On the trail of the lonesome pine.......

Vue, Gateshead, 12.30 pm on a grey cloudy day - perfect for a spot of cinema visiting.
You have to do a bit of research these days to get your best deal and though it meant crossing the river via one of our historical bridges, the exercise was gonna do me good.

The Vue is a nice little facility with pleasant staff and a spacious foyer to catch up on some trailers you would normally expect to see before your main event in your chosen screen....and at least a quid cheaper than anywhere else locally. Shame about Gateshead High street though.


For the under 40s and the uninitiated, Laurel & Hardy are two of the greatest names from cinemas early black and white comedies; placed together by famous studio boss Hal Roach. They were at their peak in the late 30s where their childlike innocence and uncontrived nature filled the screen and apparently their business accumen too, as both were only ever on contract and they gained nothing from a future generation falling in love all over again on TV.

'Stan & Ollie' starts as they prepare for the dance in Way Out West (1937 I think) and its a testament to the team that they got the original back projection to accompany them. Steve Coogan takes the mighty role of Stan Laurel, the eternal scriptwriter and gag creator for the team and John C Reilly plays 'Babe' the affectionate term for Oliver Hardy, the perfectly suited foil to Stan's follies. The plot moves on some 16 years I believe, and the team have been handed something of a lifeline by Bernard Delfont; a music hall tour of Great Britain. Delfont is portrayed as somewhat slippery and has more time for the next best thing - a certain Norman Wisdom - and the ageing two seem unaware of his half hearted efforts.

I don't really want to explain the entire nature of the film as I really want to encourage you to see a warm poignant tale of two old troupers trying to maintain what they've tried so hard to achieve over the years. It's made by BBC films (another triumph) with warmth and affection.