Berth Marks

Last updated

Berth Marks
Berth Marks lobby card.jpg
Lobby card
Directed by Lewis R. Foster
Written by Leo McCarey
H. M. Walker
Produced by Hal Roach
Starring Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy
Pat Harmon
S. D. Wilcox
Eleanor Fredericks
Harry Bernard
Baldwin Cooke
Paulette Goddard
Charlie Hall
Sammy Brooks
Cinematography Len Powers
Edited by Richard C. Currier
Music by Marvin Hatley (1936 reissue) [1]
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
DIC Entertainment (1990 reissue)
Release date
  • June 1, 1929 (1929-06-01)
Running time
19:28 (English)
49:08 (Spanish)
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
French
Spanish
German
Silent film with English intertitles

Berth Marks is the second sound film starring Laurel and Hardy and was released on June 1, 1929.

Contents

Plot

Stan and Ollie, two musicians en route to a performance in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, find themselves travelling onboard a sleeper train. Stan inadvertently drops most of their musical paraphernalia at the station, much to Ollie's alarm, and once on the train the journey is marked by a series of mishaps. Their interactions with fellow passengers compound their troubles, as they unintentionally disturb a diminutive man and startle a woman whilst she is disrobing, when they mistakenly enter a private compartment.

The resulting fracas escalates when the incensed husband of the startled woman accuses an innocent bystander, sparking a cascade of clothing-ripping reprisals among the passengers. Amidst this chaos, Stan and Ollie endeavour to retire to their cramped upper berth, struggling to change into pyjamas. Their efforts are further hampered by the general pandemonium onboard the train.

As they near their destination, Stan and Ollie finally manage to settle into their sleeping quarters, albeit belatedly. However, in their haste to disembark, they leave their main musical instrument behind. Ollie, realizing their oversight, gives chase along the tracks as the train fades into the distance.

Cast

Production notes

Berth Marks was the second sound film starring by Laurel and Hardy. A silent version was also made for cinemas that were not yet wired to show talking pictures. Action and dialogue scripts were written mid-April 1929, with filming taking place between April 20–27. [1]

Several of the train sequences (including some not used in the English release) were utilized for foreign language versions of The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case in 1930. Overall there were three different versions of The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case combined with Berth Marks, released for the foreign language market:-

Berth Marks was reissued in 1936 with a music score added to introductory scenes. [1] This version was subsequently included on the 10-disc Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection DVD set, as well as the Spanish Noche de duendes. In 2020 both the 1936 soundtrack version and the original 1929 soundtrack version were issued on "Laurel & Hardy - The Definitive Restorations" DVD and Blu-Ray collections.

The beginning scenes were filmed at the old Santa Fe La Grande Station which was located at 2nd Street and Santa Fe Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. [3] The final scene at the "Pottsville" station was filmed at the Palms station on the Pacific Electric's Santa Monica Air Line, which was located about a half mile west of the present Palms station on the Expo Line light rail line. [4]

Related Research Articles

Big Business is a 1929 silent Laurel and Hardy comedy short subject directed by James W. Horne and supervised by Leo McCarey from a McCarey (uncredited) and H. M. Walker script. The film, largely about tit-for-tat vandalism between Laurel and Hardy as Christmas tree salesmen and the man who rejects them, was deemed culturally significant and entered into the National Film Registry in 1992.

<i>We Faw Down</i> 1928 film

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.

<i>Two Tars</i> 1928 film by James Parrott

Two Tars is a silent short subject directed by James Parrott starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on November 3, 1928.

<i>Pack Up Your Troubles</i> (1932 film) 1932 film by Ray McCarey and George Marshall

Pack Up Your Troubles is a 1932 pre-Code Laurel and Hardy film directed by George Marshall and Raymond McCarey, named after the World War I song "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile". It is the team's second feature-length film.

<i>Helpmates</i> 1932 short film by James Parrott

Helpmates is a Laurel and Hardy Pre-Code short film comedy. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and released by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer on January 23, 1932.

<i>Duck Soup</i> (1927 film) 1927 short film by Fred Guiol

Duck Soup is a 1927 American silent comedy short film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy prior to their official billing as the duo Laurel and Hardy. The team appeared in a total of 107 films between 1921 and 1951.

<i>Putting Pants on Philip</i> 1927 silent comedy short film by Clyde Bruckman

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.

<i>The Second Hundred Years</i> (film) 1927 short film by Fred Guiol

The Second Hundred Years is a 1927 American silent comedy short film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy prior to their official billing as the duo Laurel and Hardy. The team appeared in a total of 107 films between 1921 and 1951.

<i>Their Purple Moment</i> 1928 film

Their Purple Moment is a silent short subject directed by James Parrott and Fred Guiol starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on May 18, 1928.

<i>Liberty</i> (1929 film) 1929 American film by Leo McCarey

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.

<i>Bacon Grabbers</i> 1929 film

Bacon Grabbers is a 1929 synchronized sound short subject comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized organ musical score with sound effects.

<i>Angora Love</i> 1929 American silent film

Angora Love is a 1929 synchronized sound short subject comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy, released on December 14, 1929. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized organ musical score with sound effects. This would prove to be the last Laurel and Hardy film to be released without any audible dialog.

<i>Leave Em Laughing</i> 1928 film

Leave 'Em Laughing is a 1928 two-reel silent film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Produced by the Hal Roach Studios, it was shot in October 1927 and released January 28, 1928 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<i>Another Fine Mess</i> 1930 short film by James Parrott

Another Fine Mess is a 1930 short comedy film directed by James Parrott and starring Laurel and Hardy. It is based on the 1908 play Home from the Honeymoon by Arthur J. Jefferson, Stan Laurel's father, and is a remake of their earlier silent film Duck Soup.

<i>Perfect Day</i> (1929 film) 1929 film

Perfect Day is a 1929 short comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy.

<i>Towed in a Hole</i> 1932 film

Towed in a Hole is a 1932 pre-Code comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. The "two-reeler" short was produced by Hal Roach, directed by George Marshall, and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<i>The Hoose-Gow</i> 1929 film

The Hoose-Gow is a 1929 American short comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by James Parrott, and produced by Hal Roach.

<i>Hog Wild</i> (1930 film) 1930 film

Hog Wild is a 1930 American pre-Code Laurel and Hardy film, directed by James Parrott.

<i>Going Bye-Bye!</i> 1934 American short film by Charley Rogers

Going Bye Bye is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy short film starring Laurel and Hardy.

<i>County Hospital</i> (film) 1932 film

County Hospital is a Laurel and Hardy short film made in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Ollie is in hospital with a broken leg, Stan comes to visit and ends up getting Ollie kicked out; on the way home Stan crashes the car.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Skretvedt, Randy; Jordan R. Young (1996) [1987]. Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies. Beverly Hills, California: Past Times Publishing. ISBN   0-940410-29-X.
  2. ↑ "Berth Marks - Cast", imdb.com; accessed April 20, 2017.
  3. ↑ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  4. ↑ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.