for a travel mate, and what do you know, it turns out to be Long's mill (Mae Busch), a floozie with a heart of acid. Long manages a daring escape, but hiding in a trunk, gets the Laurel and Hardy treatment, ultimately making prison a more pleasant option. But that doesn't stop hilarity from seeking its revenge, leaving the audience with one of the more iconic plot twists and a twisted sight gag that is one of the more famous shots of them, regularly used in comic montages and salutes to the lovable team. Busch is rather underused, more of an intruder in the plot than an actual participant. Pretty good for one of their later shorts, and a fun diversion.

A two reel short produced by Hal Roach for M-G-M, this piece utilizes a well-worn Laurel and Hardy plot line gambit: an outrageous sequence of physical affronts being heaped one upon another, targeting various victims, with the action opening here within a court room setting where "Butch" Long (Walter Long), a brutal criminal, is being tried for murder, and is convicted based upon testimony given by Stan and Ollie, although the former's tendency to speak according to whim occurs after the presiding justice imposes a sentence of life imprisonment upon Butch, and Laurel loudly asks of the judge: "Aren't you going to hang him?" Stan's less than discreet utterance effectually guarantees Butch's unremitting hatred, and the comical pair elect to leave town in case prison fails to contain the maddened felon who, while yet in the court room, vows to escape, track down the "squealers", tear off their legs, and wind them around their necks. In order to gain assistance with travel expenses, Stan and Ollie place a newspaper advertisement requesting a solvent companion for their upcoming trip, the ad catching the eye of an attractive woman (Mae Busch) who meets with their approval, and the trio is about to leave when we learn that she is, in fact, the girl friend of Butch who has freshly escaped from prison. Most of this work is composed of merely silly slapstick, although there are some episodes during which Laurel and Hardy engage in dialogue that is enhanced by Stan's non-sequiturs, and craggy-faced Walter Long is always a valuable addition to a film. Weak development and erratic pacing result in a short that is inferior as a whole to the cinema standard established by the two comics.

Stan & Ollie testify against a dangerous criminal "Butch" who swears revenge and then promptly escapes from jail and goes looking for them. Laurel & Hardy meanwhile prepare to get out of town and, by a million to one chance, find themselves in Butch's apartment. To say any more would be giving the (wonderful) plot away, so you'll have to watch it. of course, I'm sure most people on Planet Earth have already seen this delightful "short". It's not one of L&H's best but still VERY funny. The film is greatly assisted by Walter Long (the ultimate comedy tough guy) who plays "Butch". I've just seen Going Bye Bye on BBC2. The restored version is magnificent. It looks as if it was made yesterday! Well worth watching.

The critic in me says that the entire film is structured for the sole purpose of the sight gag with which the film ends. But, OH, WHAT A SIGHT GAG!I saw this the other night at a local arts club screening, but available nowhere else. Why isn't this (or for matter, their masterpiece "The Music Box") on video?