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Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's

Name: Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's
Director: Robert Youngson
Released: 1965
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

2.0/10

Limited

1965

Approved

Director

Robert Youngson

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Robert Youngson’s retrospective captures the social hierarchies of the 1920s and 30s. Because it relies on archival slapstick, it inherently reflects the era's traditionalist frameworks and limited characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity. The film prioritizes the preservation of physical comedy over social commentary, adhering to the established cultural norms of the original Hal Roach era shorts.

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Category Breakdown

Does Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The compilation does not include any depictions of LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives. The comedic focus remains strictly within the heterosexual social structures of the early sound era.

How does Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's portray gender?

Limited

Women appear in the cast but often serve as catalysts for male embarrassment. The shorts do not prioritize women's ability to drive the story, instead leaning into traditional comedic hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's?

Limited

Representation is largely homogeneous, reflecting the demographic norms of early Hollywood. The footage centers a white, Western perspective through the 'everyman' personas of the central duo.

How does Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film celebrates traditional comedic values and working-class themes through slapstick. It functions as a nostalgic tribute to a specific era of Western entertainment rather than a critique.

Does Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's include disability representation?

Minimal

Physical vulnerability and bodily clumsiness are used as primary sources of humor. These clichés do not provide nuanced portrayals of disability or neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

Preserves the comedic legacy of the Laurel and Hardy era.
Provides a curated mosaic of classic early 20th-century slapstick clichés.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives.
Relies on physical clumsiness as a comedic device rather than nuanced portrayals of disability.
Maintains traditional gender hierarchies with limited women's ability to drive the story.

Official Synopsis

A compilation of primarly Laurel and Hardy shorts---From Soup to Nuts, Wrong Again, Putting the Pants on Philip, The Finishing Touch, Sugar Daddies and short clips from others---plus Max Davidson's Call of the Cuckoo and Dumb Daddies, with some cross-over Charley Chase footage, which, along with Robert Youngson's previous "The Golden Age of Comedy", "When Comedy Was King", "Days of Thrills and Laughter", led to a renewed interest in and a revival of television showings of Laurel and Hardy shorts. The cast was billed in order of their appearance: Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Vivien Oakland (with a Vivian typo), Glen Tyron, Edna Murphy, Anita Garvin, Tiny Sanford, Jimmy Finlayson, Charlie Chase, Viola Richard, Max Davidson, Del Henderson, Josephine Crowell, Anders Randolf (as Anders Randolph), Edgar Kennedy, Dorothy Coburn, Lillian Elliott and "Spec" O'Donnell.

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