Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are widely regarded as the greatest comedy partnership in movie history. Between 1927 and 1950, they made over 107 film appearances (32 silent short films, 40 sound shorts, 23 features, 12 cameos), defining the notion of the double act with infectious chemistry and hilarious routines that seemed effortless but were honed down to the finest detail. The pair were part of the very few silent stars to survive and thrive in the sound era, adding wordplay to their comedy mastery.

Screenwriter Jeff Pope, Oscar nominated for his screenplay for Philomena, was a fan of the cuckoo duo and began researching their story. His research revealed a little-known slice of Laurel and Hardy history: the double act’s theatre tour of the UK during the early ’50s as documented in AJ Marriot’s book, Laurel & Hardy: The British Tours.

The result is STAN & OLLIE, a remarkably quaint and quietly entertaining revelation.

The filmmakers decided to call the film STAN & OLLIE, not Laurel & Hardy as the production was dedicated to exploring the men behind the legends.

The casting is sublime with Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel and John C Reilley as Oliver Hardy, both excellent as the clowning and quarreling, aimlessly bickering and aimlessly making up pair.
It’s basically a two-hander, but there is sensational support from Nina Arianda as Stan’s wife, Ida and Shirley Henderson as Oliver’s wife, Lucille, as well as Rufus Jones as Bernard Delfont, the impresario who brought Laurel and Hardy for a UK tour in the ’50s. As played by Jones, Delfont is an archetypal showbiz schmoozer and shows hardy acting laurels.

Edited by Billy Sneddon, STAN & OLLIE owes much to John Paul Kelly’s detailed production design and Guy Speranza’s gorgeous costume design.

Quite a departure from his previous feature film, Filth, director Jon S. Baird brings home an affecting bromance that fondles both nostalgia zones and funny bones, sometimes simultaneously, otherwise all at once.

Another fine mess of old fashioned film finesse.