8mm Forum: Baffling print of 'Fra Diavolo' (Laurel & Hardy)

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Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on August 07, 2018, 07:04 AM:

Last night, I took a look at the first half of a Laurel & Hardy feature I recently bought. All I knew was that the opening title says "Laurel & Hardy in Cry Babies", which isn't a title familiar to me, but the price was good and the way it was spooled meant that I obtained a nice Elmo 1200'.

Despite the fact that the title looks like it comes from an early release, the film turned out to be 'Fra Diavolo' (aka 'The Devil's Brother' and later 'Bogus Bandits'). I'm unable to find evidence of it ever being titled 'Cry Babies' so I wondered if anyone can explain this?

The other puzzling thing is that it starts off as a polyestar print, that I presume was probably a Derann release, but after about the first 400' it becomes a b/w acetate print, that looks better and has less contrast. The tail at the end of the first half indicates this was a Red Fox release. The condition is excellent, so the former owner almost certainly wasn't combining two damaged prints. I've seen a reference to a scene where Ollie is going to be hanged not being in every version, so I wonder if perhaps the polyestar/Derann release was uncut, so the former owner used the first part of this, but then reverted to the Red Fox release due to the better picture?

If anyone happens to know if these different versions exist, I'd appreciate the information.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on August 07, 2018, 08:08 AM:

Governor Films (TV) offered a L&H show back in the day and one of the cuts was CRY BABIES, which was about the most cohesive of the 4 twenty-minute 'shorts' - These were taken off Astor/MGM re-prints - Now, Red Fox in 1985 released a stunning print of FRA DIAVOLO in S8Soud on 4X400' in a glorious picture box and the sequence of Olio attempting to be hung was there. Perhaps those cut-downs like CRY BABIES eliminated this, as to only show the comedy segments - On a tag, Red Fox also (1986) released BONNIE SCOTLAND the same eay in S8Sound - Both features contain the countdown to the MGM lion opening and all titles - Shorty

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on August 07, 2018, 08:12 AM:

Fra Diavolo is one of my favourites!!!!!!!!!!
They should have called it "finger-wiggle” or “kneesie-earsie-nosie.” I am not sure why cry babies....there are many other LH's that i would called cry babies, but not this compilation. Great find and i bet fun to watch!

*ps- just a little language linguistics that i love... Diavolo in Greek is Diabolos, Devil.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on August 07, 2018, 09:24 AM:

Shorty & Mathew - Thanks for your replies.

Shorty - thanks for explaining what 'Cry Babies' is, although it's difficult to understand why anyone would replace the first part of the Red Fox 'Fra Diavolo' feature with this! Do you recall if 'Cry Babies' entirely consists of footage from 'Fra Diavolo' and might mostly cover the early part of the film? If so, perhaps the previous owner used it due to not having the start of the feature for some reason.

I think the Red Fox release may have been 5x400' because it's a 90 minute film and I've found the feature listed as 5x400' in a Derann catalogue from around 1990. They reprinted many former Red Fox releases.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 07, 2018, 11:17 AM:

I didn't realize that Red Fox was still releasing prints that late. When did they stop releasing prints?

Also, when did Red Fox release "Hoppity Goes To Town"? I have a Red Fox print of this on Agfa stock and it's really good (as well as being the full length film, not the Derann "digested" version (missing 7 minutes).

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on August 07, 2018, 11:29 AM:

Adrian, yes, my error - 5X400' on those features - The last reel is rather short, with the final gag and fade out, titles and exit music - CRY BABIES also had the opening sequence with James C. Morton where he pulls the table a bit and starts crying so that The Boys have to give him THEIR money - Not sure why the switcharound, but it is a nice reel to keep, until you locate an original of DIAVOLO - Osi, HOPPITY came out the same year - Red Fox boasts original titles and sharp prints, and they have 3 RKO shorts I want - Still searching - Shorty

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 08, 2018, 04:28 AM:

A number of Laurel & Hardy features were edited down to shorter lengths for American television.

I have two 16mm prints, each running just under 30 minutes, released by Regal Television Corporation.

DO IT YOURSELF - The last section of "Blockheads".
ALTER EGO - The last section of "A Chump At Oxford".

As regards FRA DIAVOLO, this was edited into three sections, although I am not sure of the initial distribution, and if they were intended for TV use.

CRY BABIES - The first Laurel & Hardy scene through Diavolo hiring them as servants.
TROUBLES - From the arrival at the Inn through end of the feature film, less the robbery scene.
EASY COME EASY GO - The robbery scene.

Perhaps the three sections were issued by separate Super 8 distributors and now have been joined together by a previous collector.

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