tavm When I watched this again on a Video Treasures VHS tape, I also rewatched the home movies provided and narrated by Stan Laurel's daughter, Lois, as she told of her father and Uncle Babe Hardy's trip to Europe during the early '30s to crowds nearly everywhere as we see some amusing antics they supposedly ad-libbed in front of their fans. We then see color footage of Stan at his home during the '60s admiring his honorary Oscar-which his daughter says he wished he had received with Babe when he was still alive and which he referred to as "Mr. Clean"-and making fun of it by putting glasses in front of it. As for the movie proper, Stan & Ollie are very funny-as always-and Stan especially is hilarious when he accidentally gets drunk trying to bottle some beer! The straight plot involving them as gypsies and their cohorts almost threatens to take over at some points especially when those cohorts start singing but most of it is tolerable, at best. So on that note, The Bohemian Girl is worth a look for L & H fans. P.S. This was Our Gang member Darla Hood's only time she performed with the boys on film. She's mostly held by Oliver Hardy though when she recounted her time with the boys, she had this to say to Leonard Maltin & Richard W. Bann in their book, "The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang": "They were so marvelous, Hardy was a bit more serious, and reserved, but Laurel apparently just loved children, and he'd always pick me up, and hold me, play games. I remember one time I wanted to sit and make mud pies, and he sat right down on the ground with me and helped me mold my mud pies!" Thelma Todd had a large role originally but after she tragically died on December 16, 1935-five days after the preview-she was only at the beginning with her dubbed song. As a result, Zeffie Tilbury-who would subsequently appear as an elderly friend of Our Gang in Second Childhood-was added as a gypsy queen, Antonio Moreno would now be paired with Mae Busch-making her characterization a little uneven having to be both romantic to him and still mean to hubby Ollie & his friend Stan, and Felix Knight-Tom-Tom in L & H's Babes in Toyland-sang a song originally meant for Moreno. By that way, that freak ending was funny but it was also a bit abrupt!

bkoganbing With the Code now firmly in place I'm kind of surprised that The Bohemian Girl made it through the censors. Such subjects as adultery and child kidnapping are part and parcel of this film. And since Laurel&Hardy were now draws in the children's market via their previous venture into operetta Babes In Toyland, that makes this film all the more curious.Unlike Babes In Toyland Stan and Ollie's roles were definitely shoehorned into the plot of this operetta. The Bohemian Girl which debuted in 1843 had no parts that were the equivalent of who Laurel and Hardy portrayed. Usually Stan was the naive one, but Ollie's naiveté in this film makes him sound backward. Even Stan is bright enough to see how brazenly Ollie's wife Mae Busch is carrying on with Antonio Moreno, the notorious Devilshoof. To take vengeance on a Bohemian count for ordering the gypsies off his property, Busch and Moreno kidnap the count's little daughter Darla Hood of The Little Rascals. Then they flee leaving Stan and Ollie to raise the child who grows up to be Julie Bishop.Speaking of which it is patently obvious that Ollie much prefers the company of Stan than his wife. It's as close as I've ever seen the much discussed notion that Laurel&Hardy were gay on the screen.Unlike other features Laurel keeps getting the better of Hardy and his best moments are getting totally plastered trying to bottle some bubbling freshly fermented wine. Just when Ollie needs him to rescue Bishop.Because their parts are not integral to the real plot of The Bohemian Girl, the film as a whole is not structured right. But fans of Stan and Ollie should be pleased with their comic genius here.

non_sportcardandy The first recollection I have of seeing Laurel and Hardy movies goes back to the 1950's when we would huddle around a TV set watching 15 minute shorts.The huddle was made up of grade school classmates and the reason for it was that not every family had a TV set at home.Most the time watching L&H I would end up laughing till I cried rolling around on the floor holding my sides because they hurt,unforgettable.Bohemian girl I remember enjoying even though in butchered up segments and knowing there must be more to it.Finally in the 1960's I would see the complete version and found it a jewel.There are so many funny lines and scenes in this movie.One of my favorites is after the Dandy has been duped of his valuables Oliver starts to put on airs to the point of rapping his new cane demanding service,real rags to riches.The opera part sets well with me especially the songs where the words are clear enough to be understood even though I've never been to an opera.What I like is the Gypsy theme with the setting,costumes and romanticism.For me it makes for something that I seek in movies...escapism.Part of this is brought about because some of the Gypsy parts were being played by persons with ethnic looks.Some times the movies really miss the target when casting persons in an ethnic part and I find it a distraction.On that subject the Gypsy Queen parts in this movie I would not miss if they were taken out.Laurel and Hardy don't have to look like Gypsies,no matter the setting they still are always Stan and Ollie.An opera that provides escapism combined with L&H is a total winner for me.

aliebson Very happy to contradict other reviewers of this movie, but it is a little-known gem. From the scene where they pickpocket the dandy, to the scene where Stan is filching Ollie's money-bag, to the scene where Stan is filling the wine-bottles, through to the final scene after the torture chamber, when they look at each other, it is a wonderful movie (Ollie: "I'm going to take my zither lesson"; Stan: "Oh, I slept like a top, too," followed by Ollie's great mug). The scene when Hardy is claiming "his" items from the dandy is priceless (his "lorgnette"--now how does a gypsy like Ollie know that word?! Vintage Ollie). I always loved the scene when Stan was singing in the two operatic voices. Great music, great cast (Darla Hood, Mae Busch, Finlayson, et al). See it for yourself (VERY hard to find).