salzmank's Replies


Oh, Lord, no. :) Handle just comes from changing around a few letters in my last name (I've got one of those "anagrammatic minds," as Ellery Queen would call it). It is a German name—I'm German on my father's side and Italian on my mother's, with English, Irish, and Polish all mixed in there as well. So, in the end—as American as apple pie! As for the point at hand... I sent an e-mail to those people I know who know everything about the Boys, but they haven't got back to me yet. Will let you know when they do. Found nothing else in GG, by the way. Well, guess what. I did indeed find the first half of the scene (Stan's question and Ollie's spilling) in "Great Guns." It's a blink-and-you'll-miss it scene, so I'm not surprised either of couldn't find it, actually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anzXyWUkis 36:47 Two things that make me wary, though: it's not as you or anyone else remembers it (it's in an army tent, not at a restaurant or a table--Ollie's standing and Stan's sitting) and the whole second half of the scene--I couldn't find it. Looked all throughout "Great Guns," but I'll look again just in case. This is very strange. I found a reference to the scene in the June 29, 1941, copy of the Chicago Tribune. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1941/07/29/page/11/article/looking-at-hollywood The movie they're referencing? "Great Guns." Yup. I'm trying to think of how. So apparently you and I both missed it, somehow? I'll take a look again tonight. Here, too. http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2011/10/24/1141/ Lots of people remember this, apparently. Lee Siegel includes a reference to this scene in "Groucho Marx: The Comedy of Existence." https://books.google.com/books?id=5Nc_CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA129&lpg=PA129&dq=laurel+and+hardy+what+time+is+it+watch+spill+water&source=bl&ots=wC8dTaAuCP&sig=DF45ukaVukhkiPYiGuzcgjTxYjE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwii9YWUssXTAhXqy4MKHbQyBMsQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=laurel%20and%20hardy%20what%20time%20is%20it%20watch%20spill%20water&f=false Still can't find the scene itself, though. Still looking. Nope, just checked; the one I was thinking of ("Men O' War") doesn't have that scene either. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQk3mXQtbg I'll check some more, though. If nothing turns up, I'll send an e-mail to some friends who know everything about the Boys, and if they don't know anything, I'd guess it's probably the Dick van Dyke sketch. I just looked through "Great Guns" too (I hadn't seen it before--it's one of the Boys' weakest of the later features, with a plot obviously taken from Abbott and Costello's "Buck Privates" and very little comedy), and I can't find it either in there. There's an early one, I remember, where they go to a cafe and there's a joke a bit like the "dollar routine" in the Dick van Dyke sketch, so I'll see if that one also has the time joke. There is this sequence, done on the Dick van Dyke show, with Dick as Stanley and Henry Calvin (who had played Ollie's part in Disney's remake of "Babes in Toyland") as Ollie. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z60xc Your scene starts at about 4:07. Is that it? I can't find an authentic L&H scene from which it was taken. Jaures1, were you the person who also asked the question here (http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/home/message/message-2014-00.html)? I'm a bit of a L&H buff, but I've never seen, or even heard, of this sequence. I'll do some checking for you, though. I'm back (if anyone's interested ;) )! I did indeed have a nice trip, MovieMan. By the way, did you get a chance to take a look at those recommendations? Just fine, thanks! I won't be able to post for about a week and change–going away for Easter–so if you don't hear from me, that's why. By the way, Happy Easter to you and everyone else here! (P.S. I should mention two more movies were recommended–[i]The Woman who Came Back[/i] and [i]The Amazing Mr. X[/i].) I didn't think so either, but, hey, better to cover all the bases, right? I received two hits from the other forum (http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/66474/Re-UNKNOWN-40s50s-Horror-Movie?page=-1#.WO6i4FLMzow). The first was for [i]The Unknown[/i] (1946), and the other was for [i]Carnival of Souls[/i](1962). Hope everything's going well for you, MovieManCin2! OK, good to know. I completely understand about having a crazy week! Real life comes first, of course! :) Funny that it's so difficult to find. Unfortunately, nobody on that website has told me anything more about it. Thanks for your kind words, by the way. Much appreciated. And I absolutely understand what you mean about not being able to find it--it is infuriating. Hope everything's going well for you! Salzmank First, thanks for the too-kind words, MovieManCin2! Very much appreciated. Second, I'm hoping so too, but no one has yet gotten back to me there, despite 153 views, for the last three days. I'm hoping someone knows it. Salzmank Thanks for your first post on this topic, Allaby. "M" is a good choice. I haven't seen it in years, but I remember loving Lorre's performance, which I thought was incredible: truly going through the gamut of emotions and showing what a wretch the character truly was. It is just superb. Unfortunately, I don't feel the same about the rest of the movie. As I wrote elsewhere, "I find M (1931) dreadfully, and deathly, dull, in spite of Peter Lorre's brilliant lead performance and the famous balloon scene. In fact, while I approve of his work in theory (paranoids in a world of those actually out to get you), I find most of Fritz Lang's movies to be dull. I really only liked Ministry of Fear (oh, and Metropolis too!), and, even then, there were elements to criticize." The concept of "M" is first-rate, but I don't think Lang's execution is particularly good. I would have to take another look at it and get back to you to go into greater detail. Oh, I understand completely. No need to apologize. And how I agree with you about our PC-mad culture! I live and work in Massachusetts, which is a wonderful state, but--my God!--the political correctness is wild, stupefying, and, ultimately, just plain silly. I'm a "he," by the way, MovieManCin2. I suppose we should all clarify that just to avoid confusion later on, right? ;) MovieManCin2 just invited me here, so hi everyone! The whole thing sounds a bit like some secret society... No initiation rituals or Tontine plots, I hope? ;) Seriously, I always appreciate talking about movies, particularly the classics. Sure, why not? Thanks for the invitation!