Quand les poules rentrent au bercail

This is an absolutely hilarious sketch, that ranks with Men-O-War, Another Fine Mess, Perfect Day, and Twice Two as one of the funniest shorts the duo ever did. The show starts with Oliver--a successful fertilizer magnate (with dim witted Stan in tow) who's running for mayor. When an ex-girlfriend blackmails him, picture and all it's up to Stan to save Ollie's campaign, job, and marriage. The funniest part is when Stan and Ollie are carrying the blackmailer at the end Complete with furniture fight, car destruction, and other typical antics this is a great movie. The supporting cast is also great, complete with James Finlyson as the usual butt of jokes. An excellent move that has a 100 smiles in it.

Chickens Come Home (1931)

*** (out of 4)

Hardy is ecstatic that he's in the running for Mayor but this joy soon turns to fear when a woman from his past shows up with a photo of the two that could cause trouble if it reaches the press. The woman, wanting money to keep quiet, tells Hardy to be at her house that night but the wannabe Mayor is having a dinner for various judges so he sends Laurel to do his dirty work. Laurel, being too weak to stop the woman, gets in trouble with his own wife who thinks he's having an affair but the real havoc occurs back at Hardy's house when the three meet head on.

Chickens Come Home isn't considered the best L&H short but it still manages to get some big laughs all the way to the outrageous end. The one thing that's always amazed me about the L&H shorts is, usually, they run towards the thirty-minute mark yet it feels as though these films run mere minutes due to the high energy level brought to the screen by the two stars. The story of blackmail isn't any original or new but the boys make it seem as fresh and full of life as if this had been the first time we've ever seen something like it.

The biggest highlight comes towards the end of the film when the boys must try and sneak the blackmailer out of the house without Hardy's wife finding out about the past. This little scene has the boys putting the woman on their back and making it appear she's walking out on her own. Another wonderful segment is when Laurel goes to the woman's house and does all in his will to keep her there. This includes a hilarious scene where he blocks the door with all sorts of items only to have her throwing the stuff back at his head. The dialogue is also very fresh and we get several laughs from it. The best moment is when Laurel asks the blackmailer if he can smoke and she tells him he can burn if he wishes.

These L & H shorts are priceless. In this one Ollie has political aspirations. He is even practicing his acceptance speech as a mayoral candidate. Who should show up but regular Laurel and Hardy nemesis Mae Busch. She has a photograph of her cavorting with Ollie in a sort of compromising position. They were an item in a previous time. Of course, she has gotten wind of his recent political successes and decides to blackmail him. She demands money or she will show the photo to his wife. What transpires is a series of pratfalls and attempts to hide Mae in closets. Of course, the wives are again dangerous characters so Stan and Ollie get it from both sides. Marvelous effort once again.

For my money this is probably my favorite of the L&H shorts (except, maybe for "Two Tars," or perhaps "County Hospital," or maybe "Helpmates," or "Another Fine Mess," or could be "Them Thar Hills"... oh well; you get the point). It's a hoot to see grandly pompous Ollie, in his run for mayor, brought low by the machinations of a former paramour from his "primrose days." Mae Busch, a stalwart regular in the L&H flicks, is wickedly wonderful as the old girlfriend. Ollie's sub rosa business with his knowing butler, good old Jimmy Finlayson, is a delight, and the comic high point - a thoroughly discomfited Ollie warbling "Somebody's Coming to My House" for his dinner guests, accompanied by his wife - as disaster approaches, is a treasure. The Boys will always live in the memory of their devoted fans, to whom they brought so much joy.

Ollie is running for mayor but first he has to get rid of an old flame (Mae Busch) who wants to be paid or else she'll expose their affair on the front page courtesy of an incriminating photo. So he sends Stan to keep on eye on her while he entertains some important guests at his house with his wife (Thelma Todd) and butler (James Finlayson) in tow. I'll stop there and just say this was another hilarious Laurel & Hardy short that I highly enjoyed from beginning to end. Finlayson and Ms. Todd's reactions really got me going along with, of course, Stan & Ollie's antics concerning Ms. Busch's presence. And how about Norma Drew as Mrs. Laurel. And hearing Stan saying the iconic "nice mess" line was also great to hear! It should be noted this was made during the early talkie era when, if you wanted to see this in another language, instead of dubbing the lead actors would then read the alternate words at a blackboard off-screen with support from alternate players who came from the country of origin of that language or at least someone who knew it well. So now I'm going to watch the Spanish version of this short...