Rent Laurel and Hardy: Sons of the Desert (1933)

Classic Comedy. - Laurel and Hardy: Sons of the Desert review by Steve

 This is one of the Laurel and Hardy scenarios in which they have jobs, their own homes, and wives, which always feels a stretch because they are incapable of carrying out even the simplest of instructions. We never find out what their work is, only they want to go to their fraternity's yearly convention to make business connections!

Which of course, their wives will not allow. The duo inhabit a domestic world of bullying and fear. Ollie's wife (Mae Busch) is often wielding a big knife and Stan's other half (Dorothy Christie) invariably holding a huge rifle for killing ducks. They go anyway and inevitably get found out. Ollie is punished ruthlessly, with crockery.  

As ever, it's the characters of Stan and Ollie and the comic performances of the great stars that are the best parts of the film; their clowning, their optimism, their aspirations and their inevitable failures justified by the pair through the distorting lens of self delusion.    

There's a good script and Charlie Chase is memorable as the drunk, middle aged practical joker they get lumbered with at the convention. Busch spars well with Ollie, and Christy is really quite scary. Laurel and Hardy often suffered with inauspicious directors and meagre budgets, but this is among their finest.