Twice Two ** (1933, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Baldwin Cooke) – Classic Movie Review 7369

Director James Parrott’s 1933 20-minute short Twice Two finds Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy playing both themselves and, creepily but hilariously, each other’s wives.

It is a year since Stan married Ollie’s sister and Ollie married Stan’s. Laurel and Hardy brilliantly play each other’s wives Mrs Sandy Hardy and Mrs Fanny Laurel as well as themselves (of course) in this Stan Laurel-scripted tale of an anniversary celebration dinner party get-together.

Stan and Ollie are magnificent and quite hilarious in drag, but, after a funny start, the script fails to develop its full comedy potential and leaves the boys (girls?) somewhat stranded. But, even so, it is well done and this early short is overall generally funny.

Also in the cast are Baldwin Cooke, Charlie Hall and Ham Kinsey.

The earlier Brats (1930) and the later Our Relations (1936) repeated the wife-playing idea.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7369

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