User Reviews

So, here it is - Stan Laurel alongside Oliver Hardy in a film for the first time. The first on-screen words Oliver Hardy speaks to his future partner are: "Stick 'em both up, insect, before I comb your hair with lead." It seems that Mr Stanley Laurel has gone too far this time - has Ollie had enough even before they've started?

Well, if Mr Hardy had said this in a typical Laurel & Hardy comedy, it might seem that way, although the outcome would of course be very different, with these two ever-endearing square pegs continuing together on their awkward journey through life - me and my pal. But this isn't a typical comedy from the Masters of Mirth; this is essentially a Stan Laurel showcase, where he plays a snappily ebullient, natty juvenile, who picks up a stray dog and is accused by its owners of 'dog-napping'; Oliver Hardy displays his formidable and well-used talents as a rough looking 'heavy', or villain. Their two scenes together only indicate a little of what was to come, but the film is fascinating if only to view the two greatest comedians of all time sharing the screen about six years before they officially became a team, at a time when Stan "didn't think ... there was much future in pictures" as far as he was concerned, and both could only dream of the huge artistic heights they would scale and immeasurable critical and popular success they would only enjoy to a relatively small extent in their lifetimes, compared to the esteem they are held in today. Although it may be slight as a creative accomplishment, being only a pleasant film experience, and even though it really had no overall impact on Laurel & Hardy's development or existence as a team, this film should not be overlooked, as it is a very important part of film history, bringing together for the first time the funniest men ever to appear in any medium.

Context is important. The first time I saw this film, it was part of Image Entertainment's "Lost Films of Laurel and Hardy" DVD series years ago. In that set, the film was presented alongside their repertoire of better-known, far superior work that they produced several years later at the Hal Roach lot as a team. It's important to keep in mind that in this film they are not at Roach, and years ahead of their official teaming.

At this point in his career, Laurel is an up-and-coming vaudeville performer, a veteran of Fred Karno's English music hall troupe and understudy for Charlie Chaplin prior to his film career. He has appeared in relatively few films. Hardy, conversely, is a seasoned and professional film comedian, having spent most of the previous five or six years in hundreds of films, probably all comedies. Often he played the villain, sometimes another supporting role, and, in his "Pudge and Runt" comedies with Billy Ruge, the star.

I just saw "The Lucky Dog" in sequence with many of the other films that either Laurel or Hardy appeared in during that time. In that context, one has to marvel at the amazing coincidence of this film's mere existence. For example, the false mustache Hardy sports in this film is larger but otherwise similar to the real one he bore in his later appearances with Laurel, after they teamed. It was the only time that I've seen at this point in his career that he wore a smallish, square mustache.

Laurel proves to be a competent and charming comedian on his own, but the film comes to life when the two appear together. Their screen relationship is apparently from the start. Hardy plays a burglar who resolves to wipe out Laurel once the latter turns in defiance of him. Unlike his many other roles as the heavy during this period, Hardy comes off as bumbling and oafish a bully as he does years later, Laurel is as blithe and unintimidated in the face of this imposing man as we remember him from the team's heyday.

When the two appear together, they appear as two kids playing, and we in the audience share in their delight. It does seem like the appearance of Hardy in the second, more rare half of the film, seems to have been inserted as an afterthought, as though the director realized how funny and natural the two of them were together, and decided to use Hardy in another scene with Laurel. One can imagine a scene in real life, just as the one depicted in the film, where Hardy, in his burglar outfit, appears to be leaving the film when the director (or, in the context of the film, the villain) cries out to him - "hey you -- get back here!"

It is worth noting that for all of the times Hardy becomes frustrated with Laurel's character in the team's heyday, this is the only film in which we get to see Hardy literally beat the crap out of Laurel. One scene briefly features Hardy thrashing about a Laurel stuffed dummy to comic effect.

One has to wonder if producer "Bronco Billy" Anderson spent the last 40some years of his life kicking himself for not having teamed these two back in 1919 when this film was produced. It appears someone must have noticed how well the two worked as a team. It seems tragic that we lost so much potential work with them, but we can also be thankful for what they did leave us. It's no slouch by any standard.

