Bullfighters, The (DVD)

I'd say the Laurel and Hardy features for 20th Fox are pretty well rehabilitated by now, decades having passed since William K. Everson criticized the group in his Films Of L&H book. Everson's was further push of voodoo pins Laurel himself applied whenever the topic arose with biographer John McCabe, or in correspondence w/fans to the end of SL's life (2/65). You wonder if he caught portions on TV, or if memory alone kept flames lit. What Stan may have forgot was store of good will had for the team by 40's audiences, all of whom had seen L&H from either silent beginnings or in full-lengths since the mid-30's. Earlier comedies for Roach were back as well during the war to represent the boys at prime. In fact, a then-public was grateful to have Laurel and Hardy at whatever strength, that confirmed by non-stop profit from all eight of features done between 1941 and US finish that was The Bullfighters.

Success was helped by booking efficiencies of Fox and MGM, the team's wartime employers that put product on screens whatever its merit. Virtually nothing majors released during WWII lost money, so ingrained was moviegoing habit at the time. However little critic support they got for it, Laurel and Hardy kept slapstick's flag flying. Outside of cartoons, or two-reelers still done by Columbia and RKO, the field seemed theirs. Sight-gagging L&H amounted to a nostalgia act, thus wider-aged patronage within their net. Abbott and Costello were fresher, at least seemed funnier at the…