Here is 'Pardon Us' en Español, with a few tweaks

When the talkie revolution hit Hollywood in the late 1920s the motion picture industry changed overnight, and many careers were upended. Some of the top stars of the silent era struggled to adapt to the new technology, but for Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy the transition was a remarkably smooth one. Both men possessed pleasant voices that suited their screen characters perfectly, and as an added bonus, Mr. Hardy possessed an exceptional singing voice. But in another respect, the transition was difficult: Hollywood's international market was threatened due to the language barrier. Several movie companies experimented with alternate versions of their films in various European languages. A few stars (such as Greta Garbo and Jeanette MacDonald) were fluent in other languages and could repeat their roles in alternate versions. In some cases, such as Dracula, an entirely new cast was brought in to remake the film. But with comedy stars, a different approach was required. Since no one could replace the likes of Buster Keaton or Harry Langdon, they themselves appeared in alternate language versions, delivering their lines in phonetic French, Spanish or German. They sounded awkward, but hey, those guys were comedians, they were SUPPOSED to sound funny!

During 1930 and '31, Laurel & Hardy made more of these foreign language films than any of their contemporaries. (The Hal Roach Studio, their home base, also made alternate language films with Langdon, Charley Chase, and even the Our Gang kids!) Most of these were short comedies, though they were sometimes padded with additional scenes, musical numbers, etc., to turn them into featurettes. But Laurel & Hardy's first feature film, the prison-set story Pardon Us, would also be made in French, German, and Spanish. This last-mentioned version, "Les presidiarios" (also known as "De Bote en Bote") survives. Overall, it is similar to the Pardon Us that is so familiar to fans, but there are intriguing differences between the two.

"Les presidiarios" begins with a title card explaining the Prohibition of alcohol still in effect at the time in the USA -- which, of course, was not the law of the land in other countries. The early scenes are similar to the ones we know, except for the novelty of hearing the boys deliver their lines in Spanish. An actor named Enrique Acosta plays the warden, and comes off as appropriately stern. Tiny Sandford repeats his role as the guard, but appears to be mouthing his lines while another actor delivers them just off-camera. This is also true of Walter Long, who plays the boys' cellmate and nemesis The Tiger. One sequence is deleted: the "schoolroom" routine with Jimmy Finalyson, probably because so many of the punchlines were based on puns that wouldn't translate. Instead, the encounter with the dentist occurs sooner, while the scene featuring convicts harmonizing in the prison courtyard is extended. (The men sing Irving Berlin's "I Want to Go Back to Michigan" translated into Spanish, and they perform it nicely.) During the blackface interlude in the cotton fields, when the boys escape from prison and get jobs as field hands, the "Lazy Moon" number sung so beautifully by Mr. Hardy is unchanged. His song, and the field hands' songs, are in English.

The biggest differences occur towards the end, when the prison riot breaks out. The sequence is extended beyond its running time in the English language version, and is more harrowing. The Tiger attacks the boys with a knife, but Stan manages to subdue him semi-accidentally, by swinging open a cell door at just the right moment. Then, the boys realize the warden's quarters are on fire, and see that his daughter (played by June Marlowe) is imperiled. There's an extended bit involving their clumsy attempts to rescue her. Although they are ultimately successful, I found this business overly prolonged. She's on an upstairs floor screaming, and we want to see her rescued, so it's kind of difficult to enjoy watching the guys fumble the task. But all ends well. And the final gag is different from what you might expect, since they probably wanted to de-emphasize the Prohibition element for foreign audiences.

This rare feature was shown at NYC's Film Forum this week, as part of a major Laurel & Hardy retrospective. I thank them for making these films available to fans, especially rarities such as "Les presidiarios"!

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

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The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The musical genre features stories that combine music, singing, dancing, acting, and often spoken dialogue to tell a story or convey a narrative. Musicals incorporate various elements of drama, music, and choreography to create a cohesive theatrical experience that engages audiences on multiple levels.

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Spanish-language version of Pardon Us (1931).

Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, and Stan Laurel in Los presidiarios (1931)

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Los presidiarios

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