While this is nowhere near the quality of any of their Hal Roach films, "The Bullfighters" is one of the best if not the best of the films Laurel and Hardy did for Fox. For one thing, they are not playing second fiddle to an boring love story. For another, they seem much more energized than in their previous efforts. Oliver in particular seems to be doing his best. Stan, stripped of his white face makeup by Fox degree, always looks a bit tired as his dark age lines show, but he also puts in a better performance than in the other Fox vehicles.
One of the films biggest problems may be the villain. Ralph Sanford plays Richard Muldoon, a man who was sent to jail for 20 years based mostly on Stan and Ollie's testimony. He promised to "skin them alive" when he got out. Well the real culprit in that case confesses, so Muldoon is released after 5 years. He's aching for revenge. However, if he's so anxious for revenge, one wonders why he just didn't go back to Peoria and track Stan and Ollie down, rather than move to Mexico and just "happen" to run into them. More importantly, though Sanford is bulky, he's not tough or dangerous looking and does not present that much of an obvious threat. The part screams for someone like Walter Long ("The Live Ghost", "Going Bye Bye", "Any Old Port", "Pardon Us") or Tiny Sanford ("Busy Bodies") both of which would have been much more intimidating.
Edward Gargan does okay in a tit for tat scene with Stan and Ollie at a fountain (though one longs for James Finlayson) and the lovely Carol Andrews does fairly well in reprising the egg scene Lupe Velez did so well in "Hollywood Party".
All in all, I found this film better than expected after seeing the dreadful "Atoll K", "Great Guns" and "A Haunting We Will Go". If you have to see Laurel and Hardy in a Fox film, this is the one to see.
One of the films biggest problems may be the villain. Ralph Sanford plays Richard Muldoon, a man who was sent to jail for 20 years based mostly on Stan and Ollie's testimony. He promised to "skin them alive" when he got out. Well the real culprit in that case confesses, so Muldoon is released after 5 years. He's aching for revenge. However, if he's so anxious for revenge, one wonders why he just didn't go back to Peoria and track Stan and Ollie down, rather than move to Mexico and just "happen" to run into them. More importantly, though Sanford is bulky, he's not tough or dangerous looking and does not present that much of an obvious threat. The part screams for someone like Walter Long ("The Live Ghost", "Going Bye Bye", "Any Old Port", "Pardon Us") or Tiny Sanford ("Busy Bodies") both of which would have been much more intimidating.
Edward Gargan does okay in a tit for tat scene with Stan and Ollie at a fountain (though one longs for James Finlayson) and the lovely Carol Andrews does fairly well in reprising the egg scene Lupe Velez did so well in "Hollywood Party".
All in all, I found this film better than expected after seeing the dreadful "Atoll K", "Great Guns" and "A Haunting We Will Go". If you have to see Laurel and Hardy in a Fox film, this is the one to see.