The Bohemian Girl (1936 film)

Last updated

The Bohemian Girl
L&H Bohemian Girl 1936.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by James W. Horne
Charles Rogers
Written by Frank Butler
Based on The Bohemian Girl
1843 opera
by Balfe
Produced by Hal Roach
Starring Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy
Antonio Moreno
Jacqueline Wells
Cinematography Francis Corby
Art Lloyd
Edited byBert Jordan
Louis McManus
Music byRobert Shayon
Nathaniel Shilkret
Production
companies
Distributed by Loew's, Inc.
Release date
  • February 14, 1936 (1936-02-14)
Running time
1:08:52
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Bohemian Girl is a 1936 comedic feature film version of the opera The Bohemian Girl by Michael William Balfe. Directed by James W. Horne and Charles Rogers, it was produced at the Hal Roach Studios and stars Laurel and Hardy, and Thelma Todd in her final film role. This was the last of thirteen pictures of Mae Busch and Oliver Hardy together. [1] This was also the only appearance of Darla Hood in a full-length feature produced by Hal Roach.

Contents

Plot

A group of gypsy caravans set up on the edge of a wood. They realise they are camped on the estate of Count Arnheim who will not tolerate their presence. The gypsies sing and dance to entertain themselves.

Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the misfit pair of Gypsies in the group. When hen-pecked Oliver is out pickpocketing, fortune-telling or attending his zither lessons, his wife (Mae Busch) has an affair with Devilshoof (Antonio Moreno). A cruel nobleman, Count Arnheim (William P. Carleton), persecutes the Gypsies, who are forced to flee, but Mrs Hardy, in revenge for Devilshoof being lashed by the count's orders, kidnaps his daughter, Arline (Darla Hood), and Mrs. Hardy fools Hardy into thinking she is their daughter since he believes everything she tells him. She soon elopes with Devilshoof, and leaves Oliver and "Uncle" Stanley holding the toddler. Arline is too young to remember her old life.

Twelve years later, the Gypsies return to Arnheim's estate. When grown-up Arline (Jacqueline Wells) accidentally trespasses in Arnheim's garden, she recognises the place and Arnheim's voice, but is arrested by the captain of the guard (Jimmy Finlayson) and sentenced to a lashing. Stan and Oliver try to save her, but Stan is too drunk and both are arrested. Just as Arline is stripped in order to be lashed, she is rescued in time by Arnheim, who recognises a medallion she wears and a family birthmark, and both try to rescue Stan and Oliver. It is too late though: Laurel and Hardy had already been worked over in the torture chamber: Hardy emerges stretched to a height of eight feet, while Stan has been crushed to only a few feet tall and the captain of the guard just stands yelling and moaning.

Cast

Casting and production details

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer wanted to cast a talented newcomer as Arline. Hal Roach cast Darla Hood, who had just begun appearing in Roach's Our Gang comedies, as young Arline and Jacqueline Wells as adult Arline.

Rosina Lawrence dubs Jacqueline Wells's singing.

Paulette Goddard has a small uncredited role as a Gypsy.

Stan Laurel's pet myna, Yogi, appears in the film.

The Count was played by William P. Carleton, who had played the role on stage over a number of decades.

Thelma Todd died during production. Her role was originally supposed to be much larger.

Ban in Malaysia and Germany

The film was banned in Malaysia due to its depictions of Roma themes. [2] It was also banned in Nazi Germany due to its positive depiction of gypsies, which Joseph Goebbels, the minister of propaganda for the regime, said "had no place" in the Third Reich. [3]

Related Research Articles

The following is a complete list of the 220 Our Gang short films produced by Hal Roach Studios and/or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer between 1922 and 1944, numbered by order of release along with production order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mae Busch</span> Australian-born American actress (1895–1946)

Mae Busch was an Australian-born actress who worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. In the latter part of her career she appeared in many Laurel and Hardy comedies, frequently playing Hardy's shrewish wife.

<i>Zenobia</i> (film) 1939 film by Gordon Douglas

Zenobia is a 1939 comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Oliver Hardy, Harry Langdon, Billie Burke, Alice Brady, James Ellison, Jean Parker, June Lang, Stepin Fetchit and Hattie McDaniel. The source of the film was the 1891 short story "Zenobia's Infidelity" by H.C. Bunner, which was originally purchased by producer Hal Roach as a vehicle for Roland Young.

<i>Unaccustomed As We Are</i> 1929 short film by Lewis R. Foster

Unaccustomed As We Are is the first sound film comedy starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, released on May 4, 1929.

