The Live Ghost (1934)

Introduction
"The Live Ghost" is a 1934, comedy brief movie from the Hal Roach Studios directed by Charles Rogers and supervised by Harold Lloyd. It belongs to the Laurel and Hardy series and is the duo's last film for 1934. It features Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, along with Walter Long and Mae Busch.

Plot Synopsis
In "The Live Ghost", Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy play two unfortunate souls who, through a series of comical situations, discover themselves shanghaied onto a "haunted" ship. The ship's captain, played by Walter Long, techniques the duo into boarding his ship which is shunned by regional sailors who believe it's haunted due to weird sounds. The captain needs a team to make a voyage and exercises a plan to entice and get them.

Funny and Misunderstandings
Comic misconceptions are plentiful as the misinformed pair, after being deceived into helping shanghai numerous other sailors, discover their predicament. They are also misleaded that a person of the sailors they helped shanghai was murdered throughout the process. This leads to a series of funny situations as Laurel and Hardy try to avoid the thought of ghost of the murdered sailor. They utilize various methods to stay out of damage's way, with Hardy normally positioning his less smart partner, Laurel, in treacherous circumstances while trying to conserve himself.

The "Ghost" Unveiled
The film reaches its comedic climax when the "ghost", whom Laurel and Hardy believe to be haunting the ship, is exposed to be the very same sailor they believed they had actually killed. Covered in whitewash after inadvertently falling into a paint barrel, the sailor has actually been strolling the ship, frightening everyone, including the captain.

Resolution
In the end, Laurel and Hardy handle to record the "ghost", just to have the sailor chase them when he comes to. This leads to another series of comic goes after and physical comedy bits prior to the sailor reaches them and describes the confusion. The film concludes with yet another traditional Laurel and Hardy comedy scene. The captain, thrilled not to have actually a haunted ship anymore, has one last laugh at the duo's expense, sending them overboard just to land in the same barrel of whitewash, turning them into "live ghosts" and leaving the audience in splits.

Conclusion
"The Live Ghost" is a classic Laurel and Hardy piece, teeming with slapstick comedy and humorous misunderstandings that were a trademark of their work. It relies greatly on visual gags, physical comedy, and the comical timing and chemistry in between its 2 stars, making it a must-watch for fans of the comical duo. The portrayal of the duo's characterizations, the innocent and absurd Laurel and the pompous Hardy, draws the audience into an enjoyable and memorable experience. Although constructed on a basic plot, the film remarkably showcases Laurel and Hardy's unique ability to wring comic gold from their continual bad luck.

Top Cast