They Go Boom! (1929) User Reviews

Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 22 September 2016]

Oliver's under the weather with the flu, and he's got Laurel taking care of him, so you know how that will go. Between giving him all sorts of funky non-medications (including one cotton swabbed throat relaxant that looks like a tootsie roll) , overdoing it on blowing up an air mattress and chases around the bed with Hardy just getting angrier and angrier and not any better, this is a mild early comedy short with frequent gags that manage to be amusing in this often creaky two reeler. Annoyed neighbors keep popping in to demand quiet, but that just makes the situation worse. The rising mattress is perhaps the funniest bit, with everything going wrong that can go wrong.

They Go Boom!

[jboothmillard · 8/10 · 9 January 2009]

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the most famous comedy duo in history, and deservedly so, so I am happy to see any of their films. Ollie and Stan are trying to sleep in a room-to-rent, but Ollie has the sniffles, so he can't stop coughing, and sneezing, causing a blind to unravel, and a picture to fall. Stan makes his cold worse when putting the picture back on the wall, he hammers into the drainage, causing a leak, and Ollie needs a foot bath. Stan goes to get it, and manages to get sticky stuff on his fingers, and on his sock, but he does get the foot bath, throat medicine, and mustard to go into the bath. Ollie manages to swallow the cotton filled with throat medicine, and his feet are smothered in the foot bath filled with thick mustard, and getting back into bed, he and Stan manage to flatten it with their weight, and when Ollie tries to blow it back up, he sucks in the air, expanding his front. Soon enough the Landlord comes in to tell them to be quiet, and again after they can't stay on the bed they've blown up too far and can't stay on, and the Landlord (Charlie Hall) manages to land into the thick mustard, and while fetching the police, Ollie and Stan get into the bed, which is slowly blowing up with more air, till it reaches the ceiling, and it explodes with Ollie's sneeze. Filled with wonderful slapstick and all classic comedy you could want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Very good!

A delight

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 20 November 2022]

Sometimes the simplest of situation comedies work the best, and so it proves with THEY GO BOOM! Essentially, Ollie's suffering from the sniffles and Stan tries to cure him, and that's all there is to it. But what a journey unfolds over the 20 minute running time here! The gags start out on familiar ground before becoming more and more elaborate as they go on, and each of the boys seems to be subjected to endless injury and physical peril. Of course, it all builds to an explosive scenario at the climax that the title hints at, and as usual the sheer amount of stunts, physical destruction and sight gags make it a delight.

Good sequences with good physical work

[bob the moo · 5 July 2003]

Laurel and Hardy are simply trying to get a good nice sleep but Mr Hardy has a really bad case of the sniffles and can't get off easily. Laurel just wants to help and tries various remedies including a bath of hot water, a mustard plaster and a water bed. But try as he might things don't seem to be getting any better for Hardy.

A oft repeated theme is used to good effect here – Laurel is simply trying to help Hardy but yet he only manages to make things worse in one way or another. In this film Hardy is a little full of the cold so Laurel tries to help. The routines are pretty funny – my favourite gags are the little running ones rather than the bigger set ups. So, for example, I loved the bath of water constantly getting in the way or the fat that Hardy kept getting hit in the head. The self contained nature of the film and the fact that the plot isn't something that needs a great deal of setting up works in it's favour.

Laurel does well in his wide eyed innocent role but as always Hardy has to carry the majority of the prat falls and does it very well indeed. The support cast have a very small contribution to make and it shows their class that Laurel and Hardy carry almost 100% of the screen time here.

Overall an enjoyable little short that is self contained and all the better for it.

In bed with Laurel & Hardy.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 25 November 2006]

Perhaps it's because that this movie is probably the Laurel & Hardy short I've seen most in my life that I got sort of tiresome of watching it but I don't find this movie to be the most hilarious or best constructed and executed Laurel & Hardy comedy short around. But you know, when you watch this movie objectively just for what it is, so not necessarily as a part of the Laurel & Hardy shorts alone you have to conclude that this is a pretty entertaining and fun little movie.

