Unaccustomed As We Are (1929)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Directors:

Lewis R. Foster
Hal Roach

Writers:

Leo McCarey (story)
H.M. Walker (writer)

Release Date:

4 May 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

Oliver invites his friend Stanley over for a nice home-cooked meal, but Mrs. Hardy wants nothing to do with it and walks out...

Plot Keywords:

Fire | Husband Wife Relationship | Chest | Laurel And Hardy | Fall Down Stairs

Cast

Stan Laurel	...	Stan
Oliver Hardy	...	Ollver Hardy
Edgar Kennedy	...	Officer Kennedy
Mae Busch	...	Mrs. Hardy
Thelma Todd	...	Mrs. Kennedy

Also Known As:

Their Last Word (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:18 min (silent version) | USA:21 min (sound version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

Being Laurel and Hardy's first sound film, it introduced two gags which used sound as a major element and became classics which would be re-used. The first involved Officer Kennedy (Edgar Kennedy) getting his comeuppance from his wife in the room across the hall (heard as a collection of off-screen yells and crashes). The second involved Stan Laurel tripping at the top of the stairs followed by the sound of him supposedly tumbling down the entire flight.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Block-Heads (1938)

The Kitchen On Fire...Thrice

'Unaccustomed As We Are' is another comical short where Laurel and Hardy argue with Hardy's wife...again. The duo are back with Thelma Todd, Edgar Kennedy and Mae Busch. It starts off with an Hardy bringing Laurel home to dinner and he's very excited about introducing him to his wife. Throughout the entire twenty minutes, the kitchen burns down thrice, the sensual neighbour has to disrobe and hide herself in a box, a policeman is involved...and lots of hilarious silly adventure. The short is quite well executed. I'm not much used to see Laurel and Hardy talk (and this apparently is their first talkie) so this was quite different from their usual work that I'm more acquainted with. Yes somehow I still prefer their silent films. While this may not be the best of the classic comic duo, it still remains entertaining thanks the the actors' impeccable comic timing even though it's now almost 80 years old.