Stan and Ollie travel to the mountains for Ollie's health, and park their caravan near a well into which a gang of moonshiners have earlier dumped their moonshine; and the boys proceed to quench their thirst thinking that it is iron-rich mountain water. The real trouble doesn't begin, though, until a married motoring couple stop by to borrow some gasoline, and the already-cranky husband leaves his thirsty wife with the boys while he goes off to refill his car's empty gas-tank. A sequel was made to this film: TIT FOR TAT, q.v.
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the audience applauded
Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
Them Thar Hills is a great little short, with Stan and Ollie's characters at their most lovable. This time, for a change, the ensuing calamities are not down to their ineptitude, but to the innocent imbibing of moonshine whiskey while on a camping trip to cure Ollie's gout. While there, Oliver prepares a lunch which seems to consist solely of baked beans. Stan's response? "Boy you sure know how to plan a meal!"The humour is brilliantly sustained. The boys have been inadvertently drunk before, of course - their short SCRAM, for instance. But this is the funniest, leading to a wonderful tit-for-tat bit with Charlie Hall which had me in stitches. And the brilliant well gag is fantastic. You would expect them to rework the old hittin' the gouty foot routine - but it's hardly brought up. And such was the audience response to this film Stan and Ollie made a sequel - Tit For Tat.Them Thar Hills is twenty minutes of The Boys at their best. Not to be missed.
The comic geniuses, Laurel and Hardy, made so many hilarious shorts that it is hard to choose a best one. Certainly "The Music Box," which garnished the duo an Oscar, is as good as the best humor ever put on celluloid. Though Laurel and Hardy made at least two masterful feature films, "Way Out West" and "Sons of the Desert," their shorts are among their greatest moments on the big screen. "Them Thar Hills" is non-stop laughter both physical and verbal from beginning to end.Mr. Hardy is in need of rest, says wise doctor Billy Gilbert. He has had too much high living. Mr. Laurel suggests that they move down to the basement, but Dr. Gilbert counters with recommending a trip to the mountains and to be sure and drink lots and lots of water. Laurel convinces Hardy to rent a hook-on trailer and the boys are off on another misadventure. Just before they decide on a camping spot near a well, a bunch of moonshiners dump their payload into the well to destroy the evidence as the revenuers close in on them. Though the idea of putting whiskey or moonshine into the drinking supply for comedic effect was not new--Charlie Chaplin used the ploy for one of his classic shorts, "The Cure," as early as 19l7--the situation is different and Laurel and Hardy adapt it to their unique brand of humor.The two are doing just fine in an outrageously funny scene where the two prepare a meal with making a pot of coffee becoming as funny as falling off a chair backwards. Naturally they use the spiked well water for the coffee. Both proceed to get looped. Enter a couple who have run out of gas and seek the assistance of Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy. Bad mistake. what takes place is one of the funniest slapstick routines ever filmed. Aiding in the sequence is a Laurel and Hardy regular, Charley Hall, second only to the magnificent James Finlayson as a perfect foil for the boys. His companion in hilarity is another Laurel and Hardy regular, Mae Busch, one of the screens great comediennes.Anyone who doesn't roll with laughter watching "Them Thar Hills" needs to have his/her funny bone checked out immediately. Those who enjoy "Them Thar Hills" should check out its sequel, "Tit for Tat," and let the fun continue.
Them Thar Hills is another favorite Laurel and Hardy episode of mine. In this one, Stan and Ollie go out into the country for Ollie's health. Along the way they encounter a fun loving wife (Mae Busch) and her exasperated husband (Charlie Hall), and they get drunk on some wishing well water that had been contaminated with alcohol by moonshiners. The funniest part in this episode was when Stan and Ollie retaliate against Charlie Hall! Laurel and Hardy were both ingenious when it came to making episodes and movies, Stan Laurel had taken any gag he used and made it be extremely funny! Also, the way they played off each other in this episode and others were absolutely impressive. That's what made L&H so exquistite, comedy-wise. In fact, Laurel and Hardy are my second favorite comedy team of yesteryear! Also, Charlie Hall was a great L&H regular, too! And the fun doesn't stop there! After you see Them Thar Hills, watch the bonus sequel Tit for Tat! Both episodes are a can't-miss for Laurel and Hardy fans!
This is one of Laurel and Hardy's funniest two-reelers, thanks in particular to two memorable scenes. First is the delightful drunken party scene with Mae Busch, as the three are unaware that their well water has been spiked with moonshine. Finally, there is the outrageous "tit-for-tat" slapstick finale with Charlie Hall, as each character stands there allowing another character to commit some indignity upon them, calmly awaiting their chance to retaliate. The sequel, titled Tit For Tat, featured the same cast and formula, and is nearly as good.
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