The movie its premise is extremely simple and gives both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardsy to let their comical talents shine, since they're basically the only two actors in the movie, except for the last couple of minutes in which Laurel & Hardy regular Charlie Hall, among others, shows up as the landlord.

The comical routines are rather simple but I guess they are effective enough, since they surely amuse. It just isn't the most hilarious or imaginative Laurel & Hardy comedy around but that doesn't of course mean that this movie is bad or not entertaining.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

We've all been there.

[Prichards12345 · 6/10 · 4 May 2006]

Don't you just hate a bad cold? The viewer can sympathise with Ollie 100% with his case of the "sniffles", as Stan puts it. The poor guy's up at 3AM and can't stop sneezing. Done that, T-shirt long in the trashcan.

What you don't want to do is ask Stan for help. Mustard bath cures -must NOT try that one! And don't you just know, at some point, that the picture with the cute homily "Keep Smiling" is going to wrap Ollie's skull? In truth this isn't one of their better films. It has it's moments, but by and large the gags don't quite come off. Stan and Oliver on a sniffle day, if you like. Never the less it's worth watching, possibly best seen when the demon virus has yourself in it's grip.

Side-splitting!!

[alexanderdavies-99382 · 10/10 · 30 July 2017]

"They Go Boom" is a typical example of how Laurel and Hardy could achieve comedy gold via the most simple means. They never needed extravagant production values or generous filming schedules in order to be very funny. The comedy flowed very naturally and resulting from needing a few simple props and basic sets. "They Go Boom" is one of them. The laughs come so thick and fast, I have to hold my sides together! The setting is a rooming house and the comedy all takes place in one room - ideal. Ollie is in bed with the flu and as if that isn't bad enough, Stan attempts to cure him...... Poor Ollie is sneezing away as Stan creates so much havoc in his sincere efforts to help his friend. Charlie Hall plays the rather surly landlord (who else?) and soon makes his feelings known after being awoken in the night. Don't miss this classic!

Do something for me!

[VictorianCushionCat · 10/10 · 24 May 2013]

'They go boom' was one of the first talkie Laurel and Hardy efforts and sets the standard for the physical punishment that Hardys character would endure in many shorts there-after.

The nice touch with this film is that whilst as per usual Ollie has to suffer at the innocent but destructive hands of Stan, including the usual nasty knocks complemented by anguished looks to camera, this time he takes it whilst suffering a nasty cold.

Highlights include a classic 'nail in water-pipe' incident, air mattress explosion, multiple head knocks and an overblown air mattress and through the laughter you are only human if you feel just a little sympathy for Ollie.

Definitely one of the best Laurel and Hardy shorts to catch if like me, you're a fan of the slapstick humour and find nothing funnier than Oliver Hardy getting hurt, then sharing his pain with the audience so convincingly.

Laurel And Hardy's Fifth Talkie

[Sunsphxsuns · 10/10 · 4 January 2022]

Call me crazy ("Hey, crazy!") but I never enjoyed silent era films. I tried, oh I tried, but each time an actor's mouth moved there was nothing but an awkward silence. Then after what seemed too lengthy of a wait, a placard flashed on the TV screen, reflecting what the actor had just said moments before. I found this to be very distracting, plus it slowed down the natural comedic timing. This lapse between action and dialog, for me, was like watching an entire movie subtitled, and I couldn't square the two up.

That being said, I didn't watch any of the short and feature length "TV reruns" unless they were "talkies." As a kid who was fortunate enough to have a tiny black and white TV set in my bedroom, every Saturday morning before my parents or the Sun were up, I was thoroughly mesmerized by the vaudevillian, overtly physical humor of Buster Keaton, Our Gang (The Little Rascals), The Three Stooges, and of course, Laurel & Hardy.

The first Our Gang (The Little Rascals) talkie was "Small Talk" released in 1929. Buster Keaton's first talkie was "Free and Easy," released in 1930. The Three Stooges (Larry, Moe and Curly) most recognized talkie was The Woman Haters (1934). "Unaccustomed As We Are," released worldwide in 1929, was Laurel and Hardy's film debut with sound. It was an immediate hit with audiences.

