YOU'RE DARN TOOTIN' was one of the last silent films Stan and Ollie appeared in - within a year they would be in UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE, where they demonstrated that they could handle talkie films with the best of their competition. Because of it's transitional nature, there is a major problem in the opening of the films, which suggests that the Roach Studio may have originally planned to do it as a talkie. The boys are in a town band, and they drive the conductor (Otto Lederer) wild by wrecking the piece of music the band is supposed to be playing. That the six to eight minute section of the film is not a waste (it is quite funny) is due to the antics of it's stars and the band conductor. Viewers tend to forget that Lederer's character (according to one of the title cards) is generally regarded as an idiot by the locals listening to his concerts - but he's worse when dealing with the boys. Watch the fairly simple problem just at the start, where they are out of sync with the other band members (including Charlie Hall) and keep standing when the conductor taps his baton at them (while the others sit down) and then sit down when the conductor tries to get the others to stand up with them! It is only when they are playing the music that the lack of a sound track occurs. We need to know what the music is that they are lousing up (on You Tube's three video transfer version the music appears to be Von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture).
Still the antics, including Stan showing quicker wits than usual (surprisingly), are amusing. Stan's clarinet music is accidentally blown off his stand, and he sees it is under the conductor's foot (and Lederer is stamping his foot on the paper to keep the time). Ollie is not watching, so Stan steals his french horn music, and when Ollie notices it is gone Stan points to the missing music under the conductor. Ollie goes to retrieve it, and gets stepped on several times before retrieving it.
Fired for wrecking the concert, the boys have no money to pay for 14 weeks bread and board at a boarding house - so they are thrown out there too. They try to make some money as street performers, only to find that they can't coordinate their musical timing. They also keep running afoul of a local beat policeman because they lack a license (when asked about this, Ollie indignantly says "We don't have a dog!"). They have problems with manholes, falling down several by accident (and Ollie getting a warmed rear end at one point as a result).
Finally comes the fight at the end. Stan was more aggressive in the silent films - he would not take any of Ollie's bullying here as in the later sound films. A case of reciprocal damage of their clothes begins (with Ollie getting the worst of it). And soon others (including the cop) get drawn in - and grown-up men are soon ripping each other's pants off. The conclusion reminds one of the ends of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY where a whole city block is engaged in a pie fight. The final shot (regarding one really large man's loss of his trousers) also is suggestive of another silent Stan and Ollie classic: LIBERTY.
On the whole the film is quite funny, and well worth catching on You Tube or video or in a revival house.
Still the antics, including Stan showing quicker wits than usual (surprisingly), are amusing. Stan's clarinet music is accidentally blown off his stand, and he sees it is under the conductor's foot (and Lederer is stamping his foot on the paper to keep the time). Ollie is not watching, so Stan steals his french horn music, and when Ollie notices it is gone Stan points to the missing music under the conductor. Ollie goes to retrieve it, and gets stepped on several times before retrieving it.
Fired for wrecking the concert, the boys have no money to pay for 14 weeks bread and board at a boarding house - so they are thrown out there too. They try to make some money as street performers, only to find that they can't coordinate their musical timing. They also keep running afoul of a local beat policeman because they lack a license (when asked about this, Ollie indignantly says "We don't have a dog!"). They have problems with manholes, falling down several by accident (and Ollie getting a warmed rear end at one point as a result).
Finally comes the fight at the end. Stan was more aggressive in the silent films - he would not take any of Ollie's bullying here as in the later sound films. A case of reciprocal damage of their clothes begins (with Ollie getting the worst of it). And soon others (including the cop) get drawn in - and grown-up men are soon ripping each other's pants off. The conclusion reminds one of the ends of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY where a whole city block is engaged in a pie fight. The final shot (regarding one really large man's loss of his trousers) also is suggestive of another silent Stan and Ollie classic: LIBERTY.
On the whole the film is quite funny, and well worth catching on You Tube or video or in a revival house.