Wait, Laurel and Hardy in Tynemouth?

If you're a hardcore fan of the boys, you’ll probably find something to enjoy here. If you’re just looking for a classic comedy, you might be left scratching your head wondering why they are in North East England instead of falling down stairs in Hollywood. It’s a very specific vibe, and honestly, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher.

Watching Stan and Ollie in Tynemouth feels like seeing two people you know from TV suddenly show up at your local grocery store. It’s jarring! They have this way of moving that stays the same even when the location is just a dusty town square. You can almost feel the wind coming off the North Sea in some of these shots, and it’s not exactly the glamorous backdrop they usually get.

The pacing is… well, it’s not really there. It feels more like a travelogue that someone forgot to add a real script to. At one point, Ollie just stares at a brick wall for a few seconds too long. I’m not sure if it was a technical error or just him being Ollie, but it made me laugh more than the actual jokes did. 🤡

It’s not as chaotic as Rickety Gin, that’s for sure. It’s quiet. Maybe a bit too quiet. Sometimes they just walk. Then they stop. Then they walk some more. It’s hypnotic in a really weird, low-budget way.

Some notes from my notebook:

• The lighting in the exterior shots is all over the place. One minute it’s sunny, the next it looks like a storm is brewing. Typical England.
• I’m pretty sure I saw a local guy in the background looking directly into the camera. He looked like he was having a better time than the actors.
• The sound quality on some of the dialogue is so thin it sounds like they’re talking through a tin can. 🎙️

It definitely lacks the polish of a studio production, but that’s the charm, right? It feels like you’re watching a home movie that accidentally got famous. It reminds me a bit of the disjointed energy in The Law of the Sea, where things just sort of happen because they have to.

Do I recommend it? Only if you like seeing legends do absolutely nothing of note. It’s a strange, dusty, and ultimately completely unnecessary piece of film history. I loved every confusing minute of it.