''Flying Elephants'' is a two-reel

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

from 1928 directed by Frank Butler and co-written and produced by

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter, ...

. It stars

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, director and writer who was in the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 sh ...

and Oliver Hardy as a pair of battling cavemen.

Plot

The narrative unfolds within a

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

setting, where the ruler of the cave-dwelling populace mandates that all males aged 13 to 99 must secure a female partner or risk exile. Hardy embarks on a quest to find a spouse, enduring repeated blows from irate "husbands" in his pursuit. Eventually, he encounters a potential mate but remains unaware that Laurel, his companion, also seeks her hand in marriage. As Laurel and Hardy vie for the same woman, their rivalry escalates, leading to a series of competitions to win her favor. In a pivotal scene, Laurel attempts to eliminate his competitor by luring him to a precarious cliff edge. However, his scheme is thwarted when a hostile goat intervenes, causing Hardy to plummet from the precipice. Seizing the opportunity, Laurel claims victory and the affections of the coveted bride-to-be.

Cast

Production and distribution

Although released in February 1928, ''Flying Elephants'' was actually filmed in May 1927, before the duo were established as a comedy team. As a result, the film lacks the Laurel and Hardy trademarks and consists mostly of solo performances by the two comedians. Taking place entirely outdoors, the rocky desert locations were photographed in Moapa, Nevada. Some locations would later be used in 1940 for Hal Roach's prehistoric drama '' One Million B.C.''. The title ''Flying Elephants'' refers to a scene where Hardy's character points out three animated pachyderms flying up above in the sky.

References

External links

* * * {{Laurel and Hardy filmography 1928 films 1928 comedy films 1928 short films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films American black-and-white films English-language comedy short films Films about cavemen Films with screenplays by H. M. Walker Laurel and Hardy (film series) Pathé Exchange films Silent American comedy short films Surviving American silent films