A Chump at Oxford

A Chump at Oxford is a Hal Roach comedy film produced in 1939 and released in 1940 by United Artists. It was directed by Alfred J. Goulding and was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Roach studio. The title echoes the film A Yank at Oxford (1938), of which it is a partial parody.

Plot
Stan and Ollie find themselves in dire financial straits, left with only a modest sum of money. Seeking employment, they undertake a rather unconventional venture: Stan disguises himself as a maid named "Agnes" to secure a catering position at a dinner party hosted by Mr. Vanderveer. However, their plans go awry when Stan indulges in the cocktails intended for the guests, leading to a series of comical mishaps culminating in their expulsion from the premises.

Subsequently, the duo embarks on a journey of self-improvement, recognizing the need for education to elevate their prospects. Their serendipitous encounter with a bank robber results in their employment at the bank, where they are offered an opportunity to pursue higher learning. Enrolling at Oxford University in England, they navigate a series of misadventures, including mistaken identities and university hazing rituals orchestrated by mischievous undergraduates.

Amidst the chaos, Stan undergoes a transformation, regaining a lost identity as Lord Paddington, a celebrated figure with remarkable intellect and physical prowess. However, his newfound status strains his relationship with Ollie, who feels marginalized and disrespected. As events unfold, including an incident involving a falling window, Stan's return to his former self fosters reconciliation and a renewed sense of camaraderie between the two friends.

Cast

 * Stan Laurel as Stan / Lord Paddington
 * Oliver Hardy as Ollie
 * Forrester Harvey as Meredith
 * Wilfred Lucas as Dean Williams
 * Forbes Murray as Banker
 * Frank Baker as Dean's Servant
 * Eddie Borden as Student Ghost
 * Gerald Rogers as Student Johnson
 * Charles Hall as Student
 * Victor Kendall as Student
 * Gerald Fielding as Student
 * Peter Cushing as Student

Uncredited


 * Evelyn Barlow
 * Louise Bates
 * Harry Bernard as policeman
 * Stanley Blystone as policeman
 * Tom Costello
 * Richard Cramer
 * Jean De Briac as Pierre
 * Marjorie Deanne as dinner party guest
 * Herbert Evans as Professor Crampton
 * James Finlayson as Mr. "Baldy" Vanderveer
 * Anita Garvin as Mrs. Vanderveer
 * Mildred Gaye
 * Mack Germaine
 * Alec Harford as cab driver
 * Jack Heasley as Hodges
 * Jewel Jordan
 * Robert Kent
 * Rex Lease as robber
 * Ethelreda Leopold as bank manager's secretary
 * Lois Lindsay
 * Sam Lufkin as water wagon driver
 * George Magrill as tow-truck driver
 * Stan Mckay
 * James Millican as chauffeur
 * Edmund Mortimer as dinner guest
 * Doris Morton
 * Edgar Norton as Professor Witherspoon
 * William O'Brien as man in unemployment office
 * Vivien Oakland as receptionist
 * Jack Richardson
 * Ronald R. Rondell as dinner party guest
 * Elmer Serrano
 * Al Thompson
 * Bobby Tracy

Production
A Chump at Oxford was originally conceived as a streamliner featurette. The completed film ran 42 minutes in length. Roach's distributor, United Artists, rejected the featurette and insisted on a full-length feature film, forcing Roach to add 21 more minutes of action. The added scenes, partially reworking the silent film From Soup to Nuts (1928), show Laurel and Hardy trying to find temporary jobs at the employment agency, and being assigned to work at the dinner party.

The shorter version was shelved, and the longer version was released to theaters and later to television; this 63-minute print is the version most often seen today. The shorter version was ultimately released to theaters in 1943. A later reissue was further reedited, jumping abruptly from Stan and Ollie's entering the employment agency to them sweeping the streets. A 25-minute version created for television distribution is entitled Alter Ego.

As Lord Paddington, Stan Laurel employs an upper class received pronunciation accent, the only time he affected a voice different from "Stan" on film.