Radiance Members' Pages

THE BOYS THE FILMS '26 - '27


Films made in 1930 and 1931

Film Stills 1930

Blotto 1930

Brats 1930

Below Zero 1930

Hog Wild 1930

Another Fine Mess 1930

Films Stills 1931

Laughing Gravy 1931

Our Wife 1931

Pardon Us 1931

Helpmates 1931

Film Titles 1930

Night Owls
When cop Edgar Kennedy finds Stan and Ollie sleeping on a park benches he offers them a deal to avoid arrest. If they break into the house of his chief, Kennedy will pretend to arrest them, thus getting brownie points with the boss. After the charade, Kennedy will let them go. Laurel and Hardy agree, but everything gets in a mess and all three end up under arrest.

Blotto (photo)
During the Prohibition, Laurel and Hardy decide to go to a nightclub, taking with them a bottle of liquor which is hidden in the house. Mrs Hardy hears of their plan end replaces the alcohol with a non-alcoholic mixture. Stan and Ollie proceeed to get "drunk" at the nightclub, having a wonderful time. That is, until Mrs Hardy turns up armed with a shotgun, chases them into the street, and demolishes their car with one well-aimed shot.

Rogue Song
This was essentially a vehicle for opera singer Lawrence Tibbitt, with Laurel and Hardy added in to help sales, and to add some light relief. No prints of this film have survived.

Be Big
Whilst their wives are away, Stan and Ollie plan to attend a convention in Atlantic City. However, one mishap after another prevents them from even getting out of the door.

Brats (photo)
Laurel and Hardy look after their offspring (also played by themselves) one evening, when the wives our out. It is a wonderful film, giving great scope for funny situations, and for Stan and Ollie to display their characteristic traits -- both as adults and as children. When Stan takes an empty glass and walk to the bathroom to fill it up for the children, Ollie pushes him aside with a condescencing "Here, let me do it." Ollie opens the door and is flushed away by a huge torrent of water -- the kids had left the taps open, which flooded the bathroom.

Below Zero (photo)
Being street musicians in snowy weather is not an easy job, as Stan and Ollie find out. They suffer many small disasters, culminating in having their instruments being run over by a truck. Then their luck turns -- they find a wallet full of money. They treat themselves to a good meal, and even invite a cop to join them. When the moment of paying the bill comes, the cop realises the duo have his wallet, which he lost earlier. The boys try to escape, and Laurel hides in a water barrell. He emerges with a huge stomach, having drunk all the water inside.

The Laurel & Hardy Murder Case
Stan inherits a fortune, and takes Ollie with him on his visit to an old house, where he has to claim the money. A condition of the inheritance is that he has to spend a night there. They both stay, but the night is full of scary interruptions -- the house is haunted.

Hog Wild (photo)
In this film, on of their best, Laurel is helping Hardy to put up a radio aerial on the roof of his house. Mrs Hardy gets more and more impatient as Hardy regularly falls off the roof. Eventually, with the ladder perched on Stan's car to gain height, Stan releases the handbrake and the car takes off -- into the busy city streets. Ollie hangs on for dear life, swinging back and forth, ducking low bridges, avoiding vehicles, until he is finally dumped on the pavement. The badly shaken Hardy is reunited with his wife, and they join Laurel in his car for an uneventful ride home. But Stan can't start his car, in spite of his frantic efforts. A streetcar comes along, ringing its bell urgently, and we hear a terrible crash. The closing scene shows Stan's crunched-up car, able to go around in tight circles only.

Another Fine Mess (photo)
Finlayson, a big-game hunter, goes off on a long trip. His servants immediately packs their bags and disappear. Just then, Laurel and Hardy come along, being chased by a cop. They hide in the mansion, and have to stay there because the cop is holding guard outside. When the tenants arrive -- an English lord with his American wife -- Hardy poses as the butler, and Laurel as the maid. In spite of some errors, they're doing pretty well until Finlayson turns up, because he has forgotten something. Seeing the imposters, he calls for the cops. Stan and Ollie, dressed as a goat, escape on a bicycle.

Film Titles 1931

Chickens Come Home
In this film, a rework of Love 'Em And Weep, Hardy is visited at home by a former ladyfriend who threatends to blackmail him. Hardy is a successful businessman, happily married, and this problem causes him great worry. His friend Laurel comes to his aid, and Finlayson as the butler has some wonderful opportunities to get bribes for keeping quiet.

Laughing Gravy (photo)
A rework of Angora Love, this time with a dog. Stan and Ollie risk eviction from their apartment if the landlord discovers their new pet. During the film, they end up in the snow outside, manage to get back in, and destroy many items in the process.

Our Wife (photo)
Hardy is in love with the daughter of millionaire Finlayson. Whilst the father is keen to marry off his foolish daughter, he can't accept Hardy as a son-in-law. So Ollie works out the plan for an elopement which does not go without problem, since he asks his friend Stan to help. Finally the happy couple stands in front of minister Ben Turpin, who, being very cross-eyed, succeeds in making Stan the groom.

Come Clean
A film which uses ideas first seen in Should Married Men Go Home. The Laurels pay a visit to the Hardys who initally pretend not to be at home. Stan and Ollie then go out to buy some icecream and rescue May Bush, a lady of doubtful morals. They hide her in the bathroom at home, whilst the wives become more and more suspicious. Finally, a cop arrives, taking her away, and Stan gets the reward (after Ollie laid all the blame on him).

Pardon Us (photo)
This is the duo's first feature length film. Having ended up in prison because they were brewing and selling beer during the Prohibition, Stan and Ollie run foul of the toughest criminal in the jail. Thanks to Stan's frequent "raspberry" (caused by a loose tooth), they earn the respect of the man-- he thinks it is a sign of courage. After escaping from jail as part of a mass outbreak, they take shelter amongst a group of black cotton pickers. When the warden's car breaks down nearby, Stan's tooth gives the game away (in spite of their blackened faces) and they're back in jail. When a prison riot is quelled thanks to Stan's raspberry noises. they earn a pardon. Stan's parting shot to the warden is "Would you like to order some beer?"

One Good Turn

Stan and Ollie are poor victims of the Depression, living in a tent, with their only possessions kept in their car. A campfire destroys most of what they own, and they ask for help in a town nearby. A lady, Mary Carr, takes pity on them and gives them food. She is part of an amateur theatre group, and the duo overhear her rehearsing a play with Finlayson. They believe the conversation -- about her losing her house -- is for real, and decide to help by selling their car and giving her the money to pay the mortgage.

Beau Hunks

Hardy joins the Foreign Legion to get over a failed love affair, and soemhow entices Laurel to come with him. Predictable and certainly not on of their better films.

Helpmates (photo)

Ollie's wife, who has been away, calls to tell him she is coming hime early. Since Ollie has had some wild parties he needs the help of Stan to tidy up the place. This is a wonderfully funny film, in which all sorts of things go wrong, and the house is eventually destroyed.


[ introduction ] [ list of all films ] [ 1926 & 1927 ] [ 1928 & 1929 ] [ 1930 & 1931 ]
[ 1932 & 1933 ] [ 1934 to 1936 ] [ 1937 to 1939 ] [ 1940 to 1952 ] [ weblinks ] [send email]