We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
8
WEDNESDAY
The great Hal Roach once said that the best comedians imitate children. And Roach knew exactly what he was talking about: He was the guy who had the perceptive idea of teaming childlike Stan Laurel with super-size baby Oliver Hardy. In Brats, one of the pair’s best shorts, they play dual roles as both immature adults and their own charmingly horrid children, who cavort wildly among oversize sets and props. Brats precedes the John Wayne-produced The Fighting Kentuckian, notable for its rare non-Laurel appearance by Hardy. Pat Carroll, the noted cineaste, calls it “a pleasant romp and, for Republic, a nicely budgeted B&W production,” and says, “What impressed me most was hearing Hardy’s Southern accent (he plays roly-poly ‘Willie,’ an Indian scout and the Duke’s loyal partner in adventure). Originally a product of the deep South (Harlem, Ga.), Mr. Hardy’s vocal inflections in this picture are quite possibly closer to his real manner of speaking than we generally heard in the L&H classics.” Bring the kids. The films screen at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St. SE. $5. (202) 547-6839. (Dave Nuttycombe)