Starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.
Featuring Viola Richard, Malcolm Waite, and Anita Garvin.
Directed by Fred Guiol.
Synopsis
"Show him your boat, Willie!"
The crew of the Merry Maiden have docked at the port of Sugar Bay. The first mate (Oliver Hardy) and the captain (Malcolm Waite) keep the rest of the crew on a tight leash - when they aren't too busy squabbling amongst themselves.
Nelly (Viola Richard) is in love with Willie Brisling (Stan Laurel). Goofy Willie gives little Nelly a necklace, and then plants a kiss on her cheek. Awwwwww.
Nelly (Viola Richard) is in love with Willie Brisling (Stan Laurel). Goofy Willie gives little Nelly a necklace, and then plants a kiss on her cheek. Awwwwww.
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| Nelly is impressed by Little Willie's chain length. |
Willie then gets really excited. So excited that he just has to roll around on the bed playing with his pillow and lick a lollipop (?!). Love makes us all do strange things.
The captain of the Merry Maiden peers through the window of Willie's house and spies Nelly inside. He barges in and grabs hold of Nelly, much to her disgust.
It seems as if the lecherous captain had taken a shine to Nelly the last time he was in town, and he isn't best pleased to find out that Willie, "the great periwinkle fisherman," is Nelly's fiancé.
Following Nelly's instructions, Willie shows the vulgar intruder the tattoo that he has on his chest of his boat.
The captain takes the opportunity to pour water down Willie's top.
A furious Nelly storms out of the house onto the porch, only for the big brute of a captain to lay his hands on her and drag her away to see his boat!
Willie makes a good attempt to rescue Nelly, but the captain gives him quite a beating and leaves him tangled in some fishing nets. Poor Nelly is then carried away by the captain.
Nelly is locked in a room on the ship, but not before Willie has managed to sneak aboard.
Rather scared aboard, Willie decides to pull his jumper over his head, thereby appearing headless. He successfully frightens one of the ship's crew who then complains to the first mate about the strange spectre.
Willie hides in a cabin and finds a chest full of costumes that once belonged to a theatre company. He decides that his best course of action is to dress up as a woman and get rid of the crew one-by-one!
In drag, Willie sets about seducing the crew of the Merry Maiden. He does so by luring the lustful sailors around a corner of the ship one at a time before knocking them out. Willie then leaves the sailors propped up near the first mate, who, after being antagonised by Willie, flings every one of the crew overboard.
Eventually, Willie is caught out by the first mate. The pair engage in some flirtatious behaviour, with Willie promising to give the first mate a big kiss if he will close his eyes.
Willie takes the opportunity to flee and discovers that the captain is trying forcefully to embrace Nelly.
Willie grabs the captain's attention by flirting with him through the porthole, and the salacious captain shoves Nelly in another apartment, apparently interested in a bit of...Stan Laurel's character.
But things take a turn for the worse when the captain's wife (Anita Garvin) appears on the ship, having finally caught up with her wayward husband.
She finds her husband canoodling in the cabin with Willie, and naturally, isn't best pleased.
Willie's plans to land the captain in hot water have worked, and he tells the wronged wife that the captain had reassured him that he was single.
The wife pulls a gun out on her husband, only for an elated Willie to be told that he's next on her hit list!
It's at this point that Willie takes off the wig and reveals that he is a man. He lies and tells the captain's wife that this was all a test to see if she really loved her husband.
The captain threatens Willie, so Willie is forced to take drastic action. Running to the apartment, he frees Nelly, telling the captain's wife that four other women were aboard earlier!
The incensed wife is handed a gun from Willie, and she approaches her husband. Nelly and Willie take the opportunity to escape.
Peering out of the porthole, the captain's wife fires her gun at the young couple, blowing off their clothes in the process and leaving them in their underwear!
The captain of the Merry Maiden peers through the window of Willie's house and spies Nelly inside. He barges in and grabs hold of Nelly, much to her disgust.
It seems as if the lecherous captain had taken a shine to Nelly the last time he was in town, and he isn't best pleased to find out that Willie, "the great periwinkle fisherman," is Nelly's fiancé.
Following Nelly's instructions, Willie shows the vulgar intruder the tattoo that he has on his chest of his boat.
The captain takes the opportunity to pour water down Willie's top.
