A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940)
Article #1132 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 4-20-2004
Posting Date: 9-17-2004
Directed by Alfred J. Goulding
Featuring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Peter Cushing

Stan and Ollie are sent to Oxford for an education after foiling a bank robbery.

I consider Laurel and Hardy to be two of the greatest comedians of all time, but their very best material lies outside the genres I’m covering. That being said, this may be the best full-length feature of theirs that I’m likely to cover; it’s not as good as SONS OF THE DESERT, but it’s worlds better than THE BIG NOISE. Even here, the fantastic content is slight; while trapped in a hedge maze, the boys are tormented by a fellow student dressed as a ghost. Horror fans may wish to keep their eyes peeled for a very young Peter Cushing as one of the students. My favorite moment is when Stan (dressed as a maid) is told to “serve the salad without dressing”, a harmless phrase for anyone but Stan.