Our Wife

On the day of Hardy's wedding, spirits are high, Laurel even has a bath. However when the bride's father sees a picture of the intended groom he forbids the wedding. Hardy plans to elope with his bride and sends Laurel to get a car. When their plans are exposed it is a race to get to a JP to perform the ceremony.

A lively short that sticks quite closely to it's plot without too much in the way of side plots acting as filler. The main jokes here come from physical work without too much in the way of banter from the duo. This is fine though, as much of it is good. Two major falls in particular are almost inspired – witness Finlayson's falls just after seeing Hardy's photo, culminating in a dive down some stairs, and then Hardy taken down an entire room with one trip.

The plot fizzles out a little towards the end as there is no real physical stuff in the final few minutes and nothing of value really replaces it, however for the majority it is very funny. Laurel and Hardy are good value, although Laurel is in the background a little for this one. Hardy's falls take the focus and he does well indeed. The high point of the film for me was hearing Finlayson `d'oh'ing more than usual – truly the original Homer!

Overall this is an enjoyable short – especially if you like their pratfalls more than their banter.

A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short

When the ferocious father of Ollie's intended forbids a marriage, Hardy decides to elope. But with Stan helping out, can chaos be far behind?

A very funny little film, with lots of slapstick. Once again, marvel at the physical grace of Oliver Hardy. Highlight: the tiny getaway car. That's Babe London as Ollie's dimpled darling; James Finlayson as her fierce father; and silent film comic Ben Turpin as the cross-eyed justice of the peace.

Released in 1931, "Our Wife" is about Ollie planning to marry his sweetheart and with Stan as his best man. Naturally, things don't go according to plan! First, the future father-in- law James Finlayson objects to the marriage. Second, the bride to-be is of a considerable shape. The latter problem features much more later on in the film! Ollie decides to elope with his girl but this also presents a few challenges... The first half of "Our Wife" works very well but somehow, the final 10 minutes isn't quite so great. It is still a good Laurel and Hardy short but not quite vintage. I laughed at Stan trying to help Ollie prepare for the big day because you just know it won't work the way they wish!

A very funny Laurel and Hardy short film, with both on good form. The visual gags come thick and fast and the topic of love and romance, coupled with a bungled attempt at eloping, was a typical and much loved theme. There unique brand of comedy (and after all the years) never seems dated or tired.

This is one of my favorites. It has lots of fun moments and a great comical premise that features some of the most fun characters ever appeared in a Laurel & Hardy movie.

The movie really has a great comical story. Oliver is planning to get married and starts making arrangement at home, which of course he, with the help of his good pal Stanley totally messes things up. However when the father of the bride (James Finlayson) she's a picture of the man his daughter is getting married to, he forbids the wedding (who can blame him). For Oliver there is only one solution, elope with his bride so they can get secretly married, with the help from Stanley. But of course nothing is as easy as it seems especially not with Stan helping out.

The story provides the movie with multiple great and hilarious comical sequence and moments. There are really moments in the movie that made me laugh out loud. The movie is also made fun thanks to its fine comedy characters. Of course James 'D'oh' Finlayson is great and his comical timing is excellent. Fun was Babe London as the bride-to-be, who looks disturbingly a lot like Oliver Hardy. At the end of the movie Ben Turpin also shows up as the cross-eyed Justice of the Peace, who provides the movie with even more and harder laughs and a wonderful fun finale.

The movie provides some great non-stop laughs, as the movie is fast paced and features lots of quick slapstick moments from the comedy duo and the other characters (Finlayson mostly, who also gets to lots of comedy work in this one.). The movie is set at quite many different locations for Laurel & Hardy standards but it works out for this movie, since the story and slapstick of the movie are so well constructed. They're of course wonderfully timed and executed by the boys and the rest of the supporting cast- and directed by Laurel & Hardy specialist James W. Horne.

A great fun comedy short that provides some real solid guaranteed laughs!

9/10

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