Utopia; Atoll K

426. UTOPIA (ATOLL K) (1952-France). With STAN LAUREL and OLIVER HARDY. The final film o the greatest comedy team in movie history. Stan and Ollie inherit a South Seas island and a broken-down “yacht” to take them there. When Laurel asks how the tiny life raft on board can possibly serve them Hardy explains that it inflates, until it’s large enough to carry four people. After a brief survey Of Hardy’s enormous girth. Laurel whines, “But what about met” The zany duo (who have been joined by two stow aways) are forced by a storm onto a different island and the shipwrecked Crusoes settle down to build their new home. Eventually, they are even joined by a beautiful woman. The extremely bizarre plot involves the discovery Of uranium on their “utopia” and the group’s formation Of a government (Hardy a: President, important positions for the woman, stowaways and Laurel as “the people”) – with a constitution so attractive (no laws, prisons, taxes or money) that it results in a booming immigration. Ultimately the people rebel against Hardy’s leadership and our boys are almost hanged! While not as funny as their earlier Laurel and Hardy films, “Utopia” is important historically and it does contain some hilarious dialogue and slapstick routines, as well as many absurd moments that border on pure surrealism Multinational cast, partly dubbed in English. 83 minutes. Comedy