weezeralfalfa Review of Blotto

Blotto (1930)

"You can certainly tell good liquor when you taste it": Oliver Hardy

[6/10 · 23 October 2018]

Ollie utters the above line after he nearly passes out from drinking the awful tasting concoction, based on tea, that Mrs. Laurel((Anita Garvin) substituted for the liquor in her secret bottle that Stan found and stole so that he and Ollie could have a good time at the Rainbow night club. They didn't do much there except drink this stuff, and occasionally make a nuisance of themselves. The latter included Stan knocking over their table from the force of pulling the cork out of their bottle, Also, Stan ripped several items off the uniform of a waiter. Later, Stan initiated a laughithon, which Ollie sometimes joined in. But Ollie sees the wifie, siting quietly at a side table near them. She has a rifle beside her and means to use it, as she is a very jealous woman who doesn't stand for any funny business from Stan. Finally, from her table, she tells them that they supposedly got drunk on adulterated tea, instead of liquor. The boys hustle out of the nightclub, into a waiting taxi. Wifie is hot on their heels, and once out of the club, levels her rifle and shoots at the departed taxi. The taxi falls apart. Perhaps she hit the gas tank. ........The film begins with Mrs. Laurel getting mad at Stan for pacing back and forth for an hour. He says he wants to go out somewhere. Finally, Ollie calls on the phone. Stan answers, but, several times, puts the phone down. He doesn't want his wife to overhear what they have to say. Finally, wifie answers the phone and talks cordially to Ollie. Tells him that she will go to the kitchen, so can't overhear what they say. But actually, she goes to the upstairs phone, to listen in. Ollie tells Stan to fake a telegram that requires him to leave the house. Stan volunteers that he will steal the wife's secret liquor bottle, and Ollie is impressed. Stan goes through the telegram routine, even playing the part of the messenger boy, and throwing the gram in the fire as soon as he supposedly read it. Wifie doesn't object when he says the message says he has to see someone for business. Ollie shows up and hides behind the bushes. Stan says goodbye to wifie. She says goodbye to him and to Mr. Hardy, whom she sees behind the bush. This should have told them that she knew something about their plans........Incidentally, the word blotto means very drunk, a sarcastic take on the boys assuming that they should be drunk........I fault Stan for spending too much time just standing or sitting around, looking dopey, which isn't humorous to me. Also, some scenes, such as the man singing, went on too long. Thus, I don't consider this to be one of their better films. See it in color(or B&W) at YouTube