Flying Elephants
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Flying Elephants | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Frank Butler |
Written by | Hal Roach H.M. Walker (titles) |
Produced by | Hal Roach |
Starring | Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy Jimmy Finlayson Edna Marion Dorothy Coburn Viola Richard Fay Lanphier Budd Fine Tiny Sandford Leo Willis |
Distributed by | Pathé Exchange |
Release date |
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Running time | 17 minutes |
Country | United States |
Languages | Silent film English (Original intertitles) |
Flying Elephants is a two-reel silent film from 1928 directed by Frank Butler and produced by Hal Roach. It stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy as a pair of battling cavemen.
Plot[]
The film takes place in the Stone Age, where the King of the cave people declares that all the males between 13 and 99 years of age must find a female mate or face banishment. Hardy starts looking for a wife and in the scene it says "anyones will do" but is constantly clubbed on the head by the annoyed "husbands" Eventually Hardy finds an available girl but doesn't realize that Laurel, with whom he has become friends, is already intending to marry this girl.
As both Laurel and Hardy pursue the same girl, this eventually leads to several contests to win the affections of the young bride-to-be. Laurel leads Hardy to the top of a mountain with the intention of pushing his rival to his death. His plan ends up failing, until an angry goat rams Hardy over the cliff, allowing Laurel to go claim the girl.[1]
Cast[]
- Stan Laurel - Little Twinkle Star
- Oliver Hardy - Mighty Giant
- James Finlayson - Saxophonus
- Edna Marion - Cavewoman
- Dorothy Coburn - Gorgeous Wrestler
- Viola Richard - Blushing Rose
- Fay Lanphier - Blonde Cavewoman
- Budd Fine - Hulking Caveman
- Tiny Sandford - Hulking Caveman
- Leo Willis - Fisherman
Production and distribution[]
Although released in February 1928, Flying Elephants was actually filmed in May 1927, before the duo were established as a comedy team. As a result, the film lacks the Laurel and Hardy trademarks and consists mostly of solo performances by the two comedians.[2]
Taking place entirely outdoors, the rocky desert locations were photographed in Moapa, Nevada. Some locations would later be used in 1940 for Hal Roach's prehistoric drama One Million B.C..[1][3]
The title Flying Elephants refers to a scene where Hardy's character points out three animated pachyderms flying up above in the sky.[4]
References[]
- ^ a b Everson, William K. (2000). The Complete Films of Laurel and Hardy. Citadel. p. 47. ISBN 978-0806501468.
- ^ Potts, Mark & Sheppard, Dave (2001). What was the Film When? The Movies of Laurel & Hardy . Quayside Creative Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9555318-3-5, pp 41-42.
- ^ Okuda, Ted and James L. Neibaur (2012). Stan Without Ollie: The Stan Laurel Solo Films, 1917-1927. McFarland. p. 206. ISBN 978-0786447817.
- ^ Mitchell-Waite, Antony and Joanne Mitchell-Waite (2013). Laurel & Hardy's Animated Antics A-Z 3rd Edition. lulu.com. p. 107. ISBN 978-1291619256.
External links[]
- 1928 films
- 1928 comedy films
- American films
- American silent short films
- American black-and-white films
- Laurel and Hardy (film series)
- Films about cavemen
- Films with screenplays by H. M. Walker
- 1928 short films
- Comedy short films