Berth Marks: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
casts
Tag: Reverted
Line 56: Line 56:
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==Trivia==
The engine seen pulling the train is a 4-6-2 engine known as a "Pacific" type steam locomotive, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 1373, which was the most common wheel arrangement, during the 1800s and 1830s on American railroads until 1928. Such locomotives were given the name "American" in 1872, because a total of 25,000 were built, which did all the work on every railroad. These types of engines have twelve wheels: four leading wheels, six drive wheels, and two trailing wheels. The scene is filmed at the La Grande Depot in Los Angeles, which was the Santa Fe's station from 1893 until the opening of Union Station in 1939. [4] The same locomotive is featured in the Little Rascals short "Railroadin'", also filmed in 1929, at the Redondo Junction Yards and roundhouse of the Santa Fe. [5] The locomotive at the fictitious "Pottsville" station clearly has "Southern Pacific" lettering on it's tender. Southern Pacific, Santa Fe and Union Pacific were the three major railroads in Southern California and footage of their trains were used for countless movies, regardless of the supposed geographical setting of those films.
== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0019686}}
* {{IMDb title|0019686}}

Revision as of 20:23, 27 April 2024

Berth Marks
Lobby card
Directed byLewis R. Foster
Written byLeo McCarey
H. M. Walker
Produced byHal Roach
StarringStan Laurel
Oliver Hardy
Pat Harmon
S. D. Wilcox
Eleanor Fredericks
Harry Bernard
Baldwin Cooke
Paulette Goddard
Charlie Hall
Sammy Brooks
CinematographyLen Powers
Edited byRichard C. Currier
Music byMarvin Hatley (1936 reissue)[1]
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
DIC Entertainment (1990 reissue)
Release date
  • June 1, 1929 (1929-06-01)
Running time
19:34 (English)
49:09 (Spanish)
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
French
Spanish
German
Silent film with English intertitles

Berth Marks is the second sound film starring Laurel and Hardy and was released on June 1, 1929.

Plot

Stan and Ollie, two musicians en route to a performance in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, find themselves embarking on a sleeper train. However, their journey is marked by a series of mishaps. Stan inadvertently spills a substantial portion of their musical paraphernalia, much to Ollie's chagrin. Their interactions with fellow passengers further compound their troubles, as they unintentionally disturb a diminutive traveler and startle a woman in the midst of disrobing while mistakenly entering a private compartment.

The resulting fracas escalates when the incensed husband of the startled woman accuses an innocent bystander, sparking a cascade of clothing-ripping reprisals among the passengers. Amidst this chaos, Stan and Ollie endeavor to retire to their cramped upper berth, struggling to change into pajamas. Their efforts are further hampered by the general pandemonium onboard.

As they near their destination, Stan and Ollie finally manage to settle into their sleeping quarters, albeit belatedly. However, in their haste to disembark, they inadvertently leave their musical instrument behind. Ollie, realizing their oversight, gives chase along the tracks as the train recedes into the distance.

Cast

Production notes

Berth Marks was the second sound film released by Laurel and Hardy. A silent version was also made for cinemas that were not yet wired to show talking pictures. Action and dialogue scripts were written mid-April 1929, with filming taking place between April 20–27, 1929.[1]

Several of the train sequences (including some not used in the English release) were utilized for foreign language versions of The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case in 1930. Overall there were three different versions of The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case combined with Berth Marks, released for the foreign language market:-

  • Feu mon oncle - French
  • Noche de duendes - Spanish
  • Spuk um Mitternacht - German[1]

Berth Marks was reissued in 1936 with a music score added to introductory scenes.[1] This version and was subsequently included on the 10-disc Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection DVD set, as well as the Spanish Noche de duendes. In 2020 both the 1936 soundtrack version and the original 1929 soundtrack version were issued on "Laurel & Hardy - The Definitive Restorations" DVD and Blu-Ray collections.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Skretvedt, Randy; Jordan R. Young (1996) [1987]. Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies. Beverly Hills, California: Past Times Publishing. ISBN 0-940410-29-X.
  2. ^ "Berth Marks - Cast", imdb.com; accessed April 20, 2017.

Trivia

The engine seen pulling the train is a 4-6-2 engine known as a "Pacific" type steam locomotive, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 1373, which was the most common wheel arrangement, during the 1800s and 1830s on American railroads until 1928. Such locomotives were given the name "American" in 1872, because a total of 25,000 were built, which did all the work on every railroad. These types of engines have twelve wheels: four leading wheels, six drive wheels, and two trailing wheels. The scene is filmed at the La Grande Depot in Los Angeles, which was the Santa Fe's station from 1893 until the opening of Union Station in 1939. [4] The same locomotive is featured in the Little Rascals short "Railroadin'", also filmed in 1929, at the Redondo Junction Yards and roundhouse of the Santa Fe. [5] The locomotive at the fictitious "Pottsville" station clearly has "Southern Pacific" lettering on it's tender. Southern Pacific, Santa Fe and Union Pacific were the three major railroads in Southern California and footage of their trains were used for countless movies, regardless of the supposed geographical setting of those films.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Berth_Marks&oldid=1221089240"