Film Summary"45 Minutes from Hollywood" is a quiet American short comedy movie launched in 1926. This Hal Roach Studios production is popular for presenting the world-renowned funny duo, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, although, they did not appear together in the very same scene.
PlotThe movie unfolds with scenes of an economic depression in Beverly Hills where banks are closed and property managers expulsion notice. The Boyles, a basic working class household from rural America, receive a letter from their Aunt Kate urging them to come and live with her in Hollywood. The household decides to embark on the journey to Hollywood, instigated by the possibility of taking pleasure in a greater living requirement.
Nevertheless, Aunt Kate works as a housemaid in a hotel that deals with wannabe actors and models; a reality she carefully overlooked from her letter. Subsequently, the Boyles household is in for a big surprise upon their arrival.
Story and Character DevelopmentThe film focuses on the luckless family drawn into the whirlpool of funny schemes and disorderly occasions because of their decision to leave their tranquil countryside life. The story mainly follows Glen Tryon, who plays the young boy, recounting his experiences and encounters in Hollywood.
Although both Laurel and Hardy make their appearances in the film, Hardy plays a hotel detective while Laurel portrays a hotel guest vis-à-vis a thief. As a result, the 2 pass like ships in the night, not sharing any screen time together. Regardless, this movie marked the start of both of their professions in comedy.
Humor and Cinematic Techniques"45 Minutes from Hollywood" is a typical Hal Roach production, brimming with both slapstick comedy and situational humour. The film utilizes exaggeration to turn simple and reasonable scenarios into humorous sequences, exhibited by the representation of the bank run or the turmoil that occurs at the hotel.
Cinematic strategies such as quick-paced editing and overemphasized physical humor are embraced to amplify the comical effect. The film, however, does not shy away from spoofing Hollywood and its outrageousness, drawing its humor from the clash in between naive country folks and flamboyant, eccentric Hollywood wannabes.
Relevance and LegacyThe film is historically considerable due to the fact that, although they don't share screen time, it is the very first film to include both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who later went on to end up being an internationally popular funny duo, known for their humorous shenanigans and unforgettable sketches in sound films.
Conclusion"45 Minutes from Hollywood" works as a significant milestone in the history of comedy films and even has its place in Hollywood history. It showed early proof of the comedic expertise of Laurel and Hardy, using audiences their very first looks at the pair who would later end up being the legends of comedy cinema. Despite it being a quiet film, "45 Minutes from Hollywood" was commonly appreciated for its amusing take on the Hollywood lifestyle and its creative usage of ordinary scenarios and physical funny to elicit laughter.
Top Cast
