The Midnight Patrol *** (1933, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Harry Bernard, Bob Kortman, Charlie Hall, Walter Plinge) – Classic Movie Review 10,037

Director Lloyd French’s 1933 20-minute comedy short The Midnight Patrol stars Stan Laurel and Hardy as radio patrol car cops. Now what police force in the world would take on Stan and Ollie?

The stars are on good form in this often funny though middle-range Laurel and Hardy comedy, with more verbal wit than slapstick, and several superb support turns (especially Bob Kortman as the tyre thief, Charlie Hall as his partner, Walter Plinge (real name Frank Terry) as the safecracker, Harry Bernard as the jail visitor and Frank Brownlee as the police chief).

The comedy goes well, but it doesn’t seem quite right to have natural born rebels Laurel and Hardy on the right side of the law.

Also in the cast are Edgar Dearing as Policeman, Eddie Dunn, as Police Sergeant, James C Morton as Policeman, Al Corporal as Butler, and Tiny Sandford as Policeman, with the voice of Billy Bletcher as the Radio Dispatcher.

[Spoiler alert] The film ends with the police chief opening fire on Stan and Ollie, and saying ‘send for the coroner’, making this one of only two of their films where the boys wind up dead.

The Midnight Patrol is directed by Lloyd French, runs 20 minutes, is made by Hal Roach Studios, is released by MGM, is written by Stan Laurel (uncredited) and Sidney Rauh (uncredited), is shot in black and white by Art Lloyd, is produced by Hal Roach, and is scored by Marvin Hatley (composer of stock music) and LeRoy Shield (composer of stock music).

It was released on 3 August 1933.

Louise Beavers as the Maid had her scenes deleted.

Stoke-on-Trent, UK, and San Jose, California, Laurel and Hardy tents are named ‘The Midnight Patrol Tent’ to honour the film.

The police car is a 1927 Cadillac Standard Line and he street thugs’ car is a 1925 Chevrolet Superior.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,037

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