The Battle of the Century

1927
PG
19m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A scheming fight manager attempts to collect insurance on his puny fighter by causing an accident. Things don't go according to plan, and the situation escalates into a pie-throwing battle o... Read allA scheming fight manager attempts to collect insurance on his puny fighter by causing an accident. Things don't go according to plan, and the situation escalates into a pie-throwing battle of epic proportions.A scheming fight manager attempts to collect insurance on his puny fighter by causing an accident. Things don't go according to plan, and the situation escalates into a pie-throwing battle of epic proportions.

Directors
- Clyde Bruckman
- Leo McCarey
Writers
- H.M. Walker
- Hal Roach
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

1.6K

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Clyde Bruckman
- Leo McCarey
Writers
- H.M. Walker
- Hal Roach
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

Photos20

+ 14

Top cast39

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Stan Laurel

Stanley

Oliver Hardy

Manager

Jack Adams

Man Being Photographed
(uncredited)

Chester A. Bachman

Policeman at end of film
(uncredited)

Wilson Benge

Pie Victim in Top Hat
(uncredited)

Ed Brandenburg

Corner Man
(uncredited)
…

Dorothy Coburn

Pie Victim Boarding Auto
(uncredited)

Monte Collins

Undetermined Secondary Role
(uncredited)

Lou Costello

Ringside Spectator
(uncredited)

Edgar Dearing

Man who says 'Gimme a pie'
(uncredited)

Jim Farley

Undetermined Secondary Role
(uncredited)

Budd Fine

Policeman who slips on Banana Skin
(uncredited)

George B. French

Dentist
(uncredited)

Anita Garvin

Woman Who Slips on Pie
(uncredited)

Dick Gilbert

Sewer Worker
(uncredited)

Pete Gordon

Barber
(uncredited)

Charlie Hall

Pie Deliveryman
(uncredited)

Al Hallett

Man Hit by Pie in Doorway
(uncredited)

Directors
- Clyde Bruckman
- Leo McCarey
Writers
- H.M. Walker
- Hal Roach
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
For years only the pie fight sequence had survived in a somewhat condensed version, as prepared for inclusion in the Robert Youngson documentary The Golden Age of Comedy (1957), Blackhawk Films released this sequence. There was one video restoration by the Museum of Modern Art in the 1970s that used portions of the script, combined with still photographs, to give an idea of what the first reel was like. The complete second reel was located in 2014 and restored to this short. It was a 16mm safety from the collection of Robert Youngson.

Goofs
In the final scene, a woman slips and does a pratfall onto a pie on the sidewalk, but when she gets up to leave, the sidewalk is free of pie debris.

Quotes
Undetermined Secondary Role: Did you start that pie fight?
Manager: What pie fight?

Connections
Edited into The Golden Age of Comedy (1957)

User reviews19

Featured review

9/10

Funniest pie fight of all time

I viewed a restored version of "The Battle of The Century", put out on video by Nostalgia Archives. Prior to this I had only seen a sequence of a few minutes from the Robert Youngson compilation, "When Comedy Was King". This is a truly funny film, for it shows Laurel and Hardy at their best. The pie in the face was kind of old hat even for 1928. But Hal Roach using Laurel and Hardy created the funniest pie fight of all time. All the different scenarios that were used to deliver the pies as well as a generous helping of laughs has an almost ballet rhythm to it. There was of course to help the madness along, both Charley Hall and Anita Garvin a couple of Hal Roach Regulars. As I said, this film was considered "lost" however the first reel was found and the film is complete except for a couple of minutes of film that are still missing from the start of the second reel. However this was compensated for by a combination of still photos that are intercut with the continuity script. I was very pleased with the film and I am sure any person interested in the silent comedy shorts would also enjoy this fine film that has been carefully reconstructed.