The movie is based on a comic opera and is set in the early 18th century in Italy where a bandit known as Fra Diavolo (the Devil?s Brother) is terrorising the countryside. The bandit masquerades as the Marquis de San Marco whose noble status enables him to get close to the rich and landed ? close enough to charm the women and to steal from the men. He has a hardy band of cutthroats at his command who swoop down from the hills to rob coaches before slipping away from the chasing soldiers.

Stan and Ollie are two men setting out to enjoy the fruits of the labours, having saved enough to not have to work again. Unfortunately they run into a couple of thieves who relieve them of their life-savings, plunging the boys into despair. But they quickly seize upon the idea of becoming bandits themselves and thus begins their descent into the world of Fra Diavolo. Their first robbery attempt goes sour when their softhearted nature ends with them giving what little change they had left to their intended victim when he spins them a story of great financial woe. Fra Diavolo comes upon the group and decides that Ollie should be hanged after he and Stan pretend to be the famous bandit. Stan does a horrible job of being the hangman, much to Ollie?s relief, and they live to fight another day when Fra Diavolo needs the services of some unknown faces to help him in a robbery.

The duo become manservants to the Marquis and join him in the town where he is trying to steal from the wealthy nobleman. They prove to be some of the most incompetent criminal assistants ever, as we would expect, and just about ruin everything. They and the Marquis end up being captured and forced to face a firing squad. But Stan unwittingly saves them all when he asks for permission to cry and wipe his nose. His red handkerchief attracts the local bull and people scatter everywhere as the three bandits ride off into the distance.

Now I am not a big wrap for films where there is a host of singing interspersed with the action but in this movie I was forced to make an exception. To get to see Laurel and Hardy perform their magical range of tricks I had to put up with some bits that I wouldn?t normally like. But, if like me, you want to see the boys doing some really quality L&H routines then get hold of this movie.

The boys are introduced by the famous Laurel and Hardy music which unmistakably tells you who is appearing on screen. They go through a fabulous range of the comedic routines. Stan does the crying with the super-long face; Ollie does that look to the camera that asks us to bear with him because of the incompetence of his offsider; they do the little pushes; Ollie does the finger wiggles; they do some slapstick; and they generally milk everything to the maximum.

If you get the movie for no other reason prepare yourself for the scene where Ollie unknowingly helps Stan get ?spiffed? when the boys are asked to bring some wine up from the cellar. Stan continues to accept tankards of wine to fill up the big jug until it is completely full. Ollie keeps handing him tankards so Stan does the sensible thing and drinks them until he is full as well. They then spend the next scene laughing at how spiffed Stan is and I admit I was laughing out loud with them. I intend to hook this DVD out whenever I need a good laugh and I will join the boys in one of the funniest scenes in movie history. How some of the modern comedians could learn from these guys!

THE EXTRAS

There is scene selection and that?s about it. I would have thought there was certainly scope for more autobiographical material about the boys and their other work.

CONCLUSION

Stanlio and Ollio are robbed of their lifesavings when on their way to enjoy the good life. They are forced to join forces with Fra Diavolo (the Devil?s Brother) to try to steal money and jewels from the rich nobleman and his lovely wife. In their usual bumbling way little goes exactly to plan but they get the chance to showcase their fabulous comedic skills in this old but ageless movie.