Do Detectives Think?
| Do Detectives Think? | |
|---|---|
| File:L&H Do Detectives Think 1927.jpg Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Fred Guiol |
| Written by | Hal Roach H.M. Walker (titles) |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Starring | Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy |
| Distributed by | Pathé Exchange |
Release date |
|
Running time | 19 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Silent film English intertitles |
Do Detectives Think? or The Bodyguard is a 1927 silent comedy short film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy prior to their official billing as the duo Laurel and Hardy.
Plot
[edit | edit source]A judge sentences a dangerous criminal, the Tipton Slasher, to death "for killing two Chinamen, both seriously". Judge Foozle, in pronouncing sentence, rather gratuitously adds "And I hope you choke!". The Slasher vows to cut out the Judge's tonsils without anesthetic. When the Slasher escapes, the judge hires Laurel and Hardy, two clumsy detectives, for protection. While on duty, Laurel and Hardy face various mishaps, like losing their hats in a cemetery. Unbeknownst to them, the Slasher disguises himself as a butler in the judge's house.
Hardy tries to impress the judge with his shooting skills but causes chaos instead. The judge's wife mistakes the Slasher for a threat, leading to a tense confrontation. Despite their blunders, Laurel and Hardy eventually capture the Slasher, though not without chaos. In the end, the judge's accidental scare helps the police catch the Slasher, thanks to Laurel and Hardy's unintentional help.[1]
Cast
[edit | edit source]- Stan Laurel - Ferdinand Finkleberry
- Oliver Hardy - Sherlock Pinkham
- James Finlayson - Judge Foozle
- Noah Young - The Tipton Slasher
- Viola Richard - Mrs. Foozle
- Frank Brownlee - Detective agency boss
- Charles A. Bachman - Officer
- Will Stanton - Slasher's pal
- Charley Young - Juror
- Wilson Benge - Butler attacked by Slasher
- Ed Brandenburg - Courtroom spectator
- Charles Lloyd - Juror
Production notes
[edit | edit source]Do Detectives Think? is the first film to showcase Laurel and Hardy donning their iconic attire of crumpled suits and bowler hats, the typical outfit of detectives during that era.
It was later reworked into the team's last American film The Bullfighters (1945), made at 20th Century Fox.
Homages
[edit | edit source]Canadian musician Nash the Slash chose his stage name based on the character in Do Detectives Think.[2]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Nash the Slash, at the Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia, by Jaimie Vernon et al., published 2011; retrieved May 13, 2014
Do detectives think by Lordheath. Last updated on May 2, 2017.
External links
[edit | edit source]- Do Detectives Think? at IMDbLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Do Detectives Think? at the TCM Movie Database
- Do Detectives Think? at Rotten TomatoesLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- 1927 films
- 1927 comedy films
- 1927 short films
- 1920s American films
- 1920s English-language films
- American black-and-white films
- American courtroom films
- English-language comedy short films
- Films directed by Fred Guiol
- Films with screenplays by H. M. Walker
- Laurel and Hardy (film series)
- Pathé Exchange films
- American silent comedy short films
- Surviving American silent films
- Silent comedy short film stubs