In Jess Robbins' The Lucky Dog, Stan Laurel plays a recently-evicted man who is left to wander the streets alongside a stray dog. After being robbed by another wayward stranger (Oliver Hardy), Stan and his dog get acquainted with another older woman (Florence Gillet) who clings to her trusty poodle. She suggests that Stan enter a dog show with her and her poodle. He proceeds with that idea only to be denied entry and, following a misunderstanding with the lady's boyfriend, Stan becomes the target for a grave misunderstanding.

The Lucky Dog marks the first short where Laurel and Hardy appear together, despite working as individual characters and not a duo. With that, The Lucky Dog is a noteworthy piece simply because it features two souls that would later go on to be unfathomably beneficial to the comedy community, leaving an indelible watermark on the field that couldn't be replaced. The short is also quite noteworthy for its technical pieces, like the early scene where Stan stands on the tracks of a train, oblivious to the fact that the train comes within about an inch of him. We see this shot exist in a symmetrical state, with Stan facing us, evenly centered on the tracks, with the train approaching us as well as the character.

In addition, one will take notice of Laurel's heavy-eye makeup, which is due in part to Stan's light blue eyes and the belief that light-colored eyes wouldn't show up well on screen, hence making Laurel look as if he's a crossdresser without all of his garb applied. The Lucky Dog makes an interesting case for cinema history, so much so that we forget the short isn't consistently funny, but just pleasant enough to remind us about what was made of a long, prosperous career for one of the greatest duos in comedy.

Starring: Stan Laurel, Florence Gillet, and Oliver Hardy. Directed by: Jess Robbins.

This is the very first movie with Laurel & Hardy as a comical duo, even though the two appear as enemies in this movie instead as friends. So I don't really consider this movie as a Laurel & Hardy picture.

The first halve of the movie is the best. Stanley Laurel plays the maim character in the movie and he yet again gets himself into some silly trouble. Ironicaly from the moments Oliver Hardy makes his entrance the movie goes downhill. The movie starts to get incoherent and messy, especially in the final few sequences.

Of course this movie is historically still an interesting to watch, since its the first movie in which Laurel & Hardy appear together in sequences. So for fans this still remains a sort of a must-see. Also fans of the early slapstick humor will still find plenty to enjoy in this movie. The movie is certainly better than the most other slapstick movies, made from the same period. For everyone else this movie probably remains a messy, incoherent silent comedy short that isn't really worth watching.

6/10

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SERVING AS A SORT of "Back To The Future" convoluted, retro precursor of the still unformed Laurel & Hardy team, THE LUCKY DOG is a dichotomy of film history. In the first place, it is the first time than both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy appear in the same comedy. And, although it is a delight to see the two great funny men working together for this initial encounter, it is not a true L & H comedy as we know it.

BEING THAT THIS is a starring vehicle for Stan, it should surprise no one that he has the Lion's share of the screen time. The scenario, such as it is, revolves around a rather typical 'Boy meets Girl' plot. As is so very commonplace, much of the humor is derived from the frustrations that plague all of us when it comes to romantic involvement.

ADDING WHAT WE would call a parallel sort of romance, Stan's mongrel dog displays definite interest in the girl's poodle. The inclusion of this plot device serves not only to provide a canine mirror image of their masters' world; but also provides a strong moving force for the story. Much of the middle action takes place at the Kennel Club Show, all of which brings all of the principals together.Even the title takes on a deeper, multi-faceted meaning; making "Lucky Dog" a sort of cinematic pun.

THE SCREEN PERSONA displayed by Stan Laurel, while energetic, clever and inclined toward physical comedy, is not the dimwitted guy that we all know and love. This character is brash and highly energetic. In many respects, what is presented on the screen is more akin to that of many other comics' films. This manic Stan's comedy is much more like that of Harold Lloyd or Charley Chase. This comedy could have been done by either of these silent masters.