Unlike many of their silent film era contemporaries who couldn't make the transition from silent to sound film, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy effortlessly slipped into this new media. Both actors had the rare gift of "comedic timing," and the duo knew how to thoroughly exploit sight gags. Moreover, lovable Hardy routinely broke the "fourth wall" of film, and after each hilarious yet tragic gag, he would often look straight at the camera as if to say, "Can you believe what just happened to me?"

"They Go Boom!" (1929) was Laurel and Hardy's fifth sound movie. Like the first four, it is a short. The plot is simple: Laurel & Hardy live in a somewhat dingy apartment room and both (in the same bed, mind you) are trying to sleep. Ollie already has a very bad cold and Stan tries to help him. Naturally, Stan's efforts result in total chaos. There is some great give and go "retaliation" between the boys and their grumpy landlord (Charlie Hall).

It's all brilliantly choreographed by two of the most iconic comedic teams in history, and supported by a wonderful set of actors who would often appear in many future Laurel & Hardy shorts and feature length films.

No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that They Go Boom! Has no musical score and instead incorporates several vaudevillian sound effects.

dated slapstick

[davidxryan · 5/10 · 2 July 2003]

Laurel and Hardy's better shorts are priceless and timeless, but I'm afraid this isn't one of them. Their "don't annoy the landlord" routine was put to much better use in the classic Laughing Gravy.

Beating colds

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 31 August 2018]

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.

Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess). 'They Go Boom!' is not one of the best and funniest Laurel and Hardy short films up to this point of their output, but it is still great fun. Their filmography, apart from a few bumps along the way, was getting better and better and 'They Go Boom!' exemplifies this.

Not a lot to criticise here, though the story is slight and takes time to get going.

Once again, 'They Go Boom!' is non-stop funniness all the way when it gets going. There is insane craziness that doesn't get too silly, a wackiness that never loses its energy, the lack of vulgarity that is a large part of 'They Go Boom's! ' memorability and the sly wit emerges here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually feels fresh and it doesn't get repetitive. The slapstick is classic Laurel and Hardy in the best of ways

Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before 'Two Tars' you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'They Go Boom!' we are far from robbed of that. Their comic timing is impeccable.

'They Go Boom!' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid.

Overall, great fun. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Superior L&H talkie 2 reeler

[weezeralfalfa · 8/10 · 20 October 2018]

Thus far, most of the reviews fall into 2 categories: 1) They love it 2)They consider it weaker than the average L&H talkie short. I'm definitely in the first group.........Ollie has a bad cold and his sneezing is going to cause trouble several times in the film. It makes the window shade roll up, several times. It makes the picture over his head in bed fall down, several times. But, by far, the most spectacular result is that, after their air mattress stretches itself to the maximum, and has the boys very close to the ceiling, Ollie sneezes, and the mattress, full of cooking gas, explodes, making a big hole in the ceiling, with the bed above partly hanging down, and the occupant clinging to the bed. No doubt, that event is what you will most remember about this film.........What can Stan do to possibly help alleviate Ollie's symptoms? He comes up with the idea of putting a mustard plaster on his chest: an old folk remedy. He brings a large washing tub to beside Ollie, in bed, and pours a large bag of mustard powder in, creating dust that makes Ollie sneeze.(This is far, far more than he needs.(He should have also added a good amount of flour). Stan stirs the powder into some boiling water, using a broom handle, hitting ollie on the head with the broom. He then goes for cold water, but trips on the way back, and throws the water on Ollie, instead of in the tub. Makes Ollie sneeze, causing the window shade to jump off it's hooks, and the picture to fall down again. Plus, in his excitement, he steps into the tub, and burns his feet........Later, the landlord, played by Charlie Hall, arrives for the second time, to warn them to be quiet, at this night hour. This time. he's the victim of Ollie's wrath at Stan. Ollie throws a pillow at Stan, misses, and it hits a nail above the door, causing a rip, which results in many feathers falling on Charlie, as he enters. Then, Ollie pushes Charlie, and he lands in the tub of mustard plaster, emerging mad as a wet hen. He will visit the boys again, this time with several policemen. They are victims of the mattress explosion, as Ollie sneezes again after causing the mattress to explode. This time, it causes more of the ceiling plaster to fall down, right on Charlie and the police.........See it at YouTube.

