Berth Marks

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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
19:34 (English)
49:09 (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 embarking on a sleeper train. However, their journey is marked by a series of mishaps. Stan inadvertently spills a substantial portion of their musical paraphernalia, much to Ollie's chagrin. Their interactions with fellow passengers further compound their troubles, as they unintentionally disturb a diminutive traveler and startle a woman in the midst of disrobing while mistakenly entering 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 endeavor to retire to their cramped upper berth, struggling to change into pajamas. Their efforts are further hampered by the general pandemonium onboard.

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 inadvertently leave their musical instrument behind. Ollie, realizing their oversight, gives chase along the tracks as the train recedes into the distance.

Cast

Production notes

Berth Marks was the second sound film released 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, 1929. [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 and 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.

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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.
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