The Bohemian Girl (1936 film)

1936 film

The Bohemian Girl is a 1936 comedic feature film version of the opera The Bohemian Girl by Michael William Balfe. Directed by James W. Horne and Charles Rogers, and it was produced at the Hal Roach Studios, and stars Laurel and Hardy, and Thelma Todd in her final film role. This was also the only appearance of Darla Hood in a full length feature produced by Hal Roach.

A group of gypsy caravans set up on the edge of a wood. They realise they are camped on the estate of Count Arnheim who will not tolerate their presence. The gypsies sing and dance to entertain themselves. Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the misfit pair of Gypsies in the group. When hen pecked Oliver is out pickpocketing, fortune telling or attending his zither lessons, his wife (Mae Busch) has an affair with Devilshoof (Antonio Moreno). A cruel nobleman, Count Arnheim (William P. Carleton), persecutes the Gypsies, who are forced to flee, but Mrs Hardy, in revenge for Devilshoof being lashed by the count's orders, kidnaps his daughter, Arline (Darla Hood), and Mrs. Hardy fools Hardy into thinking she is their daughter since he believes everything she tells him. She soon elopes with Devilshoof, and leaves Oliver and "Uncle" Stanley holding the toddler. Arline is too young to remember her old life. Twelve years later, the Gypsies return to Arnheim's estate. When grown up Arline (Jacqueline Wells) accidentally trespasses in Arnheim's garden, she recognises the place and Arnheim's voice, but is arrested by a constable (Jimmy Finlayson) and sentenced to a lashing. Stan and Oliver try to save her, but Stan is too drunk and both are arrested. Just as Arline is stripped in order to be lashed, she is rescued in time by Arnheim, who recognises a medallion she wears and a family birthmark, and both try to rescue Stan and Oliver. It is too late though: Laurel and Hardy had already been worked over in the torture chamber: Hardy emerges stretched to a height of eight feet, while Stan has been crushed to only a few feet tall and the constable just stands yelling and moaning.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer wanted to cast a talented newcomer as Arline. Hal Roach cast Darla Hood, who had just begun appearing in Roach's Our Gang comedies, as young Arline and Julie Bishop as adult Arline. Rosina Lawrence dubs Jacqueline Wells's singing. Paulette Goddard has a small uncredited role as a Gypsy. Stan Laurel's pet myna, Yogi, appears in the film. The Count was played by W. P. Carleton, who had played the role on stage over a number of decades. Thelma Todd died during production. Her role was originally supposed to be much larger.

The film was banned in Malaysia due to its depictions of Roma themes. It was also banned in Nazi Germany due to its positive depiction of gypsies, which Joseph Goebbels, the minister of propaganda for the regime, said "had no place" in the Third Reich.