Atoll K

Rating:
Summary: A sad farewell to the screen's greatest comic team
Review: "Utopia" was originally released in 1952 as "Atoll K" and later as "Robinson Crusoeland," and finds an aging Laurel & Hardy have inherited a yacht and an island. The boys set off to see along with a refugee as their cook and a stowaway. The yacht sinks in a storm, but a newly created atoll (hence the original title) emerges from the sea to give them a place to live. They are then joined on their new little paradise by Suzy Delair, who is running away from a jealous fiancee. Together they all create their own private little utopia, where everything is just perfect until uranium is discovered and all of the nations of the world begin to battle over ownership of the atoll. Just as the boys are about to be lynched, the atoll sinks back beneath the seas. Whatever its title, this final film from Laurel & Hardy certainly provides mixed feelings. The political satire angle is ambitious, but scarcely appropriate for comedians who rely so much on visual humor (compare with the Marx Brother's classic "Duck Soup"), although the sequence where Hardy distributes key political posts to everyone but Laurel (he gets to be "The People") is good. But most of the sight gags are not typical Laurel & Hardy routines and several people have claimed the best gags were cut from the film. There is also the shock of the appearance of Stan Laurel, who had been ill before the production and looks like he is at death's door. "Utopia" is a sad farewell to the screen's greatest comic team.

Rating:
Summary: A sad farewell to the screen's greatest comic team
Review: "Utopia" was originally released in 1952 as "Atoll K" and later as "Robinson Crusoeland," and finds an aging Laurel & Hardy have inherited a yacht and an island. The boys set off to see along with a refugee as their cook and a stowaway. The yacht sinks in a storm, but a newly created atoll (hence the original title) emerges from the sea to give them a place to live. They are then joined on their new little paradise by Suzy Delair, who is running away from a jealous fiancee. Together they all create their own private little utopia, where everything is just perfect until uranium is discovered and all of the nations of the world begin to battle over ownership of the atoll. Just as the boys are about to be lynched, the atoll sinks back beneath the seas. Whatever its title, this final film from Laurel & Hardy certainly provides mixed feelings. The political satire angle is ambitious, but scarcely appropriate for comedians who rely so much on visual humor (compare with the Marx Brother's classic "Duck Soup"), although the sequence where Hardy distributes key political posts to everyone but Laurel (he gets to be "The People") is good. But most of the sight gags are not typical Laurel & Hardy routines and several people have claimed the best gags were cut from the film. There is also the shock of the appearance of Stan Laurel, who had been ill before the production and looks like he is at death's door. "Utopia" is a sad farewell to the screen's greatest comic team.

Rating:
Summary: A Sad Farewell
Review: I have mixed emotions about this one. Laurel and Hardy fans SHOULD see this one, because it is the last film the boys did.
But be prepared, Stan was in poor health at the time. He was a diabetic and suffered terribly during the heat. He was only 60, but looked like death warmed over. The film is NOT typical L&H comedy, but a poor attmept at political satire. Sorry folks, that just WASN'T the boys style. With poorly dubbed dialog for the non-English speaking performers, it's a little irritating at first. There is still some magic left, like Stan "burping" his pet lobster, when he and Ollie take the boat engine apart, only to have the pieces fall overboard and where Stan pours oil over troubled water. I just wish the film had been made when the boys were in better health and could have had more controll. In his final years,even Stan called this film an "abortion" True fans of L&H should remember them in their prime, like "The Music Box"
and "Way Out West"

Rating:
Summary: an exellent movie
Review: THIS FRENCH MOVIE -YES THE PRODUCERS ARE FRENCH- PUT OLLIE AND STAND IN AN ISLAND. THIS MOVIE IS ONE THE LAST MOVIES THEY FILMED

Rating:
Summary: A sad ending
Review: This very last movie Laurel & Hardy made was a disaster. They expected to film for about a month but it took a year to complete. Stan fell ill and had to undergo surgery. After having been released from hospital he should have taken a rest but being a professional he felt obligated to make the movie.
He was in a lot of pain and it certainly shows in this film. Stan also lost a lot of weight and both looked old and tired, which was partially due to the fact that the director had them waiting for days before calling them for some scenes.
Don't ever start a collection with this one. It might put you off for the rest of your life!