Series: All Stars w/Laurel and Hardy Director: Clyde Bruckman Producer: Hal Roach Titles: H.M. Walker Photography: George Stevens Editor: Richard C. Currier Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Released: 03 December 1927 Length: 2 reels Production No.: S-4 Filming dates: September 13-27, 1927 Rating: 5/10

Putting Pants On Philip

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The Honourable, influential, diginified and proud Piedmont Mumblethunder (OLIVER HARDY) is at the docks awaiting the arrival of his Scottish nephew, Philip (STAN LAUREL). He reads the request letter from his sister to meet and greet Philip and make him feel welcome. And then there's the P.S. - Philip has a weakness with the women! The kilt-wearing Philip disembarks the ship along with a fellow Scot who is dressed almost identical to him and the two shake hands. The elder Scotsman leaves as Philip is summoned by the ship's welfare officer (SAM LUFKIN) for a medical examination before he can be cleared. Philip is told to open his mouth so the officer can examine him. He obliges, rather animated in his compliance, but the officer is immediately concerned and takes Philip's pulse, as others laugh on in the background. The bemused officer continues to look at his watch whilst holding Philip's wrist in his other hand. Philip is equally bemused by his emotionless face. Eventually Philip understands the predicament and bursts out crying. The gag does becomed a little over-worked here as the officer pops a thermometer into Philip's mouth, whilst counting the seconds on his watch. After a few seconds the thermometer is removed from Philip's mouth (well, half of it is) and the observing crowd continue to crack up at the spectacle in front of them. His uncle Piedmont also laughs and confides in a bystander that "somebody has to meet that!", little realising that in a few seconds he himself will be introduced to "that!" Still the medical exam continues, with the viewer getting a little tired of the routine by now as it is evidently being used as a time filler for the film.  The officer bangs on Philip's chest and tells him to cough. Philip obliges and blows the officer's hat off. The attention then turns to examining Philip's hair for lice, something Philip is not keen on. After several unnecessarily aggressive attempts to check Philip's hair, Philip turns the tables on the officer and does likewise on him, almost turning it into a physical fight. Philip is then asked if he has been vaccinated? Philip says he has, but not in the arm! Philip is eventually dismissed. Although the laughing crowd continue to mock him, Philip realises whom it is he is supposed to meet, and pulls out a photograph of his uncle from his pocket. Piedmont immediately stops laughing when he sees. They quickly leave. Outside in the fresh air, with the ships in the background, Piedmont asks what Philip is interested in. Philip shrugs his shoulders and watches as a woman walks past. He quickly gets excited (well who wouldn't, seeing as the woman is Dorothy Coburn!) and becomes animated. Piedmont calms him down and tells Philip that he should walk behind him as Piedmont is a highly respected gentleman around town and doesn't want his reputation ruined by a horny Scotsman.... well, words to that affect! Piedmont and Philip turn the corner and walk along the street, with Philip innoncently hanging onto his uncle's arm. REVIEW INCOMPLETE.

Trivia • Copyrighted January 3, 1928. • Some sources claim this to to be the first official teaming of Laurel & Hardy. • Lost Films DVD vs. Universal DVD - Facts: Both copies are similar sharpness-wise, but Lost is cleaner and better graded. However, Lost is missing 3 segments: 1) At around 8'10 in, it is missing 12 secs of Ollie rescuing Philip from the crowd; 2) In the tailor's shop, one of the attempts to take Philip's inside-leg measurement (lasting about 31 secs) is missing; 3) A short shot of a man raising his hat to Philip on the bus (at 15'46 in Kirch). There is also some difference in editing when the ladies faint after Philip's kilt blows up. [observations courtesy Steve Phillips] • Mumblethunder's sister is called Louise. • The boat on which Philip arrives on is called the S.S. Mirimar. • The woman on the dock (the beautiful Dorothy Coburn) looks like she is lost? I mean, doesn't she look just a little out of place? My opinion • Utterly boring.

	Stan Laurel Philip
	Oliver Hardy Ollie
	Charles Bachman Officer
	Chet Brandenburg Streetcar conductor
	Harvey Clark Tailor
	Dorothy Coburn Flapper
	Sam Lufkin Ship's doctor
	Venice Lloyd Woman in cloche hat
	Alfred Fisher Fellow Scot
	Don Bailey [?]
	Jack Hill [?]
	Hope Harper Crowd extra
	Eric Mack [?]
	Tom Mintz [?]
	Bob O'Conor [?]
	Retta Palmer [?]
	Lee Phelps [?]
	UNIDENTIFIED Woman sitting in front of Ollie on bus

STILLS (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: Robin Cook (identification of Alfred Fisher) Peter Mikkelsen (2 stills) Jese Brisson (identification of Hope Harper) This page was last updated on: 21 October 2023