A Fine Mess is a comedic movie written by Blake Edwards based on The Music Box, a classic Laurel and Hardy short film from 1932. A Fine Mess was originally released in 1986. It stars Ted Danson as small-time actor Spence Holden and Howie Mandel as carhop Dennis Powell. The comedic duo stumbles upon a plot to fix a horse race and schemes to place a winning bet. But the men fixing the race threaten to put Spence (Ted Danson) and Dennis (Howie Mandel) out of the running in addition to the losing horse.moreless