Stan & Ollie
With their golden era long behind them, comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy embark on a variety hall tour of Britain and Ireland. Despite the pressures of a hectic schedule, and with the support of their wives Lucille and Ida – a formidable double act in their own right – the pair's love of performing, as well as for each other, endures as they secure their place in the hearts of their adoring public
Despite its tight budget of $10.0M, Stan & Ollie became a commercial success, earning $24.4M worldwide—a 144% return.
Nominated for 3 BAFTA 6 wins & 30 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Stan & Ollie (2018) showcases precise story structure, characteristic of Jon S. Baird's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 38 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy
Lucille Hardy
Ida Kitaeva Laurel
Main Cast & Characters
Stan Laurel
Played by Steve Coogan
The creative half of Laurel and Hardy, a perfectionist comedian struggling with declining fame and complex personal relationships.
Oliver Hardy
Played by John C. Reilly
The jovial, warm-hearted partner who masks his declining health and financial worries behind charm and optimism.
Lucille Hardy
Played by Shirley Henderson
Oliver's devoted wife who provides emotional support and manages his health concerns during the tour.
Ida Kitaeva Laurel
Played by Nina Arianda
Stan's glamorous Russian wife whose relationship with him is strained by his workaholic tendencies and past infidelities.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes 1937 Hollywood: Stan and Ollie are at their peak, filming a elaborate musical number on the Hal Roach lot. They're a beloved team, perfectly in sync, creating movie magic together.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when The theater is nearly empty for their first show. Their comeback tour is a disaster from the start—no publicity, no audience, their dignity hanging by a thread in a half-empty provincial theater.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to They commit fully to the tour, doing radio interviews and publicity. Stan and Ollie choose to fight for their legacy, embracing the grind of promotion to revive their careers one more time., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False victory turns to defeat: Just as the tour succeeds and a BBC variety show beckons, the old wound reopens. Ida reveals to Lucille that Hardy abandoned Stan in 1937, betraying their partnership for solo success., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 73 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Hardy collapses on stage during a performance, suffering a heart attack. The physical breakdown mirrors their emotional collapse. The whiff of death is literal—Hardy's mortality and the death of their partnership., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 79 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Stan and Ollie finally confront their past honestly. Hardy admits his regret about 1937; Stan admits his own failures. They forgive each other, understanding that their partnership transcends the business betrayals., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Stan & Ollie's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Stan & Ollie against these established plot points, we can identify how Jon S. Baird utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Stan & Ollie within the comedy genre.
Jon S. Baird's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Jon S. Baird films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Stan & Ollie represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jon S. Baird filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Jon S. Baird analyses, see Tetris, Filth.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
1937 Hollywood: Stan and Ollie are at their peak, filming a elaborate musical number on the Hal Roach lot. They're a beloved team, perfectly in sync, creating movie magic together.
Theme
Hal Roach tells Stan about contract negotiations, revealing the tension between art and business, loyalty and ambition. The seeds of their future rift are planted when Stan learns Hardy signed without him.
Worldbuilding
Time jump to 1953. Stan and Ollie are aging, less famous, struggling to remain relevant. They arrive in England for a music hall tour, hoping to finance a Robin Hood film. The contrast with their glory days is stark.
Disruption
The theater is nearly empty for their first show. Their comeback tour is a disaster from the start—no publicity, no audience, their dignity hanging by a thread in a half-empty provincial theater.
Resistance
Stan and Ollie debate whether to continue the tour. Their producer Bernard Delfont promises better promotion. Their wives Ida and Lucille arrive. The team must decide whether to push forward or give up.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
They commit fully to the tour, doing radio interviews and publicity. Stan and Ollie choose to fight for their legacy, embracing the grind of promotion to revive their careers one more time.
Mirror World
The dynamic between their wives Ida and Lucille mirrors Stan and Ollie's partnership—competitive, loving, fragile. The couples' relationships reflect the theme of long-term partnership and unspoken resentments.
Premise
The promise of the premise: watching Stan and Ollie perform together, seeing their chemistry on stage, their comic genius still intact. The tour gains momentum, audiences grow, the magic returns.
Midpoint
False victory turns to defeat: Just as the tour succeeds and a BBC variety show beckons, the old wound reopens. Ida reveals to Lucille that Hardy abandoned Stan in 1937, betraying their partnership for solo success.
Opposition
The rift between Stan and Ollie deepens. Long-buried resentments surface. Hardy's health deteriorates. The friendship fractures under the weight of old betrayals while they must maintain the illusion on stage.
Collapse
Hardy collapses on stage during a performance, suffering a heart attack. The physical breakdown mirrors their emotional collapse. The whiff of death is literal—Hardy's mortality and the death of their partnership.
Crisis
In the hospital and aftermath, Stan sits with the uncertainty of Hardy's survival and their unresolved conflict. The dark night: facing the possible end without reconciliation, legacy incomplete.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Stan and Ollie finally confront their past honestly. Hardy admits his regret about 1937; Stan admits his own failures. They forgive each other, understanding that their partnership transcends the business betrayals.
Synthesis
Against doctor's orders, Hardy insists on completing the tour. Their final performance together—not perfect, but real. They honor their partnership and their audience, choosing art and friendship over caution.
Transformation
Final image: Stan and Ollie in matching beds in their shared room, laughing together like children, the bitterness gone. A mirror of the opening's professional harmony, now replaced with genuine love and reconciliation.