Do Detectives Think? | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Fred Guiol |
Written by | Hal Roach H.M. Walker (titles) |
Produced by | Hal Roach |
Starring | Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy |
Distributed by | Pathé Exchange |
Release date |
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Running time | 19 min. |
Country | United States |
Languages | Silent film English intertitles |
Do Detectives Think? or The Bodyguard is a 1927 silent comedy short film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy prior to their official billing as the duo Laurel and Hardy.
A judge sentences a dangerous criminal, the Tipton Slasher, to death "for killing two Chinamen, both seriously". Judge Foozle, in pronouncing sentence, rather gratuitously adds "And I hope you choke!". The Slasher vows to cut out the Judge's tonsils without anesthetic. When the Slasher escapes, the judge hires Laurel and Hardy, two clumsy detectives, for protection. While on duty, Laurel and Hardy face various mishaps, like losing their hats in a cemetery. Unbeknownst to them, the Slasher disguises himself as a butler in the judge's house.
Hardy tries to impress the judge with his shooting skills but causes chaos instead. The judge's wife mistakes the Slasher for a threat, leading to a tense confrontation. Despite their blunders, Laurel and Hardy eventually capture the Slasher, though not without chaos. In the end, the judge's accidental scare helps the police catch the Slasher, thanks to Laurel and Hardy's unintentional help. [1]
Do Detectives Think? is the first film to showcase Laurel and Hardy donning their iconic attire of crumpled suits and bowler hats, the typical outfit of detectives during that era.
Canadian musician Nash the Slash chose his stage name based on the character in Do Detectives Think. [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.
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Do detectives think by Lordheath. Last updated on May 2, 2017.