Going Bye-Bye! (1934)
In a packed courtroom, Butch Long vows revenge on 'squealers' Laurel and Hardy whose evidence has helped to send him to prison. Frightened, the boys plan to leave town and advertise for someone to share expenses with them. The woman who answers the ad is actually Butch's girlfriend. Meanwhile Butch escapes and hides in a trunk in his girlfriend's apartment where he gets locked inside. Not realizing who it is, Stan and Ollie finally manage to get the trunk open and then Butch exacts his revenge.
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This short is one of the best they did (The Music Box being the best). Not only do you have the somewhat predictable storyline of Stan and Ollie ending up with the girlfriend of the villain they have just helped put behind bars for the rest of his life, it also shows Stan Laurel's brilliance. After placing the advertisement in the newspaper (the wording of which is another Laurel piece of work) watch the bunch of flowers that Ollie brings when they go to meet Butch's girlfriend. Stan and Ollie spend the rest of this short passing the flowers back and forth without thought in the middle of all the chaos. They're still in Ollie's hands at the end. This one thing turned what would have been just another slapstick into pure genius. Whtch this episode! It's one of the best.
"Going Bye-Bye !" shows the screen's greatest comic double-act in brilliant form. It is in fact their last short comedy film classic - another five more two-reelers followed followed (though only one of these - "Them Thar Hills" - approaches the standard of this one). Long is at his fearsome best, and the dialogue ("Excuse me, I have milk in my ear"), characterisations and slapstick are wonderful. This is up there with Stan and Ollie's best. A must.
The critic in me says that the entire film is structured for the sole purpose of the sight gag with which the film ends. But, OH, WHAT A SIGHT GAG!I saw this the other night at a local arts club screening, but available nowhere else. Why isn't this (or for matter, their masterpiece "The Music Box") on video?
In this one Stan and Ollie testify against a ruthless gangster named Butch who vows revenge on the duo. So, then Stan and Ollie leave town to avoid him, and fail in the process! This episode is another one of my favorites of the Laurel and Hardy series. Walter Long was expectional as the villain Butch, and Mae Busch played his girlfriend, and she was a very accomplished actress in her heyday! Those two just blended in very well with Laurel and Hardy. (Spoiler): The best part was the end when Butch got caught and Stan and Ollie had their legs tied around their necks and Ollie says to Stan his famous line, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" And Stan just did one of his trademarks, the incoherent sob! This L&H episode is a definate must-see for any fans! Don't miss it! :)