Should Married Men Go Home?

This early Laurel and Hardy short is one of those movies that slipped through the net until I caught it for the first time today. And I really enjoyed it. Stan seems a little sharper than usual as he tries to tempt Ollie to the golf course (in real life Oliver was a golf fanatic) and there are some fine comic touches to be had.

Exhibit A: Ollie's "There's a right way to do it and a wrong way." And I know what way you're choosing Oliver!

Exhibit B: Ollie trying to follow Stan in jumping the fence.

Exhibit C: Edgar Kennedy gains a new, er hair extension. Didn't even recognise him until his wig fell off! There's also, of course, a brief scene where the boys haven't enough cash to pay for the drinks of their new female companions, a scene that was reworked to better effect in Men Of War. The mud fight at the end isn't as funny as similar scenes in other L & H films, but overall this is an enjoyable little short.

Having just watched and reviewed The Finishing Touch, the next short on my Laurel & Hardy chronological list should be From Soup to Nuts, but since I already reviewed that-as well as the next two after that, You're Darn Tootin' and Their Purple Moment, under my previous username tavm, I'm now commenting on Should Married Men Go Home? In this one, Ollie and his wife are having a nice Sunday rest when Stan comes by. Hoping to avoid him, they try to not make any noise but the jig is up. The two men then go for a round of golf and encounter a couple of ladies who they pair with since only foursomes are allowed on this day. Also along is Edgar Kennedy who tries to stay calm but around those boys, you know that won't last long, that's for sure! I'll stop there and just say this was one of the funniest of the silent L & H shorts. I especially liked that early example of a "short on money, one should refuse" bit that was later also done in the talkie Men O'War. And the end tops it all! So that's a high recommendation of Should Married Men Go Home?

Laurel and Hardy's screen characters were still taking shape when this silent comedy was made, and the framework of their relationship wasn't yet complete. They are friends in this one, but Stan's a friend that Ollie would rather avoid, and they haven't yet adopted the trademark bowler hats and slightly shoddy suits. Ollie pretends he's not home when Stan comes calling, but manages to mess that up so that he and his wife are forced to let him in the house. Wifey is so incensed by Stan's antics that she sends the boys off to play golf, which leads to further typical chaos.

This isn't one of the duo's best shorts but it has a few decent moments. I liked the way Ollie's gramophone player fell apart when he attempted to play it the 'wrong way,' and this film shows the first example of the boys using their routine about not having enough money to pay for soda with their girlfriends which they re-worked in a later film. It's perhaps true that the introduction of sound is what transformed Laurel & Hardy into a truly first class comedy act, which is why this short isn't quite up to the standard of their later work.

Now, I was not familiar with this 1928 short silent comedy movie titled "Should Married Men Go Home?" starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy prior to sitting down here in 2025 to watch it for the first time.

Writers Leo McCarey, James Parrott, H. M. Walker, Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel put together a funny and entertaining script and storyline. It starts out innocently, but once Stan and Oliver hits the golf course, chaos ensures. And it was a wonderful slapstick comedy.

Of course you know what you are getting with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in the leading roles.

"Should Married Men Go Home?" is a genuinely funny movie and well-worth watching especially if you enjoy the good old comedy from this timeless comedy duo.

My rating of directors James Parrott and Leo McCarey's 1928 "Should Married Men Go Home?" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Should Married Men Go Home? (1928)

*** (out of 4)

Laurel breaks up a quiet evening at Mr. And Mrs. Hardy's house but he and Oliver go golfing anyways, which just leads to trouble. This was the first official Laurel and Hardy movie and it works quite nicely. The best moments occurs towards the end of the film with a big mud fight. Another highlight is a gag by the malt stand, which was later borrowed by Abbott and Costello in Buck Privates.

Love 'Em and Weep (1927)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A married man (James Finlayson) gets a call from his old girlfriend threatening to blackmail him so another guy (Stan Laurel) takes her out to make a deal. Oliver Hardy has a small role and it's hard to tell it's him due to his wig and mustache. The film has some good laughs but many of them aren't too big. The film was later remade with L&H working together in Chickens Come Home.