Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Helllins It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Boba_Fett1138 This is yet another long Laurel & Hardy movie which uses a classic and well known story as the basis for the movie. This time its the libretto; Fra Diavolo, set in the early 18th century Italy.Problem with these sort of Laurel & Hardy pictures always is that the story distracts from their antics. It causes the movie to be a bit too often too serious and leaves too little room for Laurel & Hardy's great comical talent and timing. Most of the time the different characters in this movie fulfill the roles of the main characters and Laurel & Hardy turn in into merely comical sidekicks who provide the comical relief.But it definitely is true that this movie is a well made one. It's directed by Hal Roach himself and has some fine looking sets and costumes. It distinct this movie from most other Laurel & Hardy pictures from the same period. It provides the movie with some good looking sequences. The story is nicely told although but at certain points it starts to drag a little. Nevertheless the movie remains for most part a perfectly entertaining one to watch.There still also are plenty of enough comical great sequences by the two boys, who provide the movie with some memorable and enjoyable moments throughout the movie. The movie further more features Laurel & Hardy regulars Thelma Todd and James Finlayson, in big roles, who also add to the entertainment value and comical level of this movie.This definitely isn't the most pleasant or must fun Laurel & Hardy movie around to watch but this movie still offers plenty of enough reasons why this movie still is a perfectly good and entertaining one to watch.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

MartinHafer This is an incredibly uninvolving Laurel and Hardy vehicle, as it is so chock full of opera-style singing that the comedy, at best, takes a secondary position. I have never really understood why this funny duo was periodically subjected to musical crap like this as well as THE ROGUE SONG or BABES IN TOYLAND. Think about it...Laurel and Hardy were the funniest and best known comedy team of the era and yet instead of leaving them to what they knew best, they stuck them in movies that alienated most of their fans. Plus, while I hate opera-style movies from the 30s, the fans of the genre must have also felt frustrated in having comedy interjected into it. The closest melding of these styles that actually worked were the cute films starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald.This film stars Dennis King as The Devil's Brother--a kissing bandit in 18th century Italy. Throughout most of the film, he croons to ravishing Thelma Todd in order to trick her out of her husband's fortune. There to assist him in his schemes are Stan and Ollie who just seem out of place and tacked on to the film. In addition, Stan and Ollie's routines are among the poorest I've seen. One involved Stan accidentally drinking a sleeping potion and another later involved Stan getting drunk and laughing. Both scenes went on way too long and milked a rather unfunny bit for all it was worth.My advice is only watch this after you've seen the rest of Laurel and Hardy's work. The only exceptions I can think of are their films of the 40s and 50s--these films made at the very end of their careers, if it was possible, are even worse than this musical fiasco.UPDATE: 9/2010--The Wheeler & Woolsey film "Cockeyed Cavaliers" was a costume comedy set during the same time period AND also featuring Thelma Todd. Now you might think I am crazy for saying this (especially since Stan & Ollie were great and Wheeler & Woolsey were usually pretty lame), but the Wheeler & Woolsey film is better, as the singing is not an important part of the film and what singing there is isn't operetta-style. Plus, the emphasis is first and foremost on the comedy team--which, sadly, is not true with "The Devil's Brother".

vavoomy71 I can't understand how the comments on this film, thus far, can have been less than spectacular. This is probably among the top five of my favorite L&H films...the scene with drunken Stanlio alone is enough to split my sides every time I see it. L&H are such a joy to watch, and this film truly shows how much chemistry they had, and in the end, how much they truly respected and cared for each other--beyond the slapstick! I also loved the triptych of Thelma Todd, James Finlayson, and Dennis King. Todd was just so beautiful, graceful, and a true diva of her time. She even captures the tittering laughter that is described as typical of ladies-of-court in the late 1700's. James Finlayson, all pepper and brimstone, is a fantastically funny foil (and an alliterative jewel!) to the cast. And what can I say about Dennis King...it is such a shame that this gentleman did not have much in the way of recorded work. He is most dashing, charming, swashbuckling and handsome as the bandit Diavolo and his pseudonym, San Marco. True, he is the villain, but can we really resist him when he sings to the tavern folk, stealing a kiss from the Countess? This is a jewel of a classic. I will need to find a new VHS cassette of it soon, for mine is nearly worn with use. Better yet--wouldn't it be grand if these classics were released on DVD?

Ron Oliver Two hapless misfits find themselves working for Fra Diavolo (THE DEVIL'S BROTHER), the notorious singing bandit of the early 18th century.Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy are at the top of their form - high praise indeed - in this lavish, but rather obscure, rendition of Daniel-François Auber's popular operetta. Laurel's frightened squeak & Ollie's pout of wounded dignity are on display, as is the easy camaraderie and genuine affection of these two gentle souls. Here they are simply allowed to do what they did best: amuse. One hilarious sequence follows another: Stan attempting to hang Ollie (really!); their slapstick endeavor to capture the bandit; the Boys helpless in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Director Hal Roach understood their comedic style better than anyone, and he lets them make the most of their time before the cameras. Their every moment captured on film is precious; each minute they are missing so that subplots may develop is decried as an intolerable waste.In the title role, British opera star Dennis King monopolizes much of the screen time. A good deal of his vocalizing is unintelligible, but he plays the charming rogue well. However, it is important to notice that despite his charm, he is one of the most dangerous villains the Boys encounter in any of their films. Beneath the thin veneer of civility, he is little more than a murderous, thieving rapscallion. He has nothing but his handsome face & dulcet tones to separate him from a Karloff or a Lugosi.Peppery James Finlayson & lovely, tragic Thelma Todd play silly, vain aristocrats who have more jewels than common sense. Both of these wonderful performers were always welcome in roles large or small - his bristling mustache and popping eyes & her classic beauty so often the focal point of great humor. But here they have very little contact with the Boys and so much of their comedic talent is rather dissipated in mildly adulterous scenes with the Bandit Chief. Pity...There is a subplot involving the Innkeeper's daughter and her forbidden love of a young military officer, but fortunately it is not allowed to intrude too much. Henry Armetta as the Innkeeper, however, is given some very funny moments as he tries without success to duplicate Stan's intricate hand games.