The Bullfighters

Bullfighters, The (1945) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Laurel and Hardy's final American film finds them playing detectives in Mexico looking for a woman. They end up with a seedy promoter (Richard Lane) who wants to pass Laurel off as a famous bullfighter. The boys have to go along with the plan so that the promoter doesn't turn them over to an man they wrongfully sent to prison years earlier. Going through L&H's final films at Fox, I think one could agree that they're not the best work from the boys but at the same time they're not nearly as horrible as their reputations would have you believe. This film here certainly isn't the greatest but there are enough laughs to make it worth viewing and the 61-minute running time goes by rather quickly. The best gag in the film happens early on when the boys are sitting next to a fountain and Laurel accidentally shoots Hardy with some water. Hardy, thinking it was a man sitting next to them, starts a water fight and this rather long sequence just keeps getting funnier and funnier as it goes along. What's so special about this scene isn't the water being thrown around but the facial expressions of Hardy as he keeps getting into a bigger mess. It's also priceless just seeing the look on Laurel's face as he sits back not understanding what's going on. The rest of the gags are hit and miss at best and this includes a misfire involving the boys and some eggs. The final gag inside the bullring isn't as funny as it could have been and the very final gag is a complete disaster and comes off rather embarrassing. With that said, there are enough laughs here so fans will certainly want to check it out but those new to the group will certainly want to try their earlier work first.

Moviecut—The Bullfighters

source: The Bullfighters

The Bullfighters

One of the last pictures for the famous comedy duo; only the notorious ATOLL K would follow some five years later. Sure, this isn't as good as their classic Hal Roach productions, but saying that it's not so bad either. It moves at a fair clip and the plot is quite straightforward, seeing the boys in Mexico trying to hide from a gangster with a grudge against them. Stan's masquerade as a bullfighter is a bit tiresome but the traditional gag routines work well, the highlight being the random bit with the eggs which is a classic.

Going "Down Mexico Way" as private investigators, the boys once again are part of a case of mistaken identity with Laurel believed to be a famous (!) Spanish bullfighter. They discover that one of their old cases has come back to haunt them, a man they sent to jail for a crime he did not commit. In trying to hide from them, they decide to utilize the fake bullfighter persona, but as predicted, the real bullfighter arrives. This creates an hour of farce, some funny, but most tired. I still couldn't help but laugh at a repeat of the egg sequence from 1934's "Hollywood Party" in which a bowl of eggs is conveniently set down on a bar where it is used as a weapon between the boys and their foil (in this case the blonde Carol Andrews). There's also a similar bit with water used instead of eggs in the hotel lobby. Their antics here seem a bit tired, although there is a clever usage of special effects for the final gag that will literally leave you "rattling" with laughter.

By 1945, it was clear that the film careers of Laurel and Hardy were winding down. Their second to last feature was "The Bullfighters", wherein they play detectives who go to Mexico to arrest a larcenist. As it happens, not only is Stan a dead ringer for a noted bullfighter, but a man whom the guys helped imprison is seeking revenge. There are some funny scenes, but the movie isn't quite like their 1930s movies. On top of that, the casting of white people as Mexicans is politically incorrect. And of course, it's hard to enjoy the bullfighting scenes, knowing what a cruel sport it is. I always root for the bull. If the bullfighter gets injured...well, he knew the risks. Anyway, it's OK, not great.

Mexico, Detectives Laurel and Hardy are on the trail of the evil Larceny Nell, but they get distracted by the usual assortment of Fox Studio gangsters. One of the gangsters notices Stan's remarkable resemblence to Don Sebastian, the great bullfighter. A lightbulb goes off in his head. Wackiness ensues. Standard Laurel and Hardy film which is enjoyable from start to finish. There's plenty of slapstick; the egg smashing scene in the bar had me in stitches. Laurel & Hardy were visibly ageing but they still had the comic timing to pull it off. There's an energetic dance sequence by Diosa Costello and a pant splitting one.

Of course, this Laurel & Hardy feature is not another "Way Out West" (1937), but it's still worth watching. Their final Hollywood picture is far better than the other Fox and MGM products that the Boys did in the forties. Despite some boring sequences there is much more room for comedy - and Laurel & Hardy know to use it. Even Stan's make-up, which he was forced to change in the former Fox movies and that made him look much older, resembles his appearance in the old Roach days. One may wonder why producers in the forties after this movie did not realize, that these two genuine clowns had still the power to carry a whole picture. It's always sad to think of the fact, that there was only one more Laurel & Hardy film to be done after "The Bullfighters".

yes, their final for the USA, and too bad it is far from their "average" feature for the great Hal Roach (1927-1940). on the other hand, along with THE DANCING MASTERS, this hangs together as a *comedy* and the Director thankfully does not bog them down as the naïve but lovable dummies who spend all their time helping the young lovers. some genuine laughs are delivered...and this cannot be said of most of their post-Roach stuff in the '40s. some great opportunities are lost, as usual in this Fox effort, but the picture has the right look and the comedy flows, like the '43 flick mentioned above.