The Music Box

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The Music Box is a Laurel and Hardy short, released in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film won the first Academy Award for Live Action Short Film (Comedy) in 1932. It has been considered culturally significant by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

The short itself depicts Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy as delivery men attempting to carry a large, heavy player piano up a long flight of stairs, and failing spectacularly several times. Once they finally do get the piano up the stairs they have even more trouble getting it into the house they're delivering it to. And to top it all off, the recipient of the piano is someone Laurel and Hardy angered while bringing it up the long flight of stairs, and was unaware he was getting a piano because his wife bought it as a surprise. He is not thrilled to see Laurel and Hardy invading his home and making a fine mess of things.

Tropes used in The Music Box include:

• Agony of the Feet: Oliver steps on a nail, and its Played for Laughs.
• Amusing Injuries
• DIY Disaster
• Epic Fail: It's just one right after another.
• Grievous Bottley Harm: The nurse breaks a milk bottle over Oliver's head.
• Have a Gay Old Time: The police officer accuses Laurel and Hardy of 'molesting' the nurse, which at one time just meant 'bothering' without any sexual connotations.
• Here We Go Again
• Herr Doktor: Professor Theodor Von Schwarzenhoffen.
• Jerkass: The nurse who laughs at Laurel and Hardy when she causes the piano to roll down the stairs again, and breaks a bottle over Oliver's head for laughing when she slaps Stanley for kicking her. Then she gives a policeman a one-sided story of what happened.
• Left the Background Music On: The music playing during the introduction turns out to be played by the piano, and it stops when a salesman turns it off.
• Literal Ass-Kicking: Laurel kicks a nurse who laughs at their misfortunes in the behind. Later a cop kicks Hardy.
• Malaproper: Laurel, as usual.

"Say, listen. Don't you think you're bounding over your steps?"

• Now You Tell Me: It turns out that Laurel and Hardy could have taken the piano around the corner and avoided the stairs entirely, but they don't find this out until they finally reach the top. They then haul the piano back down the stairs and take the short cut. Naturally.
• Overly Long Name: Professor Theodore Von Schwarzenhoffen, M.D., A.D., D.D.S., F.L.D., F.F.F and F
• Police Brutality: Not overly harsh, but the cop does get a little rough with Laurel and Hardy.
• Would Hit a Girl: Laurel