Just The Boys

[boblipton · 9/10 · 8 December 2020]

Ollie is sick, with no one to help hm but Stanley. Which means there's no one to help him.

The boys try the sort of home cures that I barely remember from my own childhood. No one in my house ever used a mustard plaster, but we had them in the utility closet. Like many of the Laurel & Hardy shorts, they were about a world that had largely ended, but had left bits and pieces. They may seem to be antique and sense-free to the modern audience, but I think if you go to the Goop site, or some place that uses crystals, you'll find things that will be just as sense free in a few years.

Not one of the team's better shorts

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 28 April 2007]

Laurel and Hardy made a ton of comedy shorts so it was inevitable that they'd have a few disappointments. While this film is watchable and mildly amusing in spots, it is certainly not a very good film by their standards. The problem was the script. It was incredibly mundane and unexciting and was later remade in much funnier ways. For example, the same basic plot and landlord (Charlie Hall) return for LAUGHING GRAVY. It wasn't a huge improvement, but adding the dog and allowing some of the action to take place outside really helped to pick up the pace. But with THEY GO BOOM!, it's all contained in their small apartment and the entire movie revolves around two unfunny gags--Ollie overreacting after he gets a cold and Stan mucking up the attempts to alleviate Ollie's sneezing as well as a rather lame joke about over-inflating the air mattress. It's worth seeing, but there are so many better Laurel and Hardy films I recommend this one to devoted fans only.

Queer Stuff

[tedg · 31 December 2004]

These guys work in two modes. The mode I like is brilliant, when Stan basically looks at the camera in gasping anguish for what punishment is upon him. It is the first example of direct dialog with the audience while keeping in character.

The other mode is this, which is the same basic gags that dozens of others were up to: The flypaper joke. The feather joke, the blowing up the fat guy joke.

Go elsewhere if you want to see better comedy. But look at this if you have any illusions about them portraying borderline homosexuals. Its not just a matter of passing interest because much of Laurel's manner became adopted by later portrayals of gays and thus "stuck" to the subculture.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

Another weak early talkie

[hausrathman · 22 November 2011]

Ollie has a late night cold and Stan tries to help him get over it, much to the annoyance of the irritable landlord.

I am endeavoring to work my way through the new release of "The Essential Laurel & Hardy" which finally gives the boys the DVD treatment they deserve in the United States. I have seen all of their films many times over the years, but now I have the opportunity to finally watch them in chronological order. That, perhaps, was not a wise choice. I always found a number of their early talkies weak, and I regret having to report that here in my reviews. "They Go Boom" is another example. The staging of the film feels claustrophobic, and the situation simply doesn't offer enough opportunities for comic inventiveness. There are some good moments scattered throughout, but it overall concept is better executed later in the film "Laughing Gravy."

Not a classic. For fans only.

Laurel and Hardy

[Michael_Elliott · 10 March 2008]

They Go Boom! (1929)

*** (out of 4)

Hardy has a cold so it's up to Laurel to try and find a cure so that they can get a good night's sleep. Highlights include the mustard bath and the exploding mattress.

Leave 'Em Laughing (1928)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Laurel is suffering from a toothache so Hardy takes him to the dentist who accidentally fills them with laughing gas. The early gags of Hardy trying to pull the tooth are funny but the ending with the cars goes on a bit too long and gets rather tiresome.

One Good Turn (1931)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

L&H set out to raise $100 when they overhear an elderly woman say she's going to be evicted. Not too many laughs in this one outside the opening sequence in the woods.

Thicker Than Water (1935)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Laurel and Hardy waste $300 on a grandfather clock so Hardy's wife hits him with a frying pan and sends him to the hospital. Again, not too funny and the worst part is the ending where the two change personalities. This here should have been a lot funnier than it turned out.