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Ollie is ready to get married when his plump bride's father, Jimmy Finlayson, forbids it. He can't see his daughter hooked up with this guy. Well, the logical thing to do, is to elope. Stan is given the job of assisting the loving couple. Unfortunately, rather than a limo to support the two rather large folks, he gets a small car and when they sit in the back the front of the car rises in the air. This is just the beginning as things go from bad to worse. With all that happens, they darn near pull it off, which is almost a first for the hilarious duo, but Ben Turpin shows up. He is one of those character actors that needed only use his face. He provides the coup de grace because of his one amazing feature. It is to die for.

Our Wife concerns a happy-go-lucky Ollie planning to marry his sweetheart Dulcy (Babe London), with his pal Stan by his side as his best man. However, when Dulcy's father sees a picture of Ollie, he becomes disgusted and appalled and calls off the wedding instantly. Frustrated, the couple plans to elope, with Stan and Ollie sneaking Dulcy out of her home to have a secret marriage ceremony; one can only imagine how Laurel and Hardy manage to turn this immense task into one of troublesome blunders.

But, as we expect, they find a way to do so, and Our Wife becomes infested with circumstantial comedy, arising from everything like Ollie falling into Dulcy's window, the three having difficulty fitting into a small car, and then, finally, arriving for the marriage ceremony only to have it incomparably screwed up thanks to a cross-eyed priest in true Laurel and Hardy fashion.

Our Wife sticks to a premise more built on situational comedy and misunderstandings, as writer H.M. Walker and director James W. Horne team up once again to deliver a spry, fun short. Laurel and Hardy function the best when they struggle to do a simple task to no success, engage in goofy banter, or stumble over activities that should be easy and quick. When they punch, kick, fight, and slap, their shorts descend into the kind of humor The Three Stooges did and did infinitely better. When the duo stick to trying to go along with a story and having issues executing their plan, they predicate themselves off of the building blocks of comedy, where characters do something they don't want to do or are having difficultly doing something. Our Wife works for that specific reason and results in a rousing good time.

Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, and Babe London. Directed by: James W. Horne.

On the day of Hardy's wedding, spirits are high, Laurel even has a bath. However when the bride's father sees a picture of the intended groom he forbids the wedding. Hardy plans to elope with his bride and sends Laurel to get a car. When their plans are exposed it is a race to get to a JP to perform the ceremony.

A lively short that sticks quite closely to it's plot without too much in the way of side plots acting as filler. The main jokes here come from physical work without too much in the way of banter from the duo. This is fine though, as much of it is good. Two major falls in particular are almost inspired – witness Finlayson's falls just after seeing Hardy's photo, culminating in a dive down some stairs, and then Hardy taken down an entire room with one trip.

The plot fizzles out a little towards the end as there is no real physical stuff in the final few minutes and nothing of value really replaces it, however for the majority it is very funny. Laurel and Hardy are good value, although Laurel is in the background a little for this one. Hardy's falls take the focus and he does well indeed. The high point of the film for me was hearing Finlayson `d'oh'ing more than usual – truly the original Homer!

Overall this is an enjoyable short – especially if you like their pratfalls more than their banter.

This is one of my favorites. It has lots of fun moments and a great comical premise that features some of the most fun characters ever appeared in a Laurel & Hardy movie.

The movie really has a great comical story. Oliver is planning to get married and starts making arrangement at home, which of course he, with the help of his good pal Stanley totally messes things up. However when the father of the bride (James Finlayson) she's a picture of the man his daughter is getting married to, he forbids the wedding (who can blame him). For Oliver there is only one solution, elope with his bride so they can get secretly married, with the help from Stanley. But of course nothing is as easy as it seems especially not with Stan helping out.

The story provides the movie with multiple great and hilarious comical sequence and moments. There are really moments in the movie that made me laugh out loud. The movie is also made fun thanks to its fine comedy characters. Of course James 'D'oh' Finlayson is great and his comical timing is excellent. Fun was Babe London as the bride-to-be, who looks disturbingly a lot like Oliver Hardy. At the end of the movie Ben Turpin also shows up as the cross-eyed Justice of the Peace, who provides the movie with even more and harder laughs and a wonderful fun finale.

The movie provides some great non-stop laughs, as the movie is fast paced and features lots of quick slapstick moments from the comedy duo and the other characters (Finlayson mostly, who also gets to lots of comedy work in this one.). The movie is set at quite many different locations for Laurel & Hardy standards but it works out for this movie, since the story and slapstick of the movie are so well constructed. They're of course wonderfully timed and executed by the boys and the rest of the supporting cast- and directed by Laurel & Hardy specialist James W. Horne.

