Review of March of the Wooden Soldiers

My personal favorite movie featuring Laurel and Hardy.Every Thanksgiving morning I watch This classic while preparing the Thanksgiving meal for my guests. Usually WPIX in New York shows this movie every Thanksgiving Day since I could remember. Stan and Ollie are bumbling toy makers in the town of Toyland and reside in old widow Peep's(Florence Roberts) Shoe with their bedroom around the high top section. The evil Silas Barnaby played to perfection by Henry Brandon owns the deed on the shoe and must have the back mortgage money or he'll throw them out in the street.Ollie asked Stanley for his money box but instead of finding money there's a piece of paper that reads IOU from Stannie Dumb. Stan claims he spent all his money on Pee Wees. Ollie tells the woeful Widow Peep not to worry. He'll get the money,advance from his Boss the Toymaker cause there just like that! Well the boys arrive to work late and the boss is in a foul mood. Spilling paint and the fouling up the Wooden Soldiers order and having one of the six foot soldiers march up and down destroying the shelves was the end of their toy making careers. Meanwhile Bow Peep and Tom Tom frolic around Toyland singing,losing and then finding their sheep. The Evil Barnaby will let the widow stay if Bo Peep excepts his hand in marriage.Then Barnaby would agree to rip up the deed to the shoehouse. Stan and Ollie have other plans. Stan puts Ollie in a box wrapped up for Christmas as they deliver it to Barnaby's house hoping when Barnaby goes to sleep Ollie would come out of the box and rip up the deed.Stan says "Goodnight Ollie." and their failed attempt would make the Trojan Horse Blush.Ollie and Stan are punished and must be dunked. Dunking scene is hilarious as Ollie goes in for a cold dip. Bo Peep orders the dunking to stop and excepts Barnaby's hand in marriage in front of a stunned crowd. The wedding of Bo Peep and Barnaby is an event not to miss.When the comedy reaches a fever pitch singing numbers are performed by Felix knight (Tom Tom) to let you catch your breathe. This idea taken from Stan Laurel as to give the viewer a rest bud in the high paced comedy of the moment. What always stayed with me was the Mister Sandman, Gnome scene as Tom Tom sings a lullaby to Bo Peep.This all leads up to the grand finale with Boogeymen invading Toyland as Stan and Ollie activate the Wooden soldiers which always is an eye opener and heartwarming sight. Just a great child fantasy captured on film to share with future generations and Thanksgiving mornings to come.