Block-Heads (1938)

Stan, who has remained faithfully at his World War I post for twenty years, finally comes home where his best friend, Ollie, takes him in, thus allowing him to discover the many conveniences of the modern world.

Director:

John G. Blystone

Writers:

Charley Rogers (original story and screen play) (as Charles Rogers), Felix Adler (original story and screen play)

Stars:

Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Patricia Ellis

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Stan Laurel	...	Stan
Oliver Hardy	...	Ollie
Patricia Ellis	...	Mrs. Gilbert
Minna Gombell	...	Mrs. Hardy
Billy Gilbert	...	Mr. Gilbert
James Finlayson	...	Finn - Man on Stairs
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zeffie Tilbury	...	Dowager Seated Near Stairs (scenes deleted)

Storyline

It's 1938, but Stan doesn't know the war is over; he's still patrolling the trenches in France, and shoots down a French aviator. Oliver sees his old chum's picture in the paper and goes to visit Stan at the Soldier's Home. Thinking Stan is disabled (it's just that he's sitting on his leg), Oliver takes pity on him and takes him home for a nice home-cooked meal. But Oliver's wife has other ideas and leaves him to fend for himself. After blowing up the kitchen, Oliver is helped by his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Gilbert... until the big-game hunting Mr. Gilbert comes home unexpectedly, carrying a shotgun.

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Plot Keywords:

world war one veteran | world war one | husband wife relationship | dysfunctional marriage | taming of the shrew | 

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Taglines:

90 MINUTES of Happiness and Hi-Jinks (original poster)

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 August 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Just a Jiffy

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Roach Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

57 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Danish title for this film, "To Fjolser" translates to "Two Fools".

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Goofs

The newspaper which Ollie sees Stan's picture in, is completely different between shots.

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Quotes

Oliver: I won't even say good bye, my precious little fig newton. I'll just say, pardon me for one hour.
Mrs. Hardy: And make that hour short!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits: The events and characters depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental, and not our fault! (signed Stan Laurel. Oliver Hardy)

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Alternate Versions

In some available prints the opening MGM lion was removed. Film Classics and Blackhawk Films later replaced the "Block-Heads" title card with one of their own to remove all references to MGM and Loew's Incorporated. The UK 2004 DVD release has the opening MGM lion and original title cards with the copyright for Loew's Incorporated intact.

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Connections

Referenced in Guest House Paradiso (1999)

User Reviews

An Old Army Buddy

Do you have the feeling that the folks in the army deliberately forgot to tell Stan that World War I was over? Maybe they just didn't want the troop ship to sink on the way back from France.

If that was the case Ollie made the mistake of his life when he decided to invite his long lost buddy Stan over to meet the wife and have a good home cooked meal. Ollie's happily married now to Minna Gombell and when we first meet them he seems to be one happy well adjusted man.

Blockheads really starts when Stan is reunited with Ollie at the old soldier's home. I guess a grateful government is giving Stan free room and board for being the last man discharged from World War I. Still there's nothing like home cooking.

I think Blockheads offers us the proposition that Ollie can be a well adjusted if somewhat fatuous individual by himself. It's only apparently when he interacts with Stan that things just seem to happen.

And in fact that's what Blockheads is, a series of gags from the time that Ollie meets Stan at the home and just assumes he's an amputee because he's decided to sit a wheelchair rigged up for one. Right up to the point where big game hunter Billy Gilbert, the Hardy's next door neighbor chases the both of them out of the house because he catches Mrs. Gilbert in Ollie's pajamas. How she got in them? You have to see Blockheads to find out.

Best gag I thought was Stan dealing with an obnoxious neighbor who has just bullied Ollie into fetching the neighbor kid's football. Very priceless bit of comeuppance.

To see how in the space of an hour Laurel manages to literally become a home wrecker, catch Blockheads.