A great fun comedy short that provides some real solid guaranteed laughs!

9/10

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A very funny Laurel and Hardy short film, with both on good form. The visual gags come thick and fast and the topic of love and romance, coupled with a bungled attempt at eloping, was a typical and much loved theme. There unique brand of comedy (and after all the years) never seems dated or tired.

A LAUREL & HARDY Comedy Short

When the ferocious father of Ollie's intended forbids a marriage, Hardy decides to elope. But with Stan helping out, can chaos be far behind?

A very funny little film, with lots of slapstick. Once again, marvel at the physical grace of Oliver Hardy. Highlight: the tiny getaway car. That's Babe London as Ollie's dimpled darling; James Finlayson as her fierce father; and silent film comic Ben Turpin as the cross-eyed justice of the peace.

Released in 1931, "Our Wife" is about Ollie planning to marry his sweetheart and with Stan as his best man. Naturally, things don't go according to plan! First, the future father-in- law James Finlayson objects to the marriage. Second, the bride to-be is of a considerable shape. The latter problem features much more later on in the film! Ollie decides to elope with his girl but this also presents a few challenges... The first half of "Our Wife" works very well but somehow, the final 10 minutes isn't quite so great. It is still a good Laurel and Hardy short but not quite vintage. I laughed at Stan trying to help Ollie prepare for the big day because you just know it won't work the way they wish!

I am reviewing my L&H knowledge in anticipation of showing these films to others. Just saw this gem tonite.

The year is 1931 and the boys have hit their stride in the sound era. I am surprised at how well the gags are paced and executed. There is one prolonged sequence that could have been timed better, but it is punctuated adequately with a couple of sight gags and we are soon back on track.

I am wondering now whether this film would work with any other comedians at the helm. Ollie's childish gestures of sentiment towards his beloved fiancé are utterly precious. Stan is the perfect dope, ruining everything in his path as they gear up for the wedding.

Silent era film-goers were probably pleased to see Ben Turpin make an appearance near the end. Before I show this film to others, I may have to explain Turpin's role in that era.

Highly recommended. Allow no interruptions.

Our Wife is one of those Laurel and Hardy comedies that at first seem so broad and farcical (it is) but upon multiple viewings, reveal a surprising number of beautiful subtleties. I know, because my two-year- old son loves it and constantly requests it…sometimes twice a day. Look at Stan, re-entering the room after having been quickly ushered out by Ollie, who wants some privacy to talk to his beloved. It is a completely guileless gesture, just like(need I say it) a two-year-old's response to a restriction he doesn't recognize as such. And Stan's satisfied smile when Ollie explains "Why, you're the best man!" And no small credit goes to Babe London as Ollie's betrothed. Just look at her expression of guarded optimism as Justice of the Peace Ben Turpin goes through his auctioneering gibberish during the ceremony. Then, notice Ben at the fadeout. After mistakenly marrying Stan to Ollie, all he seems interested in is pushing through the group in his living room and rushing back to bed. Even their struggles to get into that 1930 American Austin Coupe, the depression era's version of the Mini-Cooper, is doubly funny when considering the context, that of a rushed getaway. The time-space continuum "takes five" as they try to maneuver themselves into the car. Ollie's exasperated query: "What did you want to hire a thing like this for?" goes unanswered, hinting at an excised shot or two, but it also signifies the boy's quick acceptance of obstacles thrown in their path and their earnest attempts to overcome them. The whole movie is a series of set pieces in which the boys go through the minimal obligatory motions of an adult rite-of-passage: the one-layer cake, frosting peeling off like a tree shedding bark, the minimal wedding decorations, the quick spray of dried rice and a shoe to the head, the mumbled wedding vows, the pro-forma "Congratulations, my boy, you've married the sweetest girl in all the world!" from the justice of the peace… it's all about two little boys playing grown-up, and overcoming the brief lacuna of adulthood and ending up back together again.

There's a review herein that says this short is situational comedy over slapstick. Huh? The entire film is slapstick.

And not so great. This is not one of L&H's best. Except maybe for the end scene witht he car, which is funny and brings me to another point -- this movie could NEVER be made today.It beauty and fat shames all in it's 21 minute breath.

OUR WIFE is an incredibly funny short, the perfect storm, and certainly one of Laurel and Hardy's best early sound efforts. It's unfortunate that Babe London, who plays Hardy's "full figured" bride, did not make another film with the boys. She was terrific.

