The Chimp (1932)

In the heart of a struggling small-time circus, Stanley and Oliver find themselves as clumsy bit performers, unintentionally accelerating the circus's descent into ruin with their accident-prone antics. When the beleaguered owner can no longer pay the wages he owes, he resorts to an unusual form of recompense. The circus's eclectic array of properties is divided randomly among the employees. Stanley becomes the reluctant owner of a flea circus, while Oliver inherits an unexpectedly intelligent chimpanzee named Ethel, distinguished by her oversized stature and a penchant for tutus. Finding themselves jobless and penniless, Stanley and Oliver hatch a plan to rent a room at a boarding house and sell Ethel the following day to cover their costs. However, their schemes are continuously thwarted, first by a rogue circus lion on the prowl, and later by the antics of their new simian companion and the fleas from Stanley's unexpected inheritance. Complications escalate when they discover that their new landlord's unfaithful wife shares the same name as their chimpanzee, Ethel. As they attempt to sneak the ape into their room, misunderstandings abound. The landlord, eavesdropping at the most inopportune moments, jumps to wild conclusions when he overhears Oliver instructing 'Ethel' to 'come to bed'. The ensuing chaos promises a myriad of comedic misadventures, blending slapstick humor with classic comedic timing in this 1932 cinematic gem, 'The Chimp'.

The Chimp is a comedy movie featuring Stan Laurel and directed by James Parrott.

It is possible to buy The Chimp on Apple TV.