Duck Soup (1927 film)

Last updated

Duck Soup
L&H Duck Soup 1927.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Fred Guiol
Written by H.M. Walker
Arthur J. Jefferson (play)
Produced by Hal Roach
Starring Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy
Edited by Richard C. Currier
Distributed by Pathé Exchange Inc.
Release date
  • March 13, 1927 (1927-03-13)
Running time
21:13
CountryUnited States
Languages Silent film
English intertitles
Full film

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. [1] The team appeared in a total of 107 films between 1921 and 1951.

Contents

Plot

Seeking refuge from a contingent of forest rangers engaged in the recruitment of vagrants for firefighting duties, Laurel and Hardy seek sanctuary within an uninhabited mansion. Exploiting the absence of the owner, who is on vacation, and the absence of household staff, Hardy assumes the role of the proprietor, proffering the property for rent to an English couple.

Engaging Laurel in the ruse, he enlists him to impersonate a maid. However, their attempt at subterfuge is foiled when the rightful owner unexpectedly returns, exposing their deception to the prospective tenants. Subsequently, Laurel and Hardy are compelled to evade capture once more, but are ultimately apprehended by the forest rangers and compelled to participate in firefighting efforts to mitigate wildfires.

Cast

Production notes

Duck Soup underwent a near half-century period of being classified as a lost film until a print resurfaced in 1974. Prior to its rediscovery, film scholars believed that Laurel and Hardy shared minimal screen time, if any. However, upon inspection, it became evident that they featured as a comedic duo throughout the entirety of the film, albeit in rudimentary tramp costumes. Hardy's portrayal included an unshaven chin, a monocle, and a top hat. The print unearthed in 1974 was a cropped 9.5mm re-release with French intertitles replacing the originals. Subsequently, a pristine full aperture 35mm nitrate print was discovered at the BFI National Archive, presumably from a British re-release. A restored version of the film, featuring a theater organ soundtrack accompaniment, was broadcast on the Movies! channel in the U.S. on December 26, 2020. [2]

Directed by Fred Guiol, the film's significance was largely attributed to Leo McCarey, the supervising director, who recognized Laurel and Hardy's potential as a comedic pairing. McCarey would later employ the same title for the renowned Marx Brothers film, Duck Soup (1933), which he directed for Paramount Pictures. Interestingly, the sketch that inspired the film was penned by Stan Laurel's father, Arthur J. Jefferson.

Duck Soup was remade as Another Fine Mess (1930). [3]

Filming locations used include the 400, 500 and 600 block of South Grand Avenue and Third Street at South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel and Hardy</span> British-American comedy duo

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.

<i>The Music Box</i> 1932 short film by James Parrott

The Music Box is a Laurel and Hardy short film comedy released in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, which depicts the pair attempting to move a piano up a long flight of steps, won the first Academy Award for Best Live Action Short (Comedy) in 1932. In 1997, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film is widely seen as the most iconic Laurel and Hardy short, with the featured stairs becoming a popular tourist attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel and Hardy filmography</span> Cinematography

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.

<i>Love em and Weep</i> 1927 film

Love 'em and Weep is a 1927 American silent comedy short film starring Mae Busch, Stan Laurel and James Finlayson, with Oliver Hardy featured in a small role. This is Mae Busch first of fifteen appearance with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

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>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>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>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.

References

  1. ↑ Progressive Silent Film List: Duck Soup at silentera.com
  2. ↑ "LAUREL & HARDY: BEAU HUNKS/DUCK SOUP". Movies!. December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  3. ↑ Okuda, Ted; Neibaur, James L. (2012). Stan Without Ollie: The Stan Laurel Solo Films, 1917–1927. McFarland. p. 184. ISBN   9780786447817 . Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  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 11, 2024.

Further reading

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.