A furious Nelly storms out of the house onto the porch, only for the big brute of a captain to lay his hands on her and drag her away to see his boat!
Willie makes a good attempt to rescue Nelly, but the captain gives him quite a beating and leaves him tangled in some fishing nets. Poor Nelly is then carried away by the captain.
Nelly is locked in a room on the ship, but not before Willie has managed to sneak aboard.
Rather scared aboard, Willie decides to pull his jumper over his head, thereby appearing headless. He successfully frightens one of the ship's crew who then complains to the first mate about the strange spectre.
Willie hides in a cabin and finds a chest full of costumes that once belonged to a theatre company. He decides that his best course of action is to dress up as a woman and get rid of the crew one-by-one!
In drag, Willie sets about seducing the crew of the Merry Maiden. He does so by luring the lustful sailors around a corner of the ship one at a time before knocking them out. Willie then leaves the sailors propped up near the first mate, who, after being antagonised by Willie, flings every one of the crew overboard.
Eventually, Willie is caught out by the first mate. The pair engage in some flirtatious behaviour, with Willie promising to give the first mate a big kiss if he will close his eyes.
Willie takes the opportunity to flee and discovers that the captain is trying forcefully to embrace Nelly.
Willie grabs the captain's attention by flirting with him through the porthole, and the salacious captain shoves Nelly in another apartment, apparently interested in a bit of...Stan Laurel's character.
But things take a turn for the worse when the captain's wife (Anita Garvin) appears on the ship, having finally caught up with her wayward husband.
She finds her husband canoodling in the cabin with Willie, and naturally, isn't best pleased.
Willie's plans to land the captain in hot water have worked, and he tells the wronged wife that the captain had reassured him that he was single.
The wife pulls a gun out on her husband, only for an elated Willie to be told that he's next on her hit list!
It's at this point that Willie takes off the wig and reveals that he is a man. He lies and tells the captain's wife that this was all a test to see if she really loved her husband.
The captain threatens Willie, so Willie is forced to take drastic action. Running to the apartment, he frees Nelly, telling the captain's wife that four other women were aboard earlier!
The incensed wife is handed a gun from Willie, and she approaches her husband. Nelly and Willie take the opportunity to escape.
Peering out of the porthole, the captain's wife fires her gun at the young couple, blowing off their clothes in the process and leaving them in their underwear!
Review
"So that's why you dumped your wife at the last port!"
"Why Girls Love Sailors" has the distinct privilege of being the first "Laurel and Hardy" film reviewed on this blog. You were probably expecting "Sons of the Desert" or "Way out West". Well, sorry to disappoint! I could have thrown you a bigger curveball and reviewed "A-Haunting We Will Go", but I didn't. But I will at some point. Maybe next time? Who knows?
But, seriously, I really like "Why Girls Love Sailors."
Just as girls don't really love sailors in this film, this silent but spirited short has probably been underappreciated by even the saltiest of sea-dogs (read: big fans) who have been a part of the good ship Laurel and Hardy since their maiden voyage onto VHS tape.
So why do I like the film so much?
I could lie and tell you that it's because the film stars that gorgeous silent siren Viola Richard, surely one of the greatest actresses to work in silent film. Ok, I admit it; I lied about lying. I do think that Viola Richard is an important part of contributing to the film's success, but there are many others reasons why I enjoy this nautical romp...
...which I'll get to in a while. For now, let me tell you about Viola Richard's performance as vivacious, nautical Nelly.
The chances are, if you're reading this, that you've seen a fair few Laurel and Hardy films, dear reader. I'll even go so far as to suggest, dear old reader, that you've seen a decent number, if not all of the Hal Roach Laurel and Hardy silent films.
The chances are, dear reader, dear reader, that you know of the terrific presence that Viola Richard commands on film. Despite the fact that you do know that fact, I'm going to reiterate that fact to you once again. Fact yourself lucky.
In my opinion, of all the ladies working for Hal Roach during the silent era, few come close to the performances given by Viola. Hal Roach had some wonderful actresses working for him in the late 20s. Dorothy Coburn, Edna Marion - both good actresses. But Viola Richard is a great actress. I'm in no way qualified to write about the fundamentals of acting in silent films, but to me, watching Viola Richard in her work for Hal Roach is like watching a master class in how to perform a variety of emotions and passions without talking.