AND THAT BRINGS us back to the main interest in THE LUCKY DOG; that being the first work that Stan and "Babe" did together. Being filmed in 1919 and released in 1921, the film predated the actual formation of the Laurel & Hardy team by a good 7 or 8 years. At that time, at Hal Roach Studios, association with folks like Mr. Roach, Leo McCarey and others, Stan's brash, young guy left. In his place, the slowly paced, dimwitted man-child replaced him forever.

SLOWING THINGS DOWN sped up their success.

I can't complain too much, since I picked up 14 Laurel & Hardy films for $6, but I am disappointed in this cut. The movie is missing the entire second half, cutting off at the point where Stan has Babe stuck in the plank fence.

This version (Platinum Disc) is also totally without title cards, so it lacks the infamous line 'Put 'em both up, insect, or I'll comb your hair with lead!' that marked the first dialogue to take place between the greatest comedy team who ever made movies.

Still, for six bucks, I'm glad to have even this fragmentary version, though I will certainly seek the full film, in the future.

Oliver Hardy was a character actor who had played in dozens of movies, mostly villains, when he first appeared in the same movie as the British comic Stan Laurel. The 31-year-old Laurel had recently changed his name from Stan Jefferson because it contained an unlucky 13 letters on the advice of his girlfriend and sometimes stage partner, Mae Dahlberg. Gilbert 'Billy Bronco' Anderson had sold his partnership in Essanay Studios and was looking to begin a comedy serial headlining the up-and-coming Laurel. His new small studio produced a pilot, December 1921's "The Lucky Dog," in an attempt to sell to sponsors the series 'Stan Laurel Comedies.'

It was simply happenstance Hardy was brought in to play a robber and the bad guy in "The Lucky Dog." He was freelancing for several studios and was hired to play the foil for Laurel's character. In the short film, Laurel plays a homeless person who befriends a dog and first meets Hardy robbing his victim. Hardy then robs Laurel of the money he had taken from his initial victim. Such are the roustabout frivolities taking place throughout the remainder of the movie.

Anderson's dream of a serial with Laurel didn't materialize, but the two did collaborate on several shorts afterwards. As for Hardy, he eventually signed with Hal Roach Studios in 1924 before appearing in a handful of films directed by none other than Stan Laurel in the mid-1920's.

A far different Oliver Hardy, but essentially the same Stan Laurel we know and love did their first short film together The Lucky Dog. The voice and mannerisms that went with the Ollie we know from the talkies just are not there in this short subject.

Stan, a little younger, but the same innocence just gets tossed out of his roominghouse and he and a little pup make friends. Later on a rather bulky crook played by Hardy tries to rob him, but when all you have is a pooch to your name there's not much point. In the end Hardy's very bulk gets him in trouble.

An interesting bit of historical silent film, but the short subject in and of itself is no great shakes. Stan would be doing some nice solo short subjects. Ollie would be a supporting player until Hal Roach teamed him with Stan.

For the fans of Stan and Ollie.

THE LUCKY DOG is a short film from 1921 which stands as the first on-screen pairing of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, although this was years before they had established their classic double act routine. Watching it, however, and you become aware that a lot of the mechanism behind their huge success was already in place, flowing naturally from the talents of the two actors.

Laurel is the main star in this and the film charts his misadventures with a little stray dog that adopts him. He later attempts to get it in a dog show which causes all manner of slapstick mayhem. Laurel's persona is very close to that we know and love, although he looks a little different and his heavy eyeliner is a little odd. Dogs are always good value in silent cinema and the one in this is an exceptionally energetic ball of life.

Hardy has less to do here and pops up in support as a thuggish criminal. The scenes in which he crosses paths with Laurel are of course the best bits of the movie and great fun. An extended run-in at a country house is the funniest part of this short, with some truly surreal, cartoonish and violent antics. LUCKY DOG is only available in an average-looking print these days which has a few missing bits (one scene cuts from Laurel standing outside the dog show, trying to get in, to lying on a table inside) but it's still a must for fans of the comedy pairing.

