This Stan Laurel (of Laurel and Hardy of course) solo film is a pretty funny spoof of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Laurel is as intensely silly as he always is every time I saw him growing up. Just a top class cinematic clown. The actual Pryde makeup (which finally appears at the end of the first reel) is so delightfully goofy. Taking the obvious piss out of John Barrymore’s performance but Laurel face is just so good at this cartoonish caricature. 

What’s great is that Pryde is not a villainous monster. He’s an annoying prankster going around blowing gazes, popping paper bags, and stealing ice cream for kids but he still manages to force the town to shutdown in fear of whatever stupid thing he might pull next. Paralyzing a member of the upper crust with a Chinese Finger Trap is kinda iconic. 

It’s just unapologetically stupid and silly but still manages to be fun and laugh filled. If you get a kick out of these old broad comedies then this should work for you. If you don’t this probably won’t move the needles for you. But I was pleased for 21 minutes. 

Watched as included in Kino’s BD of John Barrymore’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde which is the longer version if IMDB Trivia is to be believed that some copies have the ending shaved off.