Celebrate the holidays with those legends of the silver screen: Laurel & Hardy.
Day 5 of my holiday comic book readings took me back to the golden age of Hollywood in a trio of Christmas stories. First, everything goes wrong for the guys as they attempt to deliver a Christmas tree to a family just in time for Santa to arrive. Then, Laurel & Hardy run afoul of a trio of street urchins as the best friends attempt to navigate jobs during the holidays. Lastly, Hardy is offered a sweet fee if he'll play emergency Santa for a department store.
All three stories were very good if not great. The first story was classic Laurel & Hardy in which the pair attempt to do menial labor in dangerously delightful ways. The middle yarn had a touch of O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi as both Stan and Oliver really want to buy their friend a gift; but they're both broke. The last story was more Three Stooges than Laurel & Hardy. It was a little too slapstick in just it didn't feel like something that would really happen to the guys.
Plus, I didn't know that Hardy was married. Not in real life. I'm talking on screen.
Rounding out the book was a two-page script in which Laurel keeps interrupting Hardy as he attempts to read T'was The Night Before Christmas. I thought this was great. I'm just not used to Laurel being so verbose. I know he talks in the movies. But he tends to be more resolved. That's really not the case in the prose story.
Overall, a fun read. When everything just seems to be falling apart right now, it was nice to have something that didn't trigger thoughts of racial injustice, homophobia or political strife. Just 2 guys trying to do right in the world during Christmastime.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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