Sons of the Desert (1933)

When Stan and Ollie trick their wives into thinking that they are taking a medicinal cruise while they're actually going to a convention, the wives find out the truth the hard way.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writer:

Frank Craven (story)

Stars:

Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charley Chase

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Stan Laurel	...	Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy	...	Oliver Hardy
Charley Chase	...	Charley - Son of the Desert from Texas
Mae Busch	...	Mrs. Lottie Hardy
Dorothy Christy	...	Mrs. Betty Laurel
Lucien Littlefield	...	Dr. Horace Meddick

Storyline

So that he and Stan can sneak away to Chicago and attend the annual "Sons of the Desert" lodge convention, Ollie pretends to be sick, and gets a doctor (who turns out to be a veterinarian) to prescribe a long ocean voyage to Hawaii. Decked out in leis and strumming ukeleles, they return home only to learn that the ship supposedly carrying them has sunk. Their hastily- contrived tale of "ship-hiking" their way back cuts no ice with their wives, who've been at the movies watching a newsreel of the lodge's convention parade, starring... guess who?

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Plot Keywords:

convention | lodge | veterinarian | newsreel | ice pack | 

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Taglines:

Their New Full-Length Feature Picture!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 December 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fraternally Yours

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Roach Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min 65 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the film when Stan and Ollie return home from their lodge meeting, and there's confusion over which house Stan is in, the light in Stan's house (visible through the glass panel in the door) keeps changing from off to on and back again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sons of the Desert chorus: [the members sing "Auld Lang Syne"] And here's a hand, my trusty friend, and gie's a hand o' thine, / We'll take a cup of kindness now, for Auld Lang Syne.
Exalted Exhausted Ruler: [the song concludes, and the Exalted Ruler calls the meeting to order as he hits the podium with a gavel] Brothers, Sons of the Desert, we are all familiar with the business of this special meeting. This Oasis must meet the situation with determination.

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Alternate Versions

The opening MGM lion has been removed from all available prints.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Jack Lemmon/Steven Wright (1989)

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Soundtracks

Honolulu Baby
(uncredited)
Written by Marvin Hatley
Sung by Ty Parvis and danced by Charita and others
Also Performed by Oliver Hardy (vocal and guitar) and sung a cappella by Stan Laurel

User Reviews

What has Mohammad got to do with my wife?

This has got to be one of the funniest movies ever made by Hollywood. The only other that comes close is Laurel and Hardy's "Way Out West." No other comedy team in the history of show business had the perfect comic timing of Stan and Oliver, not even the inimitable teams of Abbott and Costello or Martin and Lewis. Stan and Oliver had appeared separately in several films before they were teamed. Although they were both multi-talented (Oliver was one of the best singers around) and individually funny, together they broke all the comedic barriers. No such chemistry has existed between two entertainers before or since. Mel Brooks said it best, "Dying is easy. Comedy, that's difficult."

This time around the boys attempt to slip away from their domineering wives (Only Stan would choose a mate that was one of the best duck hunters around and thus a crack shot with a gun) to attend a convention of the illustrious "Sons of the Desert" in Chicago to hear the "exhausted" ruler speak, as Stan calls him. Oliver feigns illness, getting Stan to bring a fake doctor to advise a sea cruise to Honululu. Only Stan could make opening a door to exit a room excruciatingly funny. As usual Stan bungles it all and gets a Veternerian instead who just happens to bring his dogs along on the house call. The ruse works after a few hilarious scenes involved Oliver and the tub of hot water in which his feet are soaking. The boys ultimately end up in Chicago. The boat to Hawaii sinks and with the sinking of the ship, the boys' fabrication also fills with water.

As good as Stan and Oliver were, Charlie Chase, an almost forgotten genius of slapstick, nearly steals the show from the boys as a practical joker who just happens to have a sister who lives at the same address as Oliver Hardy lives. Chase was more than a match for the two and their scenes together represent the apex of their careers.

Stan and Ollie were not just gifted visual comics, their repartee with each other was exemplary. The lines though supposedly written by others would not have the same humorous effect if spoken by anyone else. I'm sure much of the dialog was added to or ad-libbed by the team. Stan tries to rationalize the situation, "Well if she didn't go to the mountains, then Mohammad would have to come here." Ollie jumps right in, "What has Mohammad got to do with my wife?" To read more of the brilliant lines, note IMDb's quotes taken from "Sons of the Desert."

If you enjoy "Sons of the Desert," by all means watch "Way Out West." The two represent Laurel and Hardy at their best. There are several Laurel and Hardy shorts that come close to matching the two feature length features, especially the Academy award winning "The Music Box."