Utopia, with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy

Utopia, with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy

Although Utopia is not one of their best comedies, Stan Laurel and his partner Oliver Hardy still make audiences laugh.

There are no fewer than seven contributors to the script of this film, but the story is rather preposterous.

In fact, it might be because so many took part in the writing that the plot is not substantial or gripping.

Stan Laurel has inherited an island and he visits the lawyers, solicitors with his inseparable friend, Oliver Hardy.

The latter is the consultant on financial matters…

Supposedly.

The lawyers inform Stan that he has now an important sum of money, an island in the Pacific and a yacht.

Only, there is inheritance tax, death tax and a number of other taxes.

Therefore, the pile of money is fast decreasing and each one of the three solicitors takes cash from it.

Finally, there is rather little to take away and that sum is soon nearly vanished, as the couple settles the accounts for their boat.

In the Marseille harbor, Stan and Oliver have trouble, as they always do, with the engine and everything else on the boat.

The captain of the big ship nearby has a solution and sends a mechanic to help the despondent duo.

Only they were just trying to get rid of an unwanted passenger who has no clue about how to handle a boat.

As they investigate their yacht, the amusing friends find a lifeboat that is meant to save four in an emergency…

What will I do?! Cries a desperate Stan

He is clearly referring to the enormous size of his companion, who looks derisive and reflexive…

Oh, I did not mean to offend you Ollie

As they sit down to eat, food disappears from the plates of the diners and they each blame the other.

Nevertheless, there is a fourth passenger on the vessel and he is stealing bread, meat and more.

They are all going through a storm and they reach an island, where they settle in apparent harmony.

A girl shows up on the shore and the four men compete with each other to be in her good graces.

In addition, to make the plot even more complicated, uranium is discovered on their land and this is a crucial moment.

For they declare their “independence”, creating a new government, with Oliver as the president.

They establish the new rules of the game very quickly, for they have a vice-president, minister for construction and one for foreign affairs.

And the people?

Well, Stan is the people and Oliver emphasizes:

You are much more, bigger than us- the three members of government.

However, things are complicated again because a big crowd arrives on the island, following the declaration that on this territory there are no taxes, no prisons and no passports and one of the newcomers challenges the four initial inhabitants.

Utopia is an amusing comedy, with some flaws.