This Laurel & Hardy silent only exists in an incomplete version which naturally makes it impossible to judge as a whole. As it exists today, it's pretty much like two separate films joined by some explanatory intertitles (featuring a still of a young and rather slim-line Eugene Palette selling the boys some insurance). The first section of the film is a boxing match between a paunchy Stan and a typically ferocious opponent. The boxing ring seemed to be a favourite location for the boys – I'm sure there's at least three movies which feature Stan involved in a hopeless mismatch in the ring. The second section of the film is the famous pie fight, but unfortunately not enough of it exists to give anything other than an incomplete impression of what the boys intended. The film's interesting as a peep through the keyhole of what remains of what has been lost (if you know what I mean) but it's not particularly satisfying in its own right.
Review of The Battle of the Century
