This film has the look and feel of one of the Hal Roach films like Bonnie Scotland with the annoying subplots of other characters. That said it also resembles a Hal Roach film in the fact that Stan had control of the gags and execution. Plenty for a Laurel and Hardy fan to enjoy here. While the rest of the cast has dubbed dialog Laurel and Hardys is right from the horses mouth. on Yes Stan looked bad as he was ill but you get past that on repeat viewings. The ending is a rather fitting close to a great career. As for the later years films. If you are looking for a slick polished faster paced film try a Fox. If you are looking for classic style Laurel and Hardy in their later years, this is for you!

When the movie begins, it's obvious just how old and sick the boys are. Although Oliver Hardy is enormous, it is Stanley that looks like death warmed over. Apparently, he was deathly ill during production and had obviously lost a lot of weight. Although he would eventually recover and live another decade and a half, here he looks like a dying man. Additionally, as I watched the film I was shocked how many pratfalls Stan took--I half expected his to drop dead from the exertion. I really can't understand WHY they came out of retirement considering their health--especially when the story and production values are as poor as they are with this film. Stanley inherits an island and a boat. He and Ollie are ready to leave when Antoine, a stateless man, is literally dropped into their boat and they begin their voyage to find the island. Along the way, they discover that Giovanni has stowed away, but despite this the four men become friends and land on a different island. It seems like paradise and they are all very happy. A bit later, a pretty young lady joins them and everything looks grand.Unfortunately, uranium is discovered on the island and the place becomes flooded with riffraff. Eventually, the mob decides to hang the four men and take over--at which point the island sinks back into the sea and the men are spared.I will give the film some credit for being original and for being interesting. However, one thing it is not is FUNNY--and that is unforgivable for a Laurel and Hardy flick. While not a bad film, it certainly isn't a good one. A sad end to their brilliant careers.All the actors, except for the duo, are dubbed into English, as the movie was made in France. While it may not be the very worst film they made (this would be THE BIG NOISE), it sure is close!! Watching this film is painful and like watching people clean up after a severe accident.

By 1951, Laurel and Hardy were showing their age. Their last film together, "Utopia", to my mind was a sad send off for the boys who were so brilliant in films like "Way Out West" where they were not only funny but broke out into song and dance in creative fashion. There are glimpses of their trademark humor here, but by and large the film failed to satisfy this viewer whose memories of Stan and Ollie recall an earlier vintage.Perhaps part of the problem here is saddling the duo with cast members who share close to equal billing and screen time. Max Elloy as the cook/mechanic, Adriano Rimoldi as the man without a country and Suzy Delair as the nominal love interest for all of them don't have enough personality among them to complement the story in a fulfilling way. Delair's Cherie in particular can't make up her mind about old boyfriend Frazer (Luigi Tosi) and by the end of the movie winds up flip flopping yet again.Most of the film's humor takes place in the first third of the story, as Stan and Ollie learn of their inheritance from Stan's uncle who has passed on. The obligatory dismantling of the fortune by way of government fees and taxes leaves them only a derelict yacht in Marseille and an island in the South Pacific. That set up at least allows them to fashion their own government on the island that doesn't rely on laws or taxes of it's own. The inevitable onslaught by the outside world following the discovery of uranium is enough to spell doom for the island's Utopian ideal, which it lost as soon as it became Crusoeland.There are redemptive moments few and far between like the bit with the life raft and Stan's friendship with a pet lobster. Yet even as far back as 1951, crass commercialism reared it's ugly head with an extreme close up of a bottle of Welch's Grape Juice. You'll have to search long and hard for such a blatant product endorsement in another film of the era. Of course today, virtually every film displays a branded name.I'd like to be more positive about "Atoll K" as my admiration for Laurel and Hardy's body of work is very much one of appreciation. They provided loads of laughs while I was growing up, and still do today. At least with their earlier films, one didn't have to see an optimist.

First, let me start by saying that I am a Laurel and Hardy buff. I have read every book printed about them, and have seen all of their available films more than once. I even took a chance once, and called Stan on the telephone. He was very kind, and spoke with me for over ten minutes. I followed with a letter, and he wrote me a letter back. I still have that letter.This film has some fine comedy moments, but Stan and Ollie are not up to their usual form. Stan was gravely ill during the production and looked worse than he did ten years later. In my opinion, any Laurel and Hardy film is worth seeing.But the Ultimate opinion of this film comes from the great Stan Laurel himself. To quote him, "This film should never have been made."