| Below Zero | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | James Parrott |
| Written by | H.M. Walker |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Starring | Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy |
| Cinematography | George Stevens |
| Edited by | Richard C. Currier |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 20:28 (English) 27:04 (Spanish) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Below Zero is a 1930 short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by James Parrott and produced by Hal Roach.
On a wintry day, Laurel and Hardy's attempts to earn money as street musicians prove futile, exacerbated by their unwitting performance in front of an Institute for the Deaf. Their renditions, including the nostalgic melody "In the Good Old Summertime," elicit little response from passersby. Their persistence prompts annoyance from a sidewalk shoveler and earns them a dismissive dollar from a woman, who jestingly calls out to "Mr. Whiteman," referencing bandleader Paul Whiteman. [N 1]
Amidst their misfortune, a quarrel with a woman leads to the destruction of their instruments, but a stroke of luck ensues when Stan discovers a wallet. Their brief respite is interrupted by a thief, prompting a chase until they encounter a benevolent police officer who intervenes on their behalf. Grateful for his assistance, Stan and Ollie share a meal with the officer, only to realize to their dismay that the wallet belongs to him.
Upon discovering the truth, the officer's mood sours, leading to their expulsion from the restaurant. Stan's misfortune is further compounded when he is submerged upside down in a barrel of water by the irate waiter. Oliver eventually finds him, but their troubles persist as Stan's unintended consumption of the water results in an unexpected physical transformation, symbolized by his inflated stomach.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Stan Laurel | Stan |
| Oliver Hardy | Ollie |
| Uncredited | |
| Bobby Burns | 'Blind' man / deadbeat diner |
| Baldwin Cooke | Man at window |
| Kay Deslys | Woman at window |
| Charlie Hall | Annoyed shopkeeper throwing snowball |
| Jack Hill | Busboy |
| Frank Holliday | Policeman |
| Charles McMurphy | Extra at restaurant |
| Bob O'Connor | Extra at restaurant |
| Retta Palmer | Woman leaving window |
| Blanche Payson | Formidable woman |
| Tiny Sandford | Pete |
| Charles Sullivan | Extra at restaurant |
| Lyle Tayo | Woman at window tossing Stan and Ollie a dollar |
| Leo Willis | Crook |
The film was "made three months after Night Owls." [1]
Below Zero "demonstrates the team’s skill in presenting situation comedy through visual means", according to The Laurel & Hardy encyclopedia. [2]
The same book recalls that the short "contains very little dialogue, but what there is tends to be quoted frequently. When a lady enquires how much the boys earn per street (so that she can pay them to move two streets away), she calls Ollie ‘Mr Whiteman’, a direct reference to the famous bandleader and Hardy lookalike, Paul Whiteman (the similarity may be inspected in Whiteman’s 1930 film King of Jazz ). The computer-colour edition issued on both sides of the Atlantic omits this sequence, as does the British Super-8 sound version released in the late 1970s". [2]
Comparing Berth Marks to this short, William Everson praised the latter over the first, stating "One of the few really poor comedies that the team made, this is a misfire all down the line. The blame cannot be laid entirely on its paucity of plot, since single situations often stood them in good stead, and a similarly simple exercise in frustration, Below Zero, had a great deal of merit." [3]
The short is said to reflect the historical context of its production: "It's the Great Depression of 1929, and Laurel and Hardy are about as depressed as you can get ..." [4] It was also described as "a curious, bizarre, almost surrealist comedy". [5]
An extended Spanish version, Tiembla Y Titubea was also produced with Laurel and Hardy speaking phonetically from blackboards placed just out of camera range; Spanish-speaking actors replacing the English speaking supporting players. [2]
Laurel and Hardy were a British-American comedy team during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957). Starting their career as a duo in the silent film era, they later successfully transitioned to "talkies". From the late 1920s to the mid-1950s, they were internationally famous for their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy, childlike friend to Hardy's pompous bully. Their signature theme song, known as "The Cuckoo Song", "Ku-Ku", or "The Dance of the Cuckoos" was heard over their films' opening credits, and became as emblematic of them as their bowler hats.
