Michael_Elliott Zenobia (1939) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Oliver Hardy plays a country doctor's whose life gets turned upside down when his daughter is about to marry into a rich family that doesn't want her. To make matters worse, the doctor is asked by a circus man (Harry Langdon) to look at his sick elephant. The doctor cures the creature but then the elephant refuses to leave his side. This was Hardy's first and only starring role without Stan Laurel but the screenplay really seems like it was originally meant for the two. Langdon, a silent screen star, fills in for Laurel and one can't help but think the duo could have made this film together but didn't for whatever reasons. The film takes place during the Old South and features a lot more than just laughs as the doctor always talks about he Declaration of Independence and how important that is to him. The battles between rich and poor as well as black and white are dealt with in a pretty honest manor considering the type of film this is. There's one sequence where a black boy asks Hardy if he'll ever be white so that he will be able to do more things. The response Hardy gives him makes for some good drama but it's also interesting in what's said. I was surprised at how honest they looked at the racial tensions but some of them are nearly thrown to the side with Step'n Fetchit playing his normal slow slave character. He's certainly very good at what he does but the performance does go against some of the speeches in the film. Hardy proves that he could carry a movie on his own and delivers many laughs including a very funny sequence where he tells Langdon that he isn't an elephant. Langdon's comeback is great and he also manages to do his part quite well and add plenty of laughs. I didn't care too much for any of the other supporting performances as I found them very annoying due to how they were written in the screenplay. This film certainly isn't a masterpiece or even a classic but it makes for a mildly entertaining 70-minutes.

tavm Since this is Black History Month and I'm reviewing African-Americans on film in mostly chronological order, let's start my review of Zenobia by mentioning three of the players: Stepin Fetchit, Hattie McDaniel, and Philip Hurlic. Stepin (spelled Step'n in the credits) is Zero-the butler. He's quite funny with his talking under his breath about his thoughts every time he gets ordered. Having seen quite a few of his performances now, I have tolerated his presence a bit more because of some of the subtle brightness he brings to his parts. Hattie (whose last name has an 's' added in the credits) brings the same commanding presence that I last saw in Show Boat, which I just watched this morning. And Philip, the kid here that I just saw in The Green Pastures, as Zeke proves to be the most intelligent one in the movie when he recites The Declaration of Independence with the reward being a quarter from Oliver Hardy's character of Dr. Tibbett. They all were fine performances here despite some of the stereotypes they're forced to play. Now, with Hardy briefly split from Stan Laurel (because of the latter's dispute with Hal Roach), he's the carrier of this movie and he does just fine especially in his scenes with Harry Langdon and an elephant, Zenobia, that Langdon-as Professor McCrackle-owns. Those scenes are the most "Laurel and Hardy"-like in the film. Also in fine form were Billie Burke as Hardy's wife, Bessie Tibbett, Olin Howard as Attorney Culpepper, and J. Farrell McDonald, another supporting player from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life (he played the old man whose tree was hit by George Bailey's car), as the Judge. One other note: Jean Parker who plays Hardy's daughter Mary Tibbett here, would later in the year play his potential fiancée in The Flying Deuces which marked Laurel and Hardy's re-teaming. So on that note, I highly recommend Zenobia. Oh, and having just seen the Hall Johnson Choir in The Green Pastures, it's nice hearing them here too.

banse Oliver Hardy shines as a small town doctor in this amusing comedy set in the Old South. After tending to an ailing elephant Hardy can't get rid of the beast since she is so appreciative and an elephant never forgets. It's a fun path as Zenobia follows the portly doctor just about everywhere he goes. This is one of the few times that Hardy appeared in a film without his partner Stan Laurel however he handles it quite well. Co-starring are Jean Parker, James Ellison, Alice Brady, Billie Burke as the doctors befuddled wife and the ever dependable Hattie McDaniel. It's available on VSH folks.

Joe Migliore Oliver Hardy exhibits his talent as a character actor in this well-cast Roach feature. People often make the mistake of expecting a Laurel & Hardy film, which isn't really fair. This is a pleasant diversion, filled with rich characters, including Langdon in perfect form as the owner of a sick elephant.