The Battle of the Century

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Battle of the Century
Theatrical poster for Battle of the Century (1927)
Directed by	Clyde Bruckman
Produced by	Hal Roach
Written by	Hal Roach H.M. Walker
Starring	Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy Jack Adams Ed Brandenberg Dorothy Coburn George B. French Anita Garvin Dick Gilbert Charlie Hall Jack Hill Ham Kinsey Sam Lufkin Gene Morgan Bob O'Connor Eugene Pallette Bert Roach Dick Sutherland Lyle Tayo Ellinor Vanderveer Dorothea Wolbert Charley Young Noah Young
Editing by	Richard C. Currier
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	December 31, 1927
Running time	19 min.
Language	Silent; English (Original titles)
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The Battle of the Century is a 1927 Hal Roach two-reeler starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who, although just teamed, had yet to take on their recognisible Stan and Ollie characters on a more or less permanent basis. A young Lou Costello can be seen in an early scene as a member of the audience at the prize-fight mentioned in the film's title. The film is most noted for the final sequence - a wonderfully-choreographed custard pie fight - that utilized an entire day's output of the Los Angeles Pie Company. One of the scene's most memorable moments occurs when the always-elegant Anita Garvin slips on a pie and lands on it, sitting down firmly. As she rises and shakes her leg to dislodge whatever's adhering to her, her body language and facial expression make it clear that she suspects the worst of the soft, sticky substance that she landed in.

[edit] Trivia

For many years, footage from the famous climatic pie fight was known to be the only extant material from the film until the opening reel (featuring a boxing match) turned up in the 1970's. The sequence involving Eugene Pallette is still lost. As is the very final gag where a cop gets a pie in his face and promptly chases Stan and Ollie down the street.