<i>Chickens Come Home</i> 1931 film

Chickens Come Home is a 1931 American pre-Code short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by James W. Horne and produced by Hal Roach. It was shot in January 1931 and released on February 21, 1931. It is a remake of the 1927 silent film Love 'em and Weep in which James Finlayson plays Hardy's role and Hardy plays a party guest.

<i>The Bohemian Girl</i> 1843 romantic opera

The Bohemian Girl is an English language Romantic opera composed by Michael William Balfe with a libretto by Alfred Bunn. The plot is loosely based on a Miguel de Cervantes' tale, La gitanilla.

<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>Them Thar Hills</i> 1934 American short film by Charley Rogers

Them Thar Hills is a 1934 American comedy short film directed by Charley Rogers and starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The film was so well received by audiences that producer Hal Roach and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer made a sequel, Tit for Tat, which was released five months later, in January 1935.

<i>Why Girls Love Sailors</i> 1927 film by Fred Guiol

Why Girls Love Sailors is a 1927 American comedy short silent film directed by Fred Guiol for Hal Roach Studios. It stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy before they had become the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy. It was shot during February 1927 and released July 17, 1927, by Pathé Exchange. It was considered a lost film until the 1980s.

<i>Tit for Tat</i> (1935 film) 1935 American short film by Charley Rogers

Tit for Tat is a 1935 short comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It is the only direct sequel they made, following the story of Them Thar Hills, which was released the previous year and includes the same two supporting characters, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, portrayed by Charlie Hall and Mae Busch. This "two-reeler" is notable too for being nominated for an Academy Award as Best Live Action Short Film (Comedy) of 1935, although it did not win. It also has a central theme similar to the comedy duo's 1929 silent short Big Business. In the opening scene of Tit for Tat, Oliver places a sign in the front window of his and Stan's electrical store. It reads "Open for Big Business", an allusion to the escalating revenge and "reciprocal destruction" common to both films.

<i>Be Big!</i> 1931 film

Be Big! is a Hal Roach three-reel comedy starring Laurel and Hardy. It was shot in November and December 1930, and released on February 7, 1931.

<i>The Fixer Uppers</i> 1935 American film

The Fixer Uppers is a 1935 American short comedy film directed by Charles Rogers, starring Laurel and Hardy, and produced by Hal Roach.

<i>Come Clean</i> (1931 film) 1931 film

Come Clean is a 1931 American pre-Code short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by James W. Horne and produced by Hal Roach.

<i>Their First Mistake</i> 1932 film

Their First Mistake is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy short starring Laurel and Hardy. Directed by George Marshall, the film was produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<i>Oliver the Eighth</i> 1934 American film

Oliver The Eighth is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy horror short film, starring Laurel and Hardy. It was directed by Lloyd French, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by MGM.

<i>The Live Ghost</i> 1934 American film

The Live Ghost is a 1934 American comedy short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by Charles Rogers, and produced by Hal Roach at his studios in Culver City, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Bishop (actress)</span> American actress (1914–2001)

Julie Bishop, previously known as Jacqueline Wells, was an American film and television actress. She appeared in more than 80 films between 1923 and 1957.

On the Loose is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, produced and directed by Hal Roach, and starring ZaSu Pitts and Thelma Todd. Laurel and Hardy make a guest appearance.

<i>The Bohemian Girl</i> (1922 film) 1922 British film by Harley Knoles

The Bohemian Girl is a 1922 British romance film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Gladys Cooper, Ivor Novello, and C. Aubrey Smith. It was inspired by the opera The Bohemian Girl by Michael William Balfe and Alfred Bunn, which was in turn based on a novel La Gitanilla by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally released at 70 minutes, the surviving print is missing the first two reels and small portion of the last, timing at 46 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unaccustomed as We Are</span> 1929 film by Lewis R. Foster

Unaccustomed as We Are is a short comedy film produced by Hal Roach and directed by Lewis R. Foster. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on May 4, 1929. This picture was the first "all-talking" Laurel and Hardy comedy. The working title was Their Last Word. The title was changed to Unaccustomed as We Are, a play on the familiar phrase "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking..."

References

  1. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?role=nm0123994,nm0001316&sort=year,asc
  2. ↑ "Film Censorship and Globalization". prezi.com.
  3. ↑ "Dick und Doof werden Papa". Difarchiv.deutsches-filminstitut.de. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
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.