'Stan And Ollie' Clips: John C. Reilly And Steve Coogan Bring The Classic Comedy Duo To Life

By Ethan Anderton/Dec. 28, 2018 3:30 pm EST

This weekend brings Stan and Ollie to select theaters in New York and Los Angeles before the film expands in the coming weeks. There has been plenty of praise for the film, especially when it comes to the lead performances by John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan, but if you need to be convinced to see this story about the later years of the classic comedy duo of Laurel and Hardy, a new batch of clips should do the trick.

Watch the Stan and Ollie clips below.

In this clip, a tense conversation takes place when Laurel brings up something that Hardy did during their partnership that felt like a real betrayal. The intensity that John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan have in their eyes during this scene tells us everything we need to know about the history of these two comedians who were once great friends. Coogan even has tears well up in his eyes towards the end of this conversation.

No matter what happened that caused Laurel and Hardy to have a falling out, we also get to see how great it is when these two work together. Here we get to see the duo performing a routine for theaters where they sing and dance in front of a group of a projection of a western town backdrop and eventually a group of cowboys at a bar. It's a perfect recreation of one of their classic performances.

Speaking of performances, another clip shows the duo performing live, letting their voices to the work, both musically and comedically. John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan clearly did their own singing for this scene, and the physical embodiment of these two comedians is done so well.

It looks like the two get their groove back in some form when they embark on one final live tour for their fans. Hardy is trying to work through a nugget of an idea he has for a bit based on the famous Robin Hood concept of "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor," but he can't quite crack it.

Finally, Laurel and Hardy share a tender moment after the latter's health takes a turn for the worse, possibly forcing him to end his participation in the tour early. The two seem to have found their bond again, and they both acknowledge the painful things they said to each other were just words. It's a touching moment between the duo.

Stan and Ollie is only in New York and Los Angeles this weekend, but it will expand to more locations throughout January. If you'd like to know when it's coming close to your neck of the woods, head over to the film's official website for more information. If you'd like to see more, watch the trailer right here.

Laurel & Hardy, one of the world's great comedy teams, set out on a variety hall tour of Britain in 1953. Diminished by age and with their golden era as the kings of Hollywood comedy now behind them, they face an uncertain future. As the charm and beauty of their performances shines through, they re-connect with their adoring fans.

The tour becomes a hit, but Stan & Ollie can't quite shake the specter of Laurel and Hardy's past; the long-buried ghosts, coupled with Oliver's failing health, start to threaten their precious partnership. A portrait of the most tender and poignant of creative marriages, they are aware that they may be approaching their swan song, trying to rediscover just how much they mean to each other.