I think this movie has a score as high as it does mostly because of sentiment. There are a lot of people out there that LOVE Luarel and Hardy movies, and so they score this one so highly because it was their first on-screen appearances together. However, they did not act like a comedy team in the least. It was a Stan Laurel feature and Ollie appeared in it as a bad guy--first when he tried to mug Stan and later when he was caught trying to film-flam money out of a rich family. While this isn't a terrible film, compared to other short slapstick movies of the day it is nearly average--but doesn't come close to comparing to the work of Chalpin, Keaton or other masters of silent comedies. No, this was just a first,...and a mediocre first at that. I think the only reason it even merited a 4 was that I really liked the dog!

The version I saw was from Image Entertainment and claims to be more complete than any other version. I do know that years ago when I read a filmography about the team, it said that only fragments of the movie existed. This film seemed complete at 24 minutes.

Okay, so after about 20 years of only seeing the first half of this, the earliest appearance of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy side by side-though unlike their future output not friends yet-on film, I finally got to see The Lucky Dog in its entirety just now on joust.com. While I admit the whole thing is a bit chaotic and frantic, I laughed hard nonetheless during the entire thing especially when the two future teammates were on screen together. The entire thing has a Mack Sennett "anything goes" attitude throughout that just made me guffaw hysterically by myself the whole time. Nothing subtle at all about the comic set pieces like you'd expect from the boys in their future Hal Roach endeavors. Still, well worth seeing just to watch such an enduring comedy team in an initial test of what would become such perfect chemistry of two people ever made in the movies! So yes, on that note, I highly recommend The Lucky Dog.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.

'The Lucky Dog' is most notable for being of historical interest, in that it was the first time Laurel and Hardy featured together on film and where this legendary partnership was born. That is the main reason to see it, but there is more to 'The Lucky Dog' for that to be the only reason for watching. There are some good elements here and it's fun to watch but Laurel and Hardy definitely went on to much better things when their style and such were properly settled.

It is amusing with some well-engineered slapstick, but later efforts were much funnier (to a more consistent level) and inventive. It would have benefitted from sharper timing and more wit and the predictability factor was high with easily foreseeable outcomes. The story is very flimsy and tends to be too busy and towards the end confused.

Do agree that 'The Lucky Dog' gets very messy in storytelling and coherence of the action towards the end, which makes the second half less enjoyable than the promising first. There is a sense of "yet to find its feet".

However, the two are on good form and their chemistry is great fun to watch. Laurel has more to do and has the funnier material which he sinks his teeth into, but Hardy is suitably formidable and his comic timing is just as good in his own way.

First half is very promising and where the best of the humour comes from. The best parts are well-timed and very amusing. 'The Lucky Dog' is never dull and there's a lot of energy, despite being too busy in latter stages. Technically and visually, while not exactly refined, 'The Lucky Dog' is quite good and the direction is competent.

In summary, worth the look and interesting but not Laurel and Hardy at their best

The date of "The Lucky Dog" is uncertain; it has traditionally been given as 1917, but it has been suggested that it may have been shot as late as 1921. Stan Laurel here plays a down-on-his-luck young man who is thrown out of his lodgings for not paying his rent. He is held up by a robber and twice narrowly avoids being run over by a tram. His only friend is a stray dog who befriends him. The dog, however, proves to be his lucky charm, as it is through the dog that he meets a dog-loving young lady. The dog also saves his life from the girl's jealous boyfriend who is plotting to blow him up with the assistance of the robber.

There is nothing specially interesting about the film, which lacks the inventiveness and the slapstick brilliance of many silent shorts from this period, It has, however, become famous because of an accident of history. It was the first film to star both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, although they had not yet become a comedy partnership. In most of their films they play close friends, work colleagues or business partners, but here Ollie plays the robber who holds Stan up and later conspires with the jealous boyfriend. Had these two not gone on to become the famous duo of Laurel and Hardy, this film would doubtless today be forgotten.