When you watch Viola Richard on screen, at any point in a silent film, you can tell exactly what emotions her character is experiencing. Her facial expressions are key for conveying such passions, with smiles, frowns, etc.
"Sure!" I hear you write - we're writing about a silent after all, so I can't hear you say the word aloud - "but surely any actor worth their salt can convey passions and emotions, otherwise they wouldn't be, well, acting".
True. But Viola had that great gift of talking through her eyes.
Do you know what I mean? Watch Dorothy Coburn and Edna Marion act. (I'll give you a minute or two, don't worry, I'll still be here). Then watch Viola act. Dorothy and Edna aren't acting with their eyes, are they?
There's something about Viola's eyes that makes her a terrific actor, isn't there?
Funnily enough, Anita Garvin also has the gift of conveying meaning through her eyes, as, of course, does the Queen of silent cinema, Clara Bow. But fast-forward to the Hal Roach talkies when you have great actresses like Thelma Todd and Mae Busch starring in films, and, I don't know, the eye magic that people like Viola had has gone. Perhaps because you don't need eye magic in talkies.
Cutting my gibberish short, watch Viola Richard in this film - just watch her, even when other characters are with her on screen - and hopefully you'll appreciate what I've taken a long time to say: She is a terrific silent film star.
So, yes. Viola Richard is a big part of why I love sailors (in the context of this film, of course).
As Willie's girlfriend, Nelly is sweet, beautiful and loving. But she's also not afraid to fight - she'll kick your ass, as I always say to my American chums. Just watch her take out the chump who tries to mess with her on board the Merry Maiden.
Anita Garvin is also brilliant as the wronged wife - feisty and with a ferocious temper, she clearly wears the pants in their relationship. Her no nonsense feistiness gets some good gags in "Why Girls Love Sailors", particularly when she lamps Oliver Hardy right on the chin! Ouch!
A pre-team film, Oliver Hardy has quite a minor role. Nevertheless, he takes numerous bumps to the head with his what would later become classic "Hardy" fashion, and the scenes where he throws most of the crew overboard are hilarious. Hardy is also in top form when he flirts with Stan in drag. Getting touchy feely with one another, the amorous first mate even slaps the backside of his would be paramour! The comedy is all the funnier when he believes that Stan-in-drag is coming back onto the ship, and strokes his idol's leg, only to find out it's the stern faced wife of the captain!
The film, essentially, is a wonderful showcase for Stan Laurel's talents. He is perfectly goofy as Willie Brisling in the early parts of the film; stupidly gawky, but loveable, nonetheless. He has the cheekiness to peck Viola Richard on the cheek after giving her a present, but also has the trademark Laurel silliness - try watching the scene where Laurel rolls around on his bed - that is hard to watch without laughing.
Laurel's the loveable hero in this film, and you feel pity for him as he gets bullied by the captain and is reduced to tears. He takes a beating, but picks himself up again, and sets off after Nelly. Watching Stan creep around the deck with his jumper pulled-up over his head is great fun.
And, come on! Stan does make a good woman! How can you not laugh at Laurel making a hash of being a femme fatale?! The way that Willie dispatches the amorous sailors is hilarious - including sticking his tongue out at the first mate - and flirting with the captain to rescue Nelly is a fine moment of comedy indeed.
And Stan's character in this film - Willie Brisling - genius! You got it, didn't you? Little Sprat? No, no, I'm not calling you a little sprat, a brisling is a sprat.
The icing on the cake is the surprise ending, with an angry Anita Garvin blowing the pants of Viola and Stan - I didn't see that coming the first time I watched the film!
All in all, this film probably won't be one of your contenders for the "best" Laurel and Hardy silent film. But it is a charming gag-filled romp that is eminently watchable, and like all good comedy, doesn't take itself too seriously.
What are your thoughts on "Why Girls Love Sailors" (as in the film, not actual sailors...)?
Are you as much of a fan of Viola Richard as I am, or is it just me?
Watch it
"The wretch! He told me he was practically single!"
"Why Girls Love Sailors" is available on DVD as part of Universal's Laurel and Hardy Collection. It is on Disc 16 - Maritime Adventures.
Here's the link: Laurel and Hardy Collection DVD
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