Saps at Sea (UA 1940, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy)

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy’s last film for Hal Roach finds the boys working in a horn factory until the noise drives Ollie to a nervous breakdown. He is advised by a doctor to take a sea voyage, an idea he nixes because he’s phobic about the ocean. Stan offers a happy solution: rent a boat and keep it tied up in port. But then an escaped convict (Dick Cramer) sneaks onboard, putting out to sea and taking Laurel and Hardy as his prisoners – until Stan has another brilliant idea….

Comic highlights include a mixed-up apartment where appliances have been installed by a cross-eyed plumber (comic actor Ben Turpin), and the meal of shipboard odds and ends Stan and Ollie produce for their captor.

The movie was co-written by Harry Langdon, himself a former silent comedy star.

production details
USA | United Artists | 57 minutes | 1940

Director: Gordon Douglas
Producer: Hal Roach
Cinematography: Art Lloyd
Editor: William Ziegler
Music: Marvin Hatley
Script: Felix Adler, Harry Langdon, Gilbert Pratt, Charles Rogers
Art Direction: Charles D. Hall

cast
Stan Laurel as Stan
Oliver Hardy as Ollie
James Finlayson as Dr. J.H. Finlayson (uncredited)
Mary Gordon as Mrs. O’Riley
Eddie Conrad as Prof. O’Brien
Gene Morgan as 1st Cop
Charlie Hall as Desk Clerk (uncredited)
James C. Morton as
Ernie Alexander as Newsboy
Richard Cramer as Nick Grainger – Escaped Convict (uncredited)
Ben Turpin as Cross-Eyed Plumber
Harry Bernard as Harbor Patrol Captain
Chester A. Bachman as Officer
Eddie Borden as Berserk Employee
Ed Brady as Store Dresser
William Brady as
Chuck Callahan as
John Davidson as
Dix Davis as
Harry Evans as Store Dresser
Carl Faulkner as Harbor Policeman
Bud Geary as Prison Guard
Jack Greene as Officer
Harry Hayden as Mr. Sharp
Theodore Henderson as
Jack Hill as Man Beneath Auto
Claire James as Receptionist at horn factory
Bob Lafferty as
Walter Lawrence as Pedestrian
Jack Lloyd as
Sam Lufkin as Horn Factory Workman
Pat McKee as
Robert McKenzie as Capt. McKenzie
Patsy Moran as Switchboard Operator
Byron Munson as
Patsy O’Byrne as Mother
Wally O’Connor as
Jack Perrin as 2nd Police Officer
Allen Pomeroy as
Jack Raymond as
Charles Regan as
Vinegar Roan as
Constantine Romanoff as Horn Factory Workman
Francesca Santoro as Girl with Doll
Ed Schaefer as
Charles Stone as
Al Thompson as