THE GENIUS OF COMEDY: LAUREL & HARDY

"Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." This catchphrase from Oliver Hardy about his pal Stan could apply to nearly every one of their films, or, if not about Laurel, about Hardy himself, who was often his own agent of public catastrophe. Stan Laurel, who wrote their classic routines, said: "Crazy humor was always my type of humor but it's the quiet kind of craziness I like." What he meant by a "quiet kind of craziness," and what exactly distinguishes these two masters of comedy, will be explored, by Professor Josyph in some of their best films, including Beau Hunks (1931); The Music Box (1932); and Tit for Tat (1935).