Shine On

The first in an irregular series remembering 20th century cultural icons...

Laurel and Hardy were probably not popular entertainment’s first Odd Couple, but due to their large volume of quality comedic work in film, they were among the most influential. One of the better pieces about them on the Internet is Mark Evanier’s article here.

When first encountering their screen antics I preferred the mild-mannered put-upon Stanley – the skinny Bow to the ever-exasperated know-it-all roundness of Ollie the Fiddle – but over the years, as I get older, I see more the perfection of their pairing. They’re like the Baby New Year and the Old Year Past figures seen every December 31: Stanley is the baby with Innocence we wish we still had, while Ollie is the adult of Experience who thinks he’s seen it all. His pride is ours, and we know he will at some point fall – in a “prat”, of course.

Woody Allen’s “Reasons to Live” from “Manhattan” could well have included the following clip. It’s from the marvelous The Flying Deuces, which you should rent or own, and though the two minutes offered here does not display their usual comedy shtick, it makes the case for our keeping the pair forever in mind.

All you need to know: The dead-head duo decides to quit the Foreign Legion, making a leisurely exit from the fort. Unaware they are about to be put away for desertion they take the time to dawdle when a familiar tune wings into their ears.

One of the most charming moments ever put to film and, at the very least, it’s a “Reason to Smile”…