BIG BUSINESS (1929) *** Ostensibly having something to do with Christmas tree retail, it appears to me to be a meditation on the absurdity of war. Whatever their point, Laurel and Hardy, I'm delighted to say that they've overstated it to the point of the impossibility of recognition. Thereby demonstrating that recognition is unnecessary and that the necessity is.well, it might be Christmas trees, I couldn't tell. Whereas I typically think of Laural & Hardy flicks as sporadic affairs offering time to reel your physical manifestations back in, at least, this one maintains a consistent snickering throughout its full 19 minutes. Not like Ravel's "Bolero," there is no sense of building, more like white noise of staggered frequency. James Finlayson is just as good as the principals, though not as great as himself in Way Out West .
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