In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney revisits the 1927 silent short Fluttering Hearts — a lively Charley Chase comedy that also features a memorable turn from Oliver Hardy in the years just before his legendary partnership with Stan Laurel.

When a free-spirited young woman races off to a big department-store sale against her father’s wishes, chaos quickly follows. Charley Chase gets pulled into the mayhem, a motorcycle cop is won over, and a tough customer named Big Bill (played by Oliver Hardy) becomes the obstacle standing between everyone and a compromising letter.

Rodney breaks down the short’s fast-paced gags, Chase’s effortless comic timing, and Hardy’s strong supporting performance that already hints at the larger-than-life persona fans would soon know so well.

Tune in for a fun look at Fluttering Hearts — a charming Hal Roach comedy that delivers laughs, romance, and an early glimpse of one of cinema’s greatest comic figures.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney turns his attention to the 1926 Our Gang (Little Rascals) short Thundering Fleas — a lively silent comedy that also holds a special place in Laurel and Hardy history.

When the Gang gets mixed up with a trained flea circus, the tiny performers make a break for it and turn a formal wedding into pure chaos. Amid the itching, jumping, and slapstick mayhem, a pre-teaming Oliver Hardy pops up in a supporting role as a police officer, giving fans an early glimpse of the comic presence that would later define one of cinema’s greatest duos.

Rodney breaks down the short’s energetic gags, the charm of the Our Gang kids, and why this flea-infested wedding remains a fun footnote for Laurel and Hardy enthusiasts.

Tune in for a light-hearted look at Thundering Fleas — proof that even the smallest pests can create the biggest laughs.

Episode description for “Rodney Stewart Reviews”:

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney takes a look at Laurel and Hardy’s first feature-length comedy, the 1931 prison farce known in English as Pardon Us and in German as Hinter Schloss und Riegel.

During Prohibition, Stan and Ollie decide to try their hand at brewing (and selling) beer. One unfortunate encounter with a policeman later and the boys find themselves behind bars, sharing a cell with the toughest inmate in the place and discovering that prison life is even more chaotic than their usual mishaps.

Rodney digs into the film’s mix of classic slapstick, musical numbers, and period details, discussing what works, what feels stretched, and why this early feature remains an essential (if uneven) chapter in the duo’s career.

Tune in for a fun, spoiler-light breakdown of Hinter Schloss und Riegel / Pardon Us — the movie that locked Laurel and Hardy up… and let the laughs out.

Brats (Original Version) | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

Stan and Ollie play both the fathers and their own mischievous young sons in this brilliantly inventive short. Using oversized sets and clever camera tricks, the duo create pure chaos as the “kids” turn a quiet evening into a full-scale household disaster while their adult counterparts try (and fail) to keep order.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney digs into the original Brats: the technical ingenuity, the perfect dual performances, and why this early sound classic remains one of Laurel and Hardy’s most charming and inventive comedies. Expect sharp analysis, a few well-earned laughs, and a clear verdict on whether this dual-role gem still holds up.

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Wrong Again | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

Stan and Ollie overhear that a valuable “Blue Boy” needs to be delivered to a millionaire’s mansion. Unfortunately, they think it means the racehorse—not the famous painting. What follows is pure chaos as the duo attempt to haul a live horse up multiple flights of stairs, through elevators, and into high society, with predictably disastrous (and hilarious) results.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney digs into the 1929 silent short Wrong Again: the escalating physical comedy, the perfect timing, and why this lesser-known gem still delivers big laughs nearly a century later. Expect sharp analysis, a few well-earned chuckles, and a clear verdict on whether this classic mix-up still holds up.

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Liberty | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

Fresh out of prison, Stan and Ollie just want to change into normal clothes and start over. Instead, they end up high above the city on an unfinished skyscraper—with the wrong pants, no safety, and pure vertical chaos. What follows is one of their most thrilling and perfectly timed silent shorts, full of narrow escapes and classic slapstick.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney digs into the 1929 classic Liberty: the daring high-rise gags, the seamless chemistry, and why this late-silent gem remains one of the duo’s most exciting comedies. Expect sharp analysis, a few well-earned laughs, and a clear verdict on whether this elevated short still holds up.

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The Midnight Patrol | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

Stan and Ollie pin on the badges and hit the streets as night-shift cops. Their first big assignment? Catch a burglar. What follows is a masterclass in incompetence as the world’s least intimidating police officers turn a simple stakeout into pure slapstick mayhem—complete with mistaken identities, botched arrests, and the kind of escalating chaos only Laurel and Hardy could deliver.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney takes a closer look at the 1933 short The Midnight Patrol: the sharp comic timing, the perfect chemistry between the duo in uniform, and why this under-appreciated gem still packs plenty of laughs. Expect honest analysis, a few well-timed chuckles, and a clear verdict on whether these two “officers of the law” still hold up.

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Bacon Grabbers | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

Stan and Ollie are handed a simple job: serve legal papers and repossess a radio. What could go wrong? Everything. In this 1929 short, the world’s least effective process servers run headlong into a stubborn homeowner, a runaway radio, and pure escalating chaos that only Laurel and Hardy could turn into comedy gold.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney digs into Bacon Grabbers: the tight physical gags, the perfect timing, and why this late-silent gem still delivers big laughs nearly a century later. Expect sharp analysis, a few well-earned chuckles, and a clear verdict on whether this classic still holds up.

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Angora Love | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

Stan and Ollie just can’t seem to shake a determined little goat that follows them home. What starts as an accidental adoption quickly turns into full-blown boarding-house chaos as the duo try—and spectacularly fail—to keep their new four-legged friend a secret from the landlord and everyone else in the building.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney takes a look at the 1929 silent short Angora Love: the escalating animal-assisted slapstick, the perfect chemistry between Stan, Ollie, and their stubborn goat co-star, and why this late-silent gem still delivers pure comic mayhem. Expect sharp analysis, a few well-earned laughs, and a clear verdict on whether this woolly classic still holds up.

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Habeas Corpus | Laurel and Hardy Movie Review

Rodney Stewart Reviews

A mad scientist needs a fresh body for his experiments, so he hires the least reliable pair of grave-robbers imaginable. Stan and Ollie head to the cemetery under cover of night—and quickly discover that digging up the dead is a lot more complicated (and a lot funnier) than it sounds.

In this episode of Rodney Stewart Reviews, Rodney digs into the 1928 silent short Habeas Corpus: the escalating nighttime chaos, the perfect blend of spooky atmosphere and pure slapstick, and why this early Laurel and Hardy gem still delivers big laughs nearly a century later. Expect sharp analysis, a few well-timed chuckles, and a clear verdict on whether this graveyard comedy still holds up.

Hit play for the full review.