Night Owls

Stan Laurel makes most of the gags in 'Night Owls' work. In this comedy short a police officer (Edgar Kennedy) will be fired when he screws up one more time. He finds Laurel & Hardy sleeping on a bench in a public park. They have a choice. They can spend some time in jail or help the police officer. He wants them to break in with his chief. He will save the day and the chief will like him again.

The short, with sound, shows us Laurel & Hardy as burglars most of the time. They must be the worst burglars ever. They enter the house over and over again but they also manage to lock themselves out every single time. We have some laughs, all because of Laurel. Although this is definitely not the best Laurel & Hardy comedy short, it is another fine little movie.

"Night Owls" was one of the last Laurel and Hardy films for comic foil, Edgar Kennedy. He was soon to be replaced by Billy Gilbert. Released in 1930, Stan and Ollie are playing their vagrant characters who are offered the change of avoiding jail by carrying out a burglary for corrupt cop, Kennedy (who is on the verge of being fired from the force). The house in question, is none other than that of the police chief! Although this comedy short was all filmed in the "Hal Roach" studios, this doesn't affect the comedy in any way. James Finlayson is great as the put-upon butler of the said household. At one point, he takes a leaf out of Hardy's book by addressing the camera. I loved it! Stan and Ollie's attempts at burglary are like everything else they put their hand to - the final results being a disappointment. They both really squabble with each other during "Night Owls" but they always remain united against any adversity. One of their very best.

Night Owls (1930)

** (out of 4)

A policeman is on the down and outs with the captain so he has L&H to pretend to be robbers so that he can arrest them. The boys think the policeman will then get them off the hook but breaking into a house is harder than they thought. This is a pretty lifeless short with only a few chuckles and mostly dead jokes. The scene where the boys pretend to be cats is certainly the highlight.

Ladrones (1930)

** (out of 4)

Spanish version of Night Owls has the exact same story, although there's an added third reel, which is a different ending. Like other Spanish versions, the alternate ending here is actually a lot funnier than the American one so you've gotta wonder why it was cut. Some of the physical gags also work better here but it's still not one of the duo's best.

I've read quite a few reviews of Laurel and Hardy films and a similar pattern is emerging, for some reason a few people want to analyse the plot. This is old fashioned comedy at its finest and some of the best slapstick that you are likely to see, the plot was never intended to be the focal point of any of their films. The same thing can be said about a number of comedy teams at the time, so I'm not sure where their critical view of a weak plot comes from, certainly die hard fans of this duo cannot be surprised about the thin plot and to be honest, who cares?

More sophisticated comedy exists, but not many films or sitcoms can touch Laurel and Hardy's brilliance. I often feel let down by comedy in modern times, Night Owls though is harmless, hilarious and it does what comedy should do, it makes you laugh and it makes you feel good. If you seek comedy films with a better plot, then by all means search for what is right for you, otherwise perhaps it's best to leave Laurel and Hardy to people who love, admire and enjoy comedy from this era, because they are far above and beyond what some people are making them out to be, on this website. Overall, I would recommend Night Owls, in my opinion it is close to the level of Helpmates and Music Box, some of their finest work.

Cop Edgar Kennedy is in trouble. Their have been forty-two robberies in the police chief's neighborhood and he'll be fired unless he makes an arrest. He gets an idea. Rather than run off two vagrants, Stan and Ollie, he convinces them to rob the police chief's house so he can arrest them in the process. It was a pretty good idea, if Stan and Ollie hadn't proved to be the most inept burglars in history.

"Night Owls" was the team's seventh talkie and definitely the best one to date. The concept itself is funny, and the slapstick gags are plentiful and well-performed. (My favorite bit is when the boys pretend to be cats.) Nor does it hurt that Stan and Ollie are backed up here by Edgar Kennedy and James Finlayson, two of their best foils. Stan and Ollie themselves seem very comfortable in this film. Their interplay has a smooth, naturalistic rhythm that one expects from the boys at their best.

This film isn't quite a classic, but it fine little film. The team had finally found their footing in the new medium of talking films.