Flying Elephants

Flying Elephants
Flying Elephants
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Frank Butler
Written by	Hal Roach; H.M. Walker (titles)
Produced by	Hal Roach
Starring	Stan Laurel; Oliver Hardy; Jimmy Finlayson; Dorothy Coburn; Viola Richard; Fay Lanphier; Budd Fine; Tiny Sandford; Leo Willis
Distributed by	Pathé Exchange
Release date	February 12, 1928 (1928-02-12);
Running time	17 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film; English (Original intertitles)

Flying Elephants is a two-reel silent film from 1928 directed by Frank Butler and co-written and produced by Hal Roach. It stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy as a pair of battling cavemen.

Plot

The narrative unfolds within a Stone Age 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.¹

Cast

Stan Laurel - Little Twinkle Star
Oliver Hardy - Mighty Giant
James Finlayson - Saxophonus
Dorothy Coburn - Gorgeous Wrestler
Viola Richard - Blushing Rose
Fay Lanphier - Blonde Cavewoman
Budd Fine - Hulking Caveman
Tiny Sandford - Hulking Caveman
Leo Willis - Fisherman

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.²

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..¹³

The title Flying Elephants refers to a scene where Hardy's character points out three animated pachyderms flying up above in the sky.⁴

References

Everson, William K. (2000). The Complete Films of Laurel and Hardy. Citadel. p. 47. ISBN 978-0806501468.
Potts, Mark & Sheppard, Dave (2001). What was the Film When? The Movies of Laurel & Hardy . Quayside Creative Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9555318-3-5, pp 41-42.
Okuda, Ted and James L. Neibaur (2012). Stan Without Ollie: The Stan Laurel Solo Films, 1917-1927. McFarland. p. 206. ISBN 978-0786447817.
Mitchell-Waite, Antony and Joanne Mitchell-Waite (2013). Laurel & Hardy's Animated Antics A-Z 3rd Edition. lulu.com. p. 107. ISBN 978-1291619256.

External links

Flying Elephants at IMDb
Flying Elephants is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
Flying Elephants at Rotten Tomatoes

[Everson-1] Everson, William K. (2000). The Complete Films of Laurel and Hardy. Citadel. p. 47. ISBN 978-0806501468.

[2] Potts, Mark & Sheppard, Dave (2001). What was the Film When? The Movies of Laurel & Hardy . Quayside Creative Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9555318-3-5, pp 41-42.

[3] Okuda, Ted and James L. Neibaur (2012). Stan Without Ollie: The Stan Laurel Solo Films, 1917-1927. McFarland. p. 206. ISBN 978-0786447817.

[4] Mitchell-Waite, Antony and Joanne Mitchell-Waite (2013). Laurel & Hardy's Animated Antics A-Z 3rd Edition. lulu.com. p. 107. ISBN 978-1291619256.

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