Here, Ollie wants to marry his sweetheart, but nothing goes right. Right? For starters, her father is none other than short tempered James Finlayson, who does not take too kindly to Hardy. An escape is planned and Stan gets a car for the getaway --a tiny "baby Austin" coupe?

These cars were enormously popular in the 1930s, sort of a forerunner to today's Cooper automobiles. The car is sooo tiny and Ollie and Babe are too large! Babe London later commented it actually was not fun doing the scene; they had to literally squeeze into the car -- BUT it's one iconic movie clip, always shown at L & H revivals. The car was also used in the WC Fields classic film, INTERNATIONAL HOUSE (1933),

Legendary silent star Ben Turpin plays the cockeyed justice of the peace, the proverbial cherry on top. Babe London appeared in many popular films and tv shows. However, she began a new career in the early 60s as a portrait artist, painting silent film stars, and had several showcases. Her work was later donated to colleges. Babe passed in 1980 at the Woodland Hills actors home.

If you are a true Laurel and Hardy fan, this is a must see. No excuses.

Always available on dvd. Box set comedy short films. Thanks much to METV for faithfully running these oldies, also MOVIES Net on Saturdays.

Oliver Hardy - whose real nickname was 'Babe' -- is about to be married to Babe London. Stan Laurel is the best man. It's all very unlikely, isn't it? When her father, James Finlayson, locks her in her room, she and Hardy decide to elope.

It all goes very poorly, of course, and full of laughs, with all the props helping out: the missing ladders, the tiny car for the oversized lovers, and wait until you see who the Justice of the Peace is!

Miss London was a moderately successful 'fat girl' comic in the 1920s, and she seems a perfect match for Hardy. She continued in small roles in the movies until 1960 and died in 1980, age 79.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.

Although a vast majority of Laurel and Hardy's previous efforts ranged from above average to very good ('45 Minutes from Hollywood' being the only misfire and mainly worth seeing as a curiosity piece and for historical interest, and even that wasn't a complete mess), 'Two Tars' for me was their first truly classic one with close to flawless execution. Didn't find 'Our Wife' quite one of their very best, but it to me was one of their best 1931 efforts anf among the better half of their output at this point.

If there is anything that could have been done to make 'Our Wife' better, it could have been tighter at the beginning and it does run out of steam sadly at the end.

Despite that, 'Our Wife' does get going is great fun, not always hilarious but never less than very amusing, the best being classic hilarity. It is never too silly (important with there being more a reliance on physical/pratfall humour), there is a wackiness that never loses its energy and the sly wit is here, some of the material may not be new but how it's executed actually doesn't feel too familiar and it doesn't get repetitive. A lot happens yet it doesn't ever feel rushed or over-stuffed.

Laurel and Hardy are on top form here, both are well used, both have material worthy of them and they're equal rather than one being funnier than the other (before Laurel tended to be funnier and more interesting than Hardy, who tended to be underused). Their chemistry feels like a partnership here too, before 'Two Tars' you were yearning for more scenes with them together but in 'Our Wife' and on the most part from 'Two Tars' onwards we are far from robbed of that. Their comic timing is impeccable.

'Our Wife' looks good visually, is full of energy and the direction gets the best out of the stars, is at ease with the material and doesn't let it get too busy or static. The supporting players are solid, particularly a priceless James Finlayson, but it's Laurel and Hardy's show all the way.

Summing up, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Overall, near-classic Laurel and Hardy. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Our Wife (1931)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Hardy and his fiancé have to run off to get married so they get Laurel for help, which of course leads to disaster. There are plenty of wonderful jokes and gags here including the small limousine and the best one when Hardy falls into a cake and brings a lot more with him.

Helpmates (1932)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Mrs. Hardy is out of town so Hardy throws a big party. When the wife plans on returning home early Hardy must get Laurel to help him clean the house. Another wonderful short has non-stop laughs from start to finish. There really isn't one skit that sticks out but instead the laughs just build up.

Me and My Pal (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Hardy is about to be married but Laurel gives him a jigsaw puzzle for a wedding gift. The two start working on it and forget all about the wedding. This is more amusing than funny, although the final riot does get plenty of laughs.

You wouldn't get away with the car stuffing scene today (fat shaming and all that kind of humor killing PC thing) and you certainly feel guilty laughing at it but, damn , is it hilarious! Certainly one of the celebrated duo's comic high points, along with lugging that very heavy music box up that very steep flight of stairs. So even though the ending with the vision impaired justice of the peace isn't as good as what's gone before this is still one of L/H's best two reelers. Give it an A minus.