Busy Bodies: Laurel and Hardy vs. A Sawmill

Is it worth your time?

If you like watching two guys try to do a simple job and fail in the most spectacular ways possible, then yes. It is basically the blueprint for every cartoon gag that came after it. If you hate slapstick or get annoyed when people break things on purpose, you will probably want to skip this one.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Busy Bodies (1933) through its definitive frames.

Honestly, I don’t think there is a single scene in Busy Bodies where something isn’t being destroyed. The sawmill setting is just perfect for them. It’s all wood, sharp blades, and glue.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Busy Bodies (1933) through its definitive frames.

Watching Stan try to navigate a glue pot is pure gold. It’s not just the accident; it’s the way he looks at the camera like he’s waiting for permission to stop being a disaster. Ollie’s face when he gets caught in the mess is just priceless. He has that classic, slow-burn look of someone who realizes his day is ruined.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Busy Bodies (1933) through its definitive frames.

Small moments that stuck with me

• The way the door frame is handled. It’s like they decided the door was their personal enemy.
• The sound design is surprisingly frantic for a film from this era.
• The background workers just sort of staring at them like they've seen this all before.

There is a part where they get tangled up with a circular saw that honestly made me wince. It feels way more dangerous than anything you’d see in a modern comedy. They don’t have fancy stunt doubles or safety nets; they just have pure, unadulterated chaos.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Busy Bodies (1933) through its definitive frames.

It reminds me of The Runaway in terms of pure kinetic energy, though that movie is a completely different beast. Unlike the stiff performances you sometimes find in movies like The Argyle Case, these two are just so comfortable in their own skin. They know exactly how to use their bodies to make you laugh.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Busy Bodies (1933) through its definitive frames.

The pacing doesn't really exist. It’s just one disaster after another until they finally leave. It doesn't need to be deep or have a message about the workplace. It just needs to be loud and messy.

The ending comes out of nowhere. One second they are fighting the machinery, and the next, they are just… gone. It’s like they were never there, just a blur of sawdust and bad luck. 🪵😂

I’ve seen some other stuff from the era, like The Awakening, but nothing hits quite as hard as a good Laurel and Hardy mess. Sometimes you don't need a plot. You just need two guys and a whole lot of glue.