Why Girls Love Sailors

Why Girls Love Sailors
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Fred Guiol
Written by	Hal Roach H.M. Walker (titles)
Produced by	Hal Roach
Starring	Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy Viola Richard Anita Garvin Malcolm Waite
Edited by	Richard C. Currier
Distributed by	Pathé Exchange
Release date	July 17, 1927 (1927-07-17)
Running time	20 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Why Girls Love Sailors is a 1927 American comedy short silent film directed by Fred Guiol for Hal Roach Studios. It stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy before they had become the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy. It was shot during February 1927 and released July 17, 1927, by Pathé Exchange. It was considered a lost film until the 1980s.

Lobby card

Plot

The narrative commences with the loading operations aboard the vessel named the Merry Maiden, where Oliver assumes the role of the first mate, characterized as a domineering figure among the crew. Meanwhile, Stan portrays Willie Brisling, engaged to Nelly, with their affection evident. However, the captain, upon spotting Nelly, develops an interest in her, leading to a disruptive turn of events. Stan, displaying a tattoo of a ship on his chest, endeavors to thwart the captain's advances and rescue Nelly. Employing a series of stratagems, Stan seeks to eliminate the crew one by one, resorting to disguising himself to deceive them.

As the plot unfolds, Nelly faces harassment from the captain, complicating matters. The unexpected arrival of the captain's wife further complicates the situation, with Stan inadvertently becoming a target of the captain's affection. A tense encounter ensues, culminating in Stan's revelation and a pivotal moment of reconciliation between the captain and his wife. However, tensions escalate once again when the captain indicates retribution against Stan.

In a moment of revelation, Stan exposes the captain's wrongdoing to his wife, triggering a fatal reaction. In a sudden turn, the narrative concludes as Stan and Nelly are fatally shot, with their undergarments unveiled in the aftermath.

Cast

• Stan Laurel as Willie Brisling
• Oliver Hardy as First mate
• Viola Richard as Willie's Girl
• Anita Garvin as Captain's wife
• Malcolm Waite as Captain
• Charles R. Althoff as Grandpa Brisling (uncredited)
• Edgar Dearing as Amorous Sailor (uncredited)
• Bobby Dunn as Bemused bit (uncredited)

Production

The film marks the first appearance of Anita Garvin in a Laurel and Hardy picture; her involvement in the film was not known until the 1986 rediscovery. Deleted scenes from this film included actress Anna May Wong.

Lost film found

After its initial run in 1927 and particularly after talkies eclipsed silent films marketability, Why Girls Love Sailors went missing in the U.S. for nearly fifty years. Cinémathèque Française had a 16mm print, which French film critic Roland Lacourbe saw in 1971, and pronounced it mediocre.

When it was finally published, it was drawn from a 16mm print in a private collection, and only due to the efforts of a private collector in Copenhagen. Laurel and Hardy author Glenn Mitchell is even less impressed by the film than was Lacourbe: "Why Girls Love Sailors is one of several instances where the status of a 'lost' film has been reduced by its rediscovery," he writes. It is available in Europe on VHS and DVD releases, with reconstructed credits. In the United States, both VHS and DVD editions are out of print.

External links

• Why Girls Love Sailors at IMDb
• Synopsis at AllMovie
• Why Girls Love Sailors at Rotten Tomatoes
• Stills at lordheath.com