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Be Big!

  • 1931
  • Passed
  • 28m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel in Be Big! (1931)
ComedyFamilyShort

In order to secretly attend a stag party in their honor, the boys urge their wives to travel ahead alone on a jointly-planned Atlantic City vacation by invoking Oliver's fake migraine as an ... Read allIn order to secretly attend a stag party in their honor, the boys urge their wives to travel ahead alone on a jointly-planned Atlantic City vacation by invoking Oliver's fake migraine as an excuse to remain behind.In order to secretly attend a stag party in their honor, the boys urge their wives to travel ahead alone on a jointly-planned Atlantic City vacation by invoking Oliver's fake migraine as an excuse to remain behind.

  • Directors
    • James W. Horne
    • James Parrott
  • Writer
    • H.M. Walker
  • Stars
    • Stan Laurel
    • Oliver Hardy
    • Spencer Bell
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • James W. Horne
      • James Parrott
    • Writer
      • H.M. Walker
    • Stars
      • Stan Laurel
      • Oliver Hardy
      • Spencer Bell
    • 26User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos5

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    Top cast14

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    Stan Laurel
    Stan Laurel
    • Stan
    Oliver Hardy
    Oliver Hardy
    • Ollie
    Spencer Bell
    • Porter
    • (uncredited)
    Chet Brandenburg
    Chet Brandenburg
    • Cab Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Baldwin Cooke
    Baldwin Cooke
    • Cookie
    • (uncredited)
    Jean De Briac
    Jean De Briac
    • Dress Extra
    • (uncredited)
    Gracie Doll
    • Midget Performer
    • (uncredited)
    Tiny Doll
    Tiny Doll
    • Midget Performer
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Earles
    Harry Earles
    • Midget Performer
    • (uncredited)
    Anita Garvin
    Anita Garvin
    • Mrs. Laurel
    • (uncredited)
    Charlie Hall
    Charlie Hall
    • Bellboy
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Hill
    • Railway Station Passerby
    • (uncredited)
    Isabelle Keith
    Isabelle Keith
    • Mrs. Hardy
    • (uncredited)
    Ham Kinsey
    Ham Kinsey
    • Railway Station Passerby
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • James W. Horne
      • James Parrott
    • Writer
      • H.M. Walker
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews26

    6.71.6K
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    Featured reviews

    9boblipton

    An Old Plot Gets A Shine

    Laurel and Hardy are about to leave for a weekend in Atlantic City with their wives when Baldwin Cooke calls up to tell Ollie to come over to the club.... there's a party on in his honor, and the description, unheard by the audience, convinces Ollie.... and convinces the audience that it's going to be something racy. Ollie affects an attack of nerves and the Boys send their wives on ahead. But the best laid plans of mice and men, as the saying goes.

    Stepping out on the wives was not a new plot when this short was made, and it wouldn't be the last time Stan and Ollie used it; what, after all, is SONS OF THE DESERT? But farce comedy is not about the plot, it's about the gags, and a good deal of this one is expended on Mr. Hardy trying to get some boots off, while Mr. Laurel is mostly unhelpfully helpful. It's funny. What more do you want?
    7rbverhoef

    Fun

    Laurel and Hardy are both married in this comedy short. They are about to take their wives to Atlantic City when Hardy gets a call. The men at the club will honor Hardy tonight so he must be there. Hardy fakes he is suddenly ill and he wants Laurel to take care of him while the ladies must have their fun in Atlantic City. Laurel and Hardy change for the evening but there is some trouble with Laurel's boot on Hardy's foot. Hilarious sequences is what we get to see.

    Although almost the entire short deals with the boots, Laurel and Hardy find enough ways to make us laugh. Hardy takes some nasty falls and Laurel has some nice moments with his stupidity. A very entertaining short.
    8erwan_ticheler

    Remember: BE BIG

    "Be Big" is one of the better short slapstick movies that the legendary couple made.Like always the story is not as important as the many jokes and visual expressions. The phone and doorbell of Hardy is hilarious as well as the doorbell of Laurel. Still,the biggest laughs come after the wives have left and when Ollie & Stan put on their boots for the club.These scenes are,although sometimes a bit long,really funny.

    Of course it ends all wrong,but that is typical for these short features.A very nice piece of work. 9/10
    Coxer99

    Be Big!

    Stan, Ollie and their wives are going on a trip to Atlantic City, but when Ollie gets a call from a friend saying a stag party is being thrown in his (and Stan's) honor, he cannot resist. The boys get themselves into their usual bit of trouble, although the laughs here are a bit strained, most notably in the long winded boot sequence which went on entirely too long.
    8bkoganbing

    Ollie's Big Feet

    This particular Hal Roach short with Laurel and Hardy seems to have worked so well that the idea was later expanded into their classic Sons Of The Desert comedy.

    Stan and Ollie are a couple of henpecked husbands who have planned to take a joint vacation to Atlantic City with the wives. But then Ollie gets a call from a hunt club that he and Stan belong to and it seems as though the gang is throwing them a bash. And since this is a guys only type gathering, they have to ditch the wives.

    Ollie fakes a tremendous headache in the usual overactive Ollie fashion and the wives decide to make it a girls only trip to Atlantic City. With the ruse working, Ollie and Stan have to get into their hunting outfits.

    Personally I find it hard to believe that some hoity toity outfit would even have Laurel and Hardy as members let alone as honored guests at a party. But leaving that aside, most of the film from this point on is taken up with Hardy having managed to squeeze into Laurel's boots by mistake now trying to get them off his feet with Laurel's inept assistance.

    I've never seen one gag milked so successfully for a film, granted it's just a short subject. Seeing poor Laurel struggling to get those boots off Hardy's feet, dragging him around the apartment and wrecking half of it is hilarious.

    Who could have known that in reality the title Be Big referred to Ollie's feet.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
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    Short

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This film, along with Laughing Gravy (1930), were simultaneously produced in Spanish language versions, and the two shorts were edited together into one continuous film Los calaveras (1931). Laurel and Hardy read their lines from cue cards on which Spanish was written phonetically. At the time of early talkies, dubbing was not yet perfected. The same was done for a French language version, Les carottiers (1932).
    • Quotes

      Introductory Card: Mr Hardy is a man on great care, caution, and discretion - Mr. Laurel is married too.

    • Alternate versions
      Spanish and French language versions of this film were also produced simultaneously. Laurel and Hardy read from cue cards with their lines written phonetically in the appropriate languages. At the time of early talkies, the process of dubbing was not yet perfected.
    • Connections
      Alternate-language version of Laughing Gravy (1930)
    • Soundtracks
      A-Hunting We Will Go
      (uncredited)

      Traditional

      Sung by the men at Baldwin Cookes place

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 7, 1931 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Vänner i vått och torrt
    • Filming locations
      • Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Hal Roach Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 28m
    • Color
      • Black and White

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