Laurel and Hardy, the world's most famous comedy duo, attempt to reignite their film careers as they embark on what becomes their swan song: a grueling theatre tour of post-war Britain.
The true story of Hollywood's greatest comedy double-act, Laurel and Hardy, is brought to the big screen for the first time. Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as the inimitable movie icons, 'Stan and Ollie' is the heartwarming story of what would become the pair's triumphant farewell tour. With their golden era long behind them, the pair embark on a variety hall tour of Britain and Ireland. Despite the pressures of a hectic schedule, and with the support of their wives Lucille (Shirley Henderson) and Ida (Nina Arianda)--a formidable double act in their own right--the pair's love of performing, as well as for each other, endures as they secure their place in the hearts of their adoring public.
With their golden era long behind them, Laurel and Hardy embark on a variety hall tour of Britain. Despite the pressures of a hectic schedule, the pair's love of performing, as well as for each other, endures as they secure their place in the hearts of their adoring public.—Anonymous
Both Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel and John C Reilly as Oliver Hardy give performances that bring back to life these two masters of Comedy. Coogan, not known as a serious actor, turns out a truly inspiring performance as Stan Laurel, portraying Stan as the more forceful member of the partnership and John C Reilly as Ollie, who is quite submissive, this is a complete reversal of the film portrayals of the duo, where Ollie is a 'know it all' and Stan is a dim wit. The film is a fictional story based on their 1953/1954 UK tour and what would ultimately be their last tour together, mainly due to Ollie's deteriorating health. The recreation of famous scenes from the original Hal Roach, Laurel and Hardy films, is remarkably accurate and a joy to watch. The 1953/53 Tour was very demanding on the duo and at times it seems that they were actually starting to dislike each other and that the tour would eventually fold and they would return to the US However things progressed from originally performing their show to half empty provincial theatres to performing at sold out large City theatres. They film recreates the duo performing scenes on stage from Laurel and Hardy's films, singing and dancing and of course slapstick. A good tribute of the biggest comedic film stars of the early years of talking pictures by two fine actors of the modern age.—bc1968
By 1937 Laurel and Hardy were the biggest comic act in the world, with several films, watched by millions across the world.In 1937, while making Way Out West, Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) refuses to renew his contract with Hal Roach (Danny Huston), because Stan believes the studio and Roach himself are failing to financially recognize the global fame the pair enjoyed at that time. Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly), however, remains tied to Roach on a different contract and isn't let go, with the studio attempting to pair him up with Harry Langdon in the film Zenobia, and while Laurel and Hardy would soon get back together, Ollie's absence during a meeting with Fox results in them not being signed on by the studio, leaving Stan feeling betrayed and bitter for years.
In 1953, the comedy duo embarks on a grueling music hall tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland while struggling to get another film made: a comedic adaptation of Robin Hood. However, poor publicity before the show in Britain managed by the producer Bernard Delfont (Rufus Jones) means the tour begins in almost empty back street theaters with Delfont seeming more interested in his up-and-coming star Norman Wisdom. Belatedly, Delfont organizes some public appearances, and word of their visit to Britain spreads, resulting in them filling much larger prestigious venues.
During the tour the pair, driven by Stan, continues to write and develop gags for the film. There is, however, an ominous silence from its London-based producer. Once the tour arrives in London, Stan pays a visit to the film's producer himself and discovers there is insufficient funding, and the project has been canceled. He can't bring himself to tell Ollie, and their script development continues.
They are soon joined by their respective wives, Ida Laurel (Nina Arianda) and Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson), at London's Savoy Hotel before they are to perform at a sold-out two-week residency at the nearby Lyceum Theatre. After the opening night at the Lyceum, a party is held to honor them. At the party tensions begin to show between the two wives leading Delfont to remark that he's got two double acts for the price of one. As the night progresses, however, Stan's feelings of Ollie's betrayal come to the surface after his wife brings up the "elephant movie" (The movie Ollie did without Stan when he left the studio, with Ollie still under contract for one movie), resulting in the two having a public argument over the movie contract fiasco that split them up.
As Stan unloads his pent-up resentment for what he considers to be a betrayal of their friendship and accuses Ollie of being lazy, Ollie unloads his own pent-up feelings towards Stan, claiming that the two weren't really friends, only being together because Hal Roach studios had paired them up and that Stan never loved him as a friend but only loved Laurel and Hardy. As a result of the argument Ollie leaves the party with his wife, who had also had an argument with Stan's wife, and leaving Stan alone.
Despite their friendship having taken a blow, they press on with their public appearances, which include judging a beauty contest in the seaside resort of Worthing, Ollie refusing to speak to Stan despite the latter's attempts. However, just when they are about to announce the winner, Ollie collapses from a heart attack and is forced into bed rest. Informed two days later that it's unlikely Ollie will get better in time to continue the tour, Delfont suggests having another well-known English comic take Ollie's place. When Stan visits Ollie in his room, Ollie tells Stan that he intends to retire immediately, explaining that a doctor warned him that he must never go onstage again because the strain could be fatal, and he and his wife will leave for America as soon as possible. Getting into bed with him to warm Ollie up, Stan asks whether Ollie meant what he said at the party. Ollie admits he didn't, and when asked the same by Ollie, Stan admits he didn't mean what he had said as well. The two share a silent moment together.
On the night of the next show, Stan finds it impossible to work with the English comic Delfont has hired as a substitute so that the tour can continue, simply because he isn't Ollie, and the performance is canceled, much to Delfont's dismay. When his wife finds him at the bar, Stan confesses to her that he truly does love Ollie as a friend and intends to return to America instead of continuing the tour, though he asks her to make sure Ollie doesn't know he's leaving. Ollie in turn decides he can't spend the rest of his life idle in bed and leaves his hotel room just before his wife comes back. As they pack Stan's wife hears a knock on the door; when he answers it Stan is surprised to see Ollie, who'd had a feeling Stan was leaving. The two finally recognize the real fondness that exists between them and what pleasure they get from each other, and as they silently forgive each other Ollie smiles and tells Stan they have a show to do, making Stan smile right back at his friend, and despite struggling during the night Ollie successfully performs on stage with Stan to a thunderous applause from the audience.
While sailing to Ireland to continue the tour Stan finally confesses, he has deceived Ollie about the prospects of the future film even while they continued to work on it, and Stan believes no one wants to see another Laurel and Hardy movie. Ollie confesses in turn that he had read that from Stan's demeanor and already knew, confusing Stan greatly. He asks why they had kept working on the script if Ollie had known the truth all along. Ollie confesses that's all they could do. Upon arriving in Ireland, the duo is welcomed by a large crowd of fans, both young and old, the church bells of the town ring out their theme song, and they continue to complete the tour to great acclaim from their fans despite Ollie's poor health.
As the film ends, a written epilogue reveals that the tour was the last time they ever worked together. Ollie's health continued deteriorating after the tour, leading to his death in 1957, and Stan, devastated by his friend's death, refused to work without his partner and effectively retired, dying eight years later in 1965. Stan continued to write sketches for Laurel and Hardy in the last eight years of his life.
