Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

richard.fuller1 Below Zero, to me, is one of the strongest depictions of life and existence at the offset of the depression. I have always remembered this program for its opening of these two guys very unimpressively playing their street music in the cold. There is truly something effective about the cold look. The snow looks its usual fake, but the stillness and immobility seems to be clear and the unpleasant mood brought about, especially with the depression having just started less than a year earlier. The program enters other territory, but ends with the guys outside in the cold, in an alley, in a sense, worse off than when they began. The final joke was always a bit lame to me, but had the entire program dealt with existence on the street in the ice and snow, instead of venturing into the restaurant, the program would have been superb. An academy award was a brand new novelty at this time. Had the guys received one here, they wouldn't have known what it was for. So often we get unhappiness during the depression from the woman's perspective or a child's, but this one is unique being from the guy, who are simply doing the best they can. the only way this program could have truly been richer would have been if Stan and Ollie were street cleaners. But wayward street musicians was definitely enough.

hausrathman Laurel and Hardy play two street musicians whose success seems limited by the snowy weather, their choice of material (In The Good Old Summertime), and location, i.e., playing in front of a school for the deaf. Their luck changes when they find a cash-filled wallet, but changes for worse again when they invite the local cop out to dinner with them only to discover that it was his wallet!This film is not one of their classics, but is an amusing film. Laurel and Hardy display their normal interplay. The supporting cast of regulars is excellent. The film simply doesn't build to true comic hilarity -- despite ending with one of their odd "grotesque" gags. It simply finds an amiable pace and tempo and stays with it which is more than good enough for me.Worth a look.

Jackson Booth-Millard 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. Stan and Ollie are trying to earn money on the street playing instruments, and it is only when they decide to move that they notice the sign for the Deaf and Dumb Institute they have spent some hours there. Trying a new location, a woman in an above window pays them to go away, and in another area a Street Cleaner (Charlie Hall) throws snowballs. After he has gone, they have a bind man walk past finding a coin, and a bird crapping into their dish sounding like a coin. Stan throws a snowball at the bird, accidentally hitting a man in an above window, who throws back going into a woman's milk bucket, causing the woman to put snow in Ollie's face and breaking their instruments. Walking away, the boys find a wallet on the ground, and after helping to catch a possible thief, a Policeman (Frank Holliday) lets them buy him something to eat. After finishing their steaks, the Policeman offers to pay, but Ollie insists they will, and Stan notices the wallet owner's photo, it's the Policeman! He finds out, and they know they can't pay, so they get thrown out, with Stan going into a (frozen) water barrel, and drinking all the water to have a big belly. Filled with good slapstick and all classic comedy you want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!

rsyung Although the subject of this short is particularly grim, I find myself constantly drawn to it. It has a certain minimalist attraction...very little dialogue and no underscoring(probably because of it being a relatively early sound subject and also so as not interfere with the boy's own music-making), and bleak and austere snow-driven sets. Stan and Ollie truly become victims of their dire circumstances and it is only the bizarre physical distortion at the end(Laurel was quite fond of such endings) that takes us out of our reality and back into theirs.