AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

zettel-2 Slapstick and opera go well together, as already the Marx Brothers proved, and here's another fine example. This entertaining version of the 19th century French opera contains some of the best scenes of Laurel&Hardy, such as the couples' hopeless attempt in robbery, the hanging fiasco, Stanilo's maddening finger and hand acrobatics and the drunk scene in the cellar. An absolute must for Laurel and Hardy fans! Especially as it also shows the superiority of Laurel's comedy over his partner's. Never mind that the scenery is as Californian as are the characters in the supporting roles. But after all - opera is all about illusion...

MartinHafer This is an incredibly uninvolving Laurel and Hardy vehicle, as it is so chock full of opera-style singing that the comedy, at best, takes a secondary position. I have never really understood why this funny duo was periodically subjected to musical crap like this as well as THE ROGUE SONG or BABES IN TOYLAND. Think about it...Laurel and Hardy were the funniest and best known comedy team of the era and yet instead of leaving them to what they knew best, they stuck them in movies that alienated most of their fans. Plus, while I hate opera-style movies from the 30s, the fans of the genre must have also felt frustrated in having comedy interjected into it. The closest melding of these styles that actually worked were the cute films starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald.This film stars Dennis King as The Devil's Brother--a kissing bandit in 18th century Italy. Throughout most of the film, he croons to ravishing Thelma Todd in order to trick her out of her husband's fortune. There to assist him in his schemes are Stan and Ollie who just seem out of place and tacked on to the film. In addition, Stan and Ollie's routines are among the poorest I've seen. One involved Stan accidentally drinking a sleeping potion and another later involved Stan getting drunk and laughing. Both scenes went on way too long and milked a rather unfunny bit for all it was worth.My advice is only watch this after you've seen the rest of Laurel and Hardy's work. The only exceptions I can think of are their films of the 40s and 50s--these films made at the very end of their careers, if it was possible, are even worse than this musical fiasco.UPDATE: 9/2010--The Wheeler & Woolsey film "Cockeyed Cavaliers" was a costume comedy set during the same time period AND also featuring Thelma Todd. Now you might think I am crazy for saying this (especially since Stan & Ollie were great and Wheeler & Woolsey were usually pretty lame), but the Wheeler & Woolsey film is better, as the singing is not an important part of the film and what singing there is isn't operetta-style. Plus, the emphasis is first and foremost on the comedy team--which, sadly, is not true with "The Devil's Brother".

sddavis63 I confess that I am hardly an afficionado of Laurel and Hardy, having seen very little of their work, but from what little I had seen of them, I somehow expected this movie to be funnier than it was. Instead, it was a reasonably well thought out story about a thief in 18th century Italy who is trying to steal the money of a wealthy count, and who enlists the help of Stan and Ollie, much to his chagrin in the end.There's not as much of the slapstick as I would have expected in a Laurel and Hardy movie, which to me was a disappointment. It's what I would want to see when I watch "the boys." There are some mildly amusing moments (Stan's games of "kneesy, earsy, nosey" and "fingers wiggling" come to mind - and they're very difficult to do!) and Stan puts on a good acting job when it comes to being drunk, but somehow it just didn't work for me. It isn't bad. It has some good supporting performances from Dennis King as Diavolo and Thelma Todd as lady Pamela. It's a pleasant diversion and it will give you a few chuckles. It just isn't what I had hoped it might be.4/10

Petri Pelkonen Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy is one of the greatest comedic couple ever.In this movie they get to be the retainers of a singing bandit called Fra Diavolo(Dennis King).Of course, everything goes wrong, when Stanlio and Ollio are trying to do their job.The Devil's Brother is a great musical comedy.The movie contains some very funny moments, that just make you laugh.From the couple Laurel is the more childish one, who cries in these movies many times. Hardy is trying to be more adult, who is barely standing his friend.There isn't one problem, these two fellas can't manage with their own stupidness.