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Their First Mistake

  • 19321932
  • PassedPassed
  • 21m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Their First Mistake (1932)
  • Short
  • Comedy
  • Family
Mrs. Hardy is irate that her husband Oliver spends more time with his friend Stanley than with her. Oliver decides to adopt a baby, hoping that it will keep his wife occupied so that he and ... Read allMrs. Hardy is irate that her husband Oliver spends more time with his friend Stanley than with her. Oliver decides to adopt a baby, hoping that it will keep his wife occupied so that he and Stanley can continue to carouse. But upon returning home with the infant, they find a proc... Read allMrs. Hardy is irate that her husband Oliver spends more time with his friend Stanley than with her. Oliver decides to adopt a baby, hoping that it will keep his wife occupied so that he and Stanley can continue to carouse. But upon returning home with the infant, they find a process server with a divorce summons, and spend a sleepless night caring for the squalling ba... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • George Marshall
  • Writer
    • Stan Laurel(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Stan Laurel
    • Oliver Hardy
    • Mae Busch
Top credits
  • Director
    • George Marshall
  • Writer
    • Stan Laurel(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Stan Laurel
    • Oliver Hardy
    • Mae Busch
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos18

    Oliver Hardy in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Stan Laurel in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Stan Laurel in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Oliver Hardy in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Marjorie Campbell in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Mae Busch in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Billy Gilbert in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Oliver Hardy, Mae Busch, and Stan Laurel in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Their First Mistake (1932)
    Billy Gilbert in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel in Their First Mistake (1932)
    Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, and George Marshall in Their First Mistake (1932)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Stan Laurel
    Stan Laurel
    • Stanas Stan
    Oliver Hardy
    Oliver Hardy
    • Ollieas Ollie
    Mae Busch
    Mae Busch
    • Mrs. Arabella Hardyas Mrs. Arabella Hardy
    Billy Gilbert
    Billy Gilbert
    • Process Serveras Process Server
    Marjorie Campbell
    Marjorie Campbell
    • Adopted Babyas Adopted Baby
    • (uncredited)
    George Marshall
    George Marshall
    • Neighboras Neighbor
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Marshall
    • Writer
      • Stan Laurel(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A proper ending was scripted, which had Mrs. Hardy returning with an adopted baby of her own. Stan Laurel kept improvising so much he caused the film to go over schedule and over budget, leaving it with no real ending. This is a rare film for the duo, to have no resolution at the end.
    • Goofs
      In the opening shot, there is an open door behind Ollie's head. In the next, close-up shot, the door is closed, and in the following shot it is open again.
    • Quotes

      Stanley: Well, I'll be seeing you.

      Oliver: Where are you going?

      Stanley: Just going down...

      Oliver: Well you can't leave me alone here with this child.

      Stanley: Why?

      Oliver: Why? Well you're just as much responsible for it as I am.

      Stanley: What have I got to do with it?

      Oliver: What have you got to do with it? What have YOU got to do with it? Why, you were the one who wanted me to have a baby, and now that you've gotten me into this trouble, you want to walk out and leave me flat.

      Stanley: But I don't know anything about babies.

      Oliver: Well, you should have thought of that before we got it.

      Stanley: I don't wanna get mixed up in this thing. I've got my future, my career to think of.

      Oliver: Your career? What about me? What will my friends say? Why, I'll be ostracized.

      Stanley: Well I'm not going to lose my hook, line and sinker.

      Oliver: So, you're going to desert me, just when I need you most?

      [Stan heads for the door, Ollie runs and beats him to it]

      Oliver: You're not leaving this room!

    • Alternate versions
      There is also a colorized version.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Celluloid Closet (1995)

    User reviews25

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    So Much Packed Into a Small Space
    This is a remarkable short, seldom talked about. The boys have been spending too much time having a good time. Ollie's wife, the wonderful though threatening Mae Busch, has had enough. She files for divorce and names Stan for alienation of affections (I wonder if there ever were any affections). She take off, but before this, Stan talks the big guy into adopting a baby, thinking it will soothe things. I guess there was a sale on babies at the local baby market. This is no help because now they have an infant child to take care of. From then on, it's nuttiness because the are so utterly incompetent and yet endearing in their efforts to do right by the child. As is usually the case, they begin to demolish the apartment through their carelessness and stupidity. There is one precious scene when Ollie tries to feed the baby without looking to see where it is. Some have criticized this film because of its open endedness, but with all that goes on, who cares. When one realizes how much these guys could do in fifteen or twenty minutes of screen time, they were even more amazing.
    helpful•6
    1
    • Hitchcoc
    • Jan 15, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 5, 1932 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Barnvakten
    • Filming locations
      • Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Hal Roach Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      21 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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