Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

The Big Noise

  • 1944
  • Approved
  • 1h 14m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, and Doris Merrick in The Big Noise (1944)
Screwball ComedyActionAdventureComedyRomanceWar

During World War II Stan and Ollie find themselves as improbable bodyguards to an eccentric inventor and his strategically important new bomb.During World War II Stan and Ollie find themselves as improbable bodyguards to an eccentric inventor and his strategically important new bomb.During World War II Stan and Ollie find themselves as improbable bodyguards to an eccentric inventor and his strategically important new bomb.

  • Director
    • Malcolm St. Clair
  • Writers
    • Scott Darling
    • Frank Fenton
    • Henry Lehrman
  • Stars
    • Stan Laurel
    • Oliver Hardy
    • Doris Merrick
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    1.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Malcolm St. Clair
    • Writers
      • Scott Darling
      • Frank Fenton
      • Henry Lehrman
    • Stars
      • Stan Laurel
      • Oliver Hardy
      • Doris Merrick
    • 34User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos51

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 44
    View Poster

    Top cast24

    Edit
    Stan Laurel
    Stan Laurel
    • Stan
    Oliver Hardy
    Oliver Hardy
    • Ollie
    Doris Merrick
    Doris Merrick
    • Evelyn
    Arthur Space
    Arthur Space
    • Alva P. Hartley
    Veda Ann Borg
    Veda Ann Borg
    • Mayme Charlton
    Robert Blake
    Robert Blake
    • Egbert Hartley
    • (as Bobby Blake)
    Frank Fenton
    Frank Fenton
    • Charlton
    James Bush
    James Bush
    • Hartman
    Louis V. Arco
    • German Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Julie Carter
    Julie Carter
    • Cab Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Ken Christy
    Ken Christy
    • Train Passenger
    • (uncredited)
    Edgar Dearing
    Edgar Dearing
    • Motor Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Dudley
    Robert Dudley
    • Grandpa
    • (uncredited)
    Francis Ford
    Francis Ford
    • Train Station Attendant
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Hayden
    • Mr. Digby of the Patent Office
    • (uncredited)
    Dell Henderson
    Dell Henderson
    • Pullman Car Passenger
    • (uncredited)
    Esther Howard
    Esther Howard
    • Aunt Sophie
    • (uncredited)
    Selmer Jackson
    Selmer Jackson
    • Mr. Manning of the Patent Office
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Malcolm St. Clair
    • Writers
      • Scott Darling
      • Frank Fenton
      • Henry Lehrman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Jitterbugs
    6.2
    Jitterbugs
    A-Haunting We Will Go
    6.2
    A-Haunting We Will Go
    Great Guns
    6.1
    Great Guns
    The Bullfighters
    6.2
    The Bullfighters
    The Dancing Masters
    6.1
    The Dancing Masters
    Saps at Sea
    7.1
    Saps at Sea
    Nothing But Trouble
    6.3
    Nothing But Trouble
    Air Raid Wardens
    6.1
    Air Raid Wardens
    Utopia
    5.5
    Utopia
    The Bohemian Girl
    6.6
    The Bohemian Girl
    Bonnie Scotland
    6.7
    Bonnie Scotland
    Swiss Miss
    6.6
    Swiss Miss

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The train-berth scene is a reworking of Laurel & Hardy's short subject Berth Marks (1929). Laurel requested that the setting be changed to a turbulent plane, but producer Sol M. Wurtzel refused to accommodate him. At the end of the scene, one can hear the camera crew laughing in the background.
    • Goofs
      When the duo are in the hi-tech bedroom, and Ollie rides the bed back out of the wall, the following sequences show that the rotating table is first clear, then has the pipe and magnifying glass back on it, then is clear again, and then has the chairs re-arranged.
    • Quotes

      [to Stan, as he pokes Ollie's bulging belly with a pistol]

      Dutchy Glassman: If you don't tell me where the bomb is, I'll plug your friend here so full of holes he'll look a Swiss cheese!

    • Connections
      Featured in The Savages (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      America, My Country Tis of Thee
      (1832) (uncredited)

      Music by Lowell Mason, based on the Music by Henry Carey from "God Save the King" (1744)

      In the score when the U.S. Capital Building is shown

    User reviews34

    Featured review
    6/10

    not a classic, but not too bad either

    When I saw this movie the first time, I was greatly disappointed, and thought that the boys really had lost it. But after watching it again, I realised this view was a bit unjustified.

    The movie is about Laurel and Hardy taking a job at a private home as detectives, to protect a bomb (called "The Big Noise" - thus the title of the movie) from people wanting to steal the bombs, and sell it to foreign nations.

    The big flaws that this movie has, are particularly the little kid of the house trying to tease and annoy the persons in it, particularly Stan & Ollie. This may sound like fun, but it truly isn't. And the only the kid really managed to annoy, was me. Also the scene of the woman of the house trying to seduce Ollie wasn't my thing (a scare attempt to enter some love in the movie?), and finally the nazi segment. This segment is particularly disappointing, because it shows a Japanese officer saying "Heil Hitler", and the Japanese did no such thing.

    But apart from that, the movie has some good scenes. All scenes with Stan and Ollie at their room in the house are hilarious. For instance Stan's unpacking of the things, when the woman trying to temp Ollie sleepwalks with a knife into the room, when Ollie disappears inside the wall (don't ask) and the card playing. Amongst other noteworthy scenes, are the dinner scene at the house and the bunker scene in a train.

    So, not a classic and with flaws. But still having some original and hilarious moments.
    • mortenwebstar2
    • Sep 21, 2005
    • Permalink

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ15

    • How long is The Big Noise?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1944 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Good Neighbors
    • Filming locations
      • 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,635,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 14 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, and Doris Merrick in The Big Noise (1944)
    Top Gap
    What is the Spanish language plot outline for The Big Noise (1944)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.