THE SERENADE (Will Louis, USA, 1916, 5)

Passable Plump & Runt short by Vim Comedy Co. in which the relationship between Oliver (Babe) Hardy, “Plump” obviously, and Billy Ruge as “Runt” reminded me less of him and Stan than of Benny Hill and Jack Wright on THE BENNY HILL SHOW (though obviously there’s mutual resemblances all around) — in one moment, the small band leader kicks big guy Plump and he responds by immediately kicking the smaller Runt. More Benny than Hardy. This short is contemporary with the Keystone Kops and shares their freneticism and swiftness that I tend to find a little underbaked, though I did like the running gag of Ollie’s tuba being powerful enough to create wind, on both blow AND suck modes.