Babes in Toyland is a Laurel and Hardy musical Christmas film released on November 30, 1934. The film is also known by the alternative titles Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge Is Sweet, and March of the Wooden Soldiers, a 73-minute abridged version.
Laurel and Hardy were a motion picture comedy team whose official filmography consists of 106 films released between 1921 and 1951. Together they appeared in 34 silent shorts,A 45 sound shorts, and 27 full-length sound feature films.B In addition to these, Laurel and Hardy appeared in at least 20 foreign-language versions of their films and a promotional film, Galaxy of Stars (1936), produced for European film distributors.
Way Out West is a 1937 Laurel and Hardy comedy film directed by James W. Horne, produced by Stan Laurel, and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was the second picture for which Stan Laurel was credited as producer.
We Faw Down is a synchronized sound short subject film directed by Leo McCarey starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on December 29, 1928. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized orchestral musical score with sound effects. It was remade in part with their film Sons of the Desert in 1933.
You're Darn Tootin' is a silent short subject directed by E. Livingston Kennedy starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was released on April 21, 1928, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Atoll K is a 1951 Franco-Italian co-production film—also known as Robinson Crusoeland in the United Kingdom and Utopia in the United States – which stars the comedy team Laurel and Hardy in their final screen appearance. The film co-stars French singer/actress Suzy Delair and was directed by Léo Joannon, with uncredited co-direction by blacklisted U.S. director John Berry.
The Flying Deuces, also known as Flying Aces, is a 1939 buddy comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy, in which the duo join the French Foreign Legion. It is a partial remake of their short film Beau Hunks (1931).
Putting Pants On Philip is a silent short film starring British/American comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Made in 1927, it is their first official film together as a team.
Block-Heads is a 1938 American comedy film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It was produced by Hal Roach Studios for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, a reworking of elements from the Laurel and Hardy shorts We Faw Down (1928) and Unaccustomed As We Are (1929), was Roach's final film for MGM.
Flying Elephants is a two-reel silent film from 1928 directed by Frank Butler and co-written and produced by Hal Roach. It stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy as a pair of battling cavemen.
The Finishing Touch is a 1928 short comedy silent film produced by Hal Roach, directed by Clyde Bruckman, and starring Laurel and Hardy. It was released on February 25, 1928, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Should Married Men Go Home? is a silent short subject co-directed by Leo McCarey and James Parrott, starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was the first Hal Roach film to bill Laurel and Hardy as a team. Previous appearances together were billed under the Roach "All-Star Comedy" banner. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on September 8, 1928. McCarey is also one of the script writers for the film.
Liberty is a synchronized sound short subject film, directed by Leo McCarey starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized orchestral musical score with sound effects. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on January 26, 1929.
Wrong Again is a 1929 synchronized sound short subject film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Laurel and Hardy. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized orchestral musical score with sound effects. It was filmed in October and November 1928, and released February 23, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
That's My Wife is a 1929 synchronized sound short subject film produced by the Hal Roach Studios and starring Laurel and Hardy. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized orchestral musical score with sound effects. It was shot in December 1928 and released March 23, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Slipping Wives is a 1927 American silent short comedy film starring Priscilla Dean with Stan Laurel, and Oliver Hardy prior to their official billing as the duo Laurel and Hardy.
Air Raid Wardens is a 1943 comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Laurel and Hardy. It was the first of two feature films starring the duo for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Swiss Miss is a 1938 comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. It was directed by John G. Blystone, and produced by Hal Roach. The film features Walter Woolf King, Della Lind and Eric Blore.
The Fixer Uppers is a 1935 American short comedy film directed by Charles Rogers, starring Laurel and Hardy, and produced by Hal Roach.