Redwarmin This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Cissy Évelyne It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "The Tree in a Test Tube" is a color short film from 1943. It is World War II and there were so many American propaganda films out there. This is one of these. And it is more known than many of the others because of the inclusion of Laurel & Hardy (both around the age of 50 here). But they only show up in the first couple minutes and afterward, it becomes even more bland than it already was early on. Not even this duo can turn mediocrity to gold. I don't know who I would recommend this film to, maybe foresters I guess. Pete Smith, an Academy Award darling, also worked on this one here and I cannot say that it made m e curious about any of his many many other works. There's 6-minute and 10 minute versions (restored DVD) of this one out there and I can only say the shorter the better, even if I watched the 10-minute version. Thumbs down from me. Don't check it out unless you really love Laurel & Hardy.

Steve Pulaski Laurel and Hardy's short film "The Tree in a Test Tube" is a five-minute, partially-complete video from the U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning the ubiquity of products made or manufactured from wood or wood byproducts in the American economy at the time (1942, right near the end of World War II). The short focuses on Laurel and Hardy, seen in color, their only surviving color project known at this time, who are suddenly stopped by the voice of MGM announcer and producer Pete Smith, who asks the two men if they have any products made from wood on them. The two men shake their heads no in total bemusement, but realize, once Smith gets started on his didactic lesson, that between their wallets, shoes, and hats, they bear numerous products containing wood on them."The Tree in the Test Tube" is an interesting short for many reasons, other than being almost a blatant piece of World War II-era propaganda. For starters, as mentioned, it's the only surviving color film starring Laurel and Hardy. Secondly, this was shot on the backlot of Twentieth Century-Fox in November 1941 when Laurel and Hardy were on their lunchbreak. And, finally, this short was due to be lengthier, but the bulk of it was lost and never recovered.Due to the clearer photography, which also benefits from color, we can see Laurel and Hardy begin to show their age in the short as well, with more wrinkles to their faces and the occasional mugs of sheer exhaustion on their faces. Nonetheless, they were troopers to commit themselves to this particular side project on their lunchbreak, and I have a feeling if they were alive today, they'd have to do a video showing how many of the products we use on a daily basis contain corn on the backlot of Warner Bros., just to even the score. This short is a curious piece of film and Laurel and Hardy history and should be viewed and judged on that more than the quality of the film and its overall story/goal.Starring: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Directed by: Charles McDonald.

theowinthrop Seen more as a curiosity than anything else, THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE was a propaganda short made in World War II about the wood products that we find in common use all over the country. Stan and Ollie are stopped by narrator # 1 (Pete Smith) as they are walking in the street carrying a suitcase. Smith asks them if they know what wood based products that are in everyday use they have on them. First of course is their newspaper (from wood pulp, of course) but soon they find all types of wood based plastics, rayon, and chemicals in their possession. The film is instructive, but the joke is strained. I like Pete Smith at his best, but he is sarcastic - and he can stay on a joke beyond it's worth. Here he makes some comments on the boys naiveté which are really uncalled for. That they remain friendly is due to their screen persons as "babes in the wood". Simplistic, they listen to Smith's comments and accept them with grace. Probably it is just as well. They do have some fun with a piece of woman's underclothes on Stan's persons, and later a pair of Stan's colorful undershorts - both of which are made from wood based material. This is okay, spoiled slightly by the soundtrack giving Ollie a laugh at Stan's expense that is reminiscent of Ole Oleson's high pitch screen laugh (a real annoyance, by the way).The boys do end up chasing a car that most of their clothes and belongings were put upon when unpacking them. It is a fitting moment - but one of too few good ones in this short.The short then leaves the boys and Smith and a second narrator talks about the Agricultural Department's Wood Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, where they have tree grown in a test-tube. That is how the film ends. Interesting as far as it informs us of wood and it's importance, but not great entertainment. To be truthful the color stock of the film is not the best either. Pity as that is the really best reason to see this film. The short is mediocre at best - only worth a "5" out of "10". It could have been better.

Boba_Fett1138 It seems pretty odd as to why both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy ever agreed to be in this little propaganda movie, to promote wood and wood by-products, for the use of average everyday products.Thing that this movie taught me the most is that Laurel & Hardy don't look good in color. This movie is from 1943 and Laurel & Hardy were already both well over 50 at the time. Their age normally doesn't really show but it does so in this color movie. They really didn't look well and looked old- and stiff in their movements. They really seemed out of place in this movie but yet the obviously still make the movie an interesting and fun one to watch. It's certainly better than normally 'education' and war-time propaganda movies.I also can't deny that this movie is educational. This movie surely taught me some things I didn't knew about wood yet. Not that I'm really interested in it of course but it's still sort of fun to know all. Laurel & Hardy's presence definitely added to the educational level of this movie. They show everything in a fun and quick way, although none of it obviously ever gets hilarious or terribly interesting.It's still a sort of good movie that is made interesting and effective by Laurel & Hardy's presence but it's still sort of sad to see them in this. Alreading getting older and long since over their prime. The only reason they seem to be in this is because of the money. Still the movie remains a sort of collectors item, since it's the only theatrical movie from Laurel & Hardy in full color.I have some mixed feelings about this movie. Laurel & Hardy seem terribly out of place but yet at the same time they're the only reason why this movie is still an effective and interesting one. Therefor I rate it a 'safe' 6 out of 10.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/