Laurel & Hardy: Utopia / Mud & Sand

UTOPIA and MUD & SAND represent the first and last screen appearances of incomparable comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Stan and Ollie inherit a tropical island in the Pacific in UTOPIA (1950). While traveling to see it, they come across a different island that turns out to be rich in uranium. The new landowners dub the new-found island Atoll K and form an idealized society with no taxes or laws. When people flock to this lawless land, chaos erupts, and the minions turn against their bumbling leaders. This later effort contrasts nicely with MUD & SAND (1922), a parody of popular Rudolph Valentino films. The story follows a common villager (Stan Laurel) as he becomes a star bullfighter, while Oliver Hardy holds down a small role as a bandit in this hilarious comedy.