Sailors Beware is one of Laurel & Hardy's earlier shorts, and they're not friends in this one. Ollie's a ship's purser with an eye for the ladies while Stan is a taxi driver who gets duped out of his fare and winds up on Ollie's boat. The film is quite funny, although the most memorable aspect is the midget who plays the husband of a villainous vamp. Disguised as a baby throughout, the midget puffs on a cigar and cheats at dice. Weirdest of all, he actually looks like a baby, which definitely lends a surreal quality to the film at times.Stan's persona is almost fully developed by now. The blank gazes at the screen aren't there yet, but the confused tears of distress are, and it's clear his character isn't the brightest of sparks. He's probably not quite as dim as he would later be, but he's getting there. Ollie, meanwhile, displays surprisingly few of the trademark delicacies of movement that would later make him instantly recognisable. The film's still worth a look, anyway. If you like the boys and/or silent comedy, you're sure to be entertained.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the most famous comedy duo in history, and deservedly so, so I am happy to see any of their films. Millionaires are boarding the steamship Miramar sailing to Monte Carlo, with girl obsessed first mate Purser Cryder (Hardy), second meanest man to keeping an eye out. Boarding the ship are con artist Madame Ritz (Anita Garvin) and midget husband Roger (Harry Earles) posing as a Baby, being driven by cab driver Chester Chaste (Laurel), who unintentionally boards, and as a stowaway has to work to stay aboard. He mucks about with passengers in the play room on a skipping room and with a ball, but he sets off to work. While Ritz goes off to set up a game of bridge and her husband smokes his cigar, the husband of Baroness Behr (Lupe Velez), the Baron (Will Stanton) is very drunk, and when Chester tries to help by putting him back in his room, he keeps getting chucked out. While Purser is trying to assist some women on the stairs, Chester, bringing drinks in, has a money and dice game with "baby" Roger, eventually realising he is using trick dice to always land on 2 and 5. Realising this he chases Roger under and over the board many times before Ritz returns with Purser behind her. At the swimming pool Chester pushes in the rude Baroness, and all the women want to soak him, but end up doing it to Purser. Ritz wants help getting "baby" Roger's pram down the stairs, Chester just pushes it down and Ritz punches him on the nose. During the bridge game, Chester can tell that Roger is helping Ritz out, so he helps one of the other female players win the game, and he ends up punched again. Roger steals some money and hides it in the back of his doll, and Chester wants his dice cash back, and he tosses the doll down a chimney to make sure he gets it. Roger is covered in soot, so Purser tells Chester to go and wash him, and after this is unsuccessful Chester takes the doll of cash and other valuables to Purser and a crowd. In the end, Madame Ritz and Roger are arrested, Chester throws down his has, and that of Captain Bull (Frank Brownlee) showing his quitting of his job, and Purser gets two black eyes from Roger. Filled with good slapstick and all classic comedy you want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable silent film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were not deliberately planned to be a comedy team. They did several films together over the years starting with LUCKY DOG and Hal Roach Studios didn't realize they'd be a good team until they just happen to make about a dozen films together. The fact that they appeared together pre-official teaming wasn't surprising, as studios like Roach tended to use the same groups of actors again and again. It was only by chance that they slowly evolved into a team.SAILORS BEWARE is one of these earlier films where Stan and Ollie are not yet a bone fide team. Like so many of these movies, their parts are very separate and they play against each other more than with each other. Because of this their chemistry is all wrong compared to what we are used to and most of these earlier films are sub-par for the boys. However, in the case of SAILORS BEWARE, the film is still excellent--one of the best before they became an official team. In fact, it is better than quite a few of their later films as well due to an excellent and exciting script.The film begins with cabbie Laurel getting stuck on a cruise ship after bringing aboard a rich lady and her baby. Because Laurel isn't able to afford the fare, he is made to work on board--with Ollie as his not particularly nice boss. At about the same time, there are a number of thefts on the ship and it's up to Stan to get to the bottom of it.Seeing that the baby is played by Harry Earles--a somewhat famous dwarf who acted in several films--it isn't too surprising to guess who's behind the thefts. Interestingly, Earles plays much the same character he played in both the silent and sound versions of THE UNHOLY THREE (with Lon Chaney). Still, despite me recognizing him, it still was an exciting and funny film--one worth seeing by anyone--not just Laurel and Hardy fans.

I am not a huge fan of Laurel and Hardy, I will admit. BUT, I am a huge fan of Harry Earles, who plays the baby/midget in this short. In general, I would say that this movie is very very good. It is pretty quickly paced, Hardy plays the slightly effeminate (IMHO) steward on a ship in which Laurel has mistakenly been put aboard. Since Laurel doesn't want to be there, and with the only other choice being too detrimental to his well-being, he decides to go along with it. During his pseudo-duties, he finds a midget (Harry Earles) acting as a baby in order to help his thieving wife aboard the ship. Generally a good bit o' fun! The only problem I had was with the many many sound effects that accompanied my version. Hopefully you won't have the same problem!