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.

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.

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.

While not classic Laurel and Hardy, later films, short and feature, had stronger chemistry when fully formed and used their considerable talents better, 'Should Married Men Go Home?' is enjoyable fun. Not one of their best from their 1928 output but it is an improvement on their previous effort. In some of their previous work, Laurel was much funnier and more interesting while Hardy in most of the previous outings had too little to do. 'Should Married Men Go Home?' is good, is far from a misfire and feels like a Laurel and Hardy short rather than a short featuring them.

'Should Married Men Go Home?' is flimsy in story, and doesn't feel quite enough for the short's length.

The rest of the characters are not as interesting and the momentum at the start isn't as lively as once we get to the golf course.

Laurel however is very funny, and sometimes hilarious. It is wonderful seeing Hardy having more to do and he is on Laurel's level. The chemistry is certainly much more here than in previous outings of theirs, namely because there's more of them together and it was starting to feel like a partnership. Support is nice if not as inspired.

Both Laurel and Hardy have great moments, especially the climactic mud-slinging fight which is one of the boys' funniest moments of their early work. The record and drug-store sequences are also terrific.

A good deal of the humour is well timed, hugely energetic and very funny if not always hilarious, with everything going at a lively pace and there is a lot of charm and good nature to keep one going. It looks good too and is competently directed.

On the whole, pretty good and enjoyable. 7/10 Bethany Cox

In 'Should Married Man Go Home?' Oliver Hardy is married and he is about to spend the first Sunday in weeks alone with his wife. They hope Stan will not come along but of course he does. After Stan has caused some trouble the wife tells Oliver to go play some golf with Stan. At the golf club you can only play with parties of four so they hook up with two ladies, pretending to be bankers. With the ladies they have money problems in a bar, trouble with another golfer outside and a hilarious fight that involves a lot of mud.

The parts with the wife are not that funny although they are not boring either. There are some good gags. The sequence in the bar is a terrific one, especially the moments with Stan ordering a drink. Stan is also very funny during the golf game and the big fight that ends the short plays the way it should play. Although this is not one of their best the bar sequence and the mud fight near the end are entertaining enough to enjoy this silent comedy short.