Review of Chickens Come Home

This 1931 L&H short is one of my favorites among these talkie shorts, It can be viewed at YouTube either in its original B&W form or in a colorized form, which is unusually crisp, being a 3 reel, 30 min., film. Oliver Hardy has an especially strong performance. His attempts to dodge the blackmailing frame of mind of an old flame(played by Mae Busch), along with the involvement of Stan Laurel, constitute the main plot........Ollie and Stan run a fertilizer supply company. But, more important at present, Ollie is running for mayor. He's feeling very chipper today. A newspaper article hails him as the 'people's choice'. He's so sure he will win, he has Stan write down his acceptance speech. But, his mood changes drastically, when Mae Busch, an old flame , makes a visit to his office. She makes some sarcastic remarks about his suitability as mayor, then spills what she came for: some money and gifts to keep her quiet about an old photo of her and Ollie cavorting on a beach. Just what is so scandalous about that? Presumably, she will claim that it is a resent photo of a married Ollie........Soon after Mae arrives, Ollie's wife(played by the glamorous Thelma Todd) arrives to tell Ollie about a dinner party she has organized for this evening, involving some of the local political big wigs. It starts at 7. Unfortunately, this is exactly the time Mae demanded Ollie show up at her place to discuss further the terms of her blackmail. The boys hide Mae in the bathroom while Thelma is there. Unfortunately, her expensive-looking stole is forgotten, so Ollie hides it behind his back, apparently stuffing one end into his pants, so that it looked like a tail. Thelma didn't see it until he went to the door to usher her out. He explained that it was an early Christmas gift for her(sure! It's only July). She takes it home with her(she stole the stole), which Mae says is another point for them to discuss. After Mae leaves, Ollie tells Stan that he has to show up at Mae's at 7, and try to stall for time. But, Mae tricks the uncooperative Stan into revealing Ollie's home phone number. The phone rings and Ollie pretends it's someone else. James Finlayson is his butler, who appreciates a small token for not revealing his conversation. Later, Mae rings again, and the suspicious Thelma answers this time, Ollie knocking over the butler trying to get there first. Mae talks to her, being cordial, then to Ollie. Meanwhile Stan is piling up furniture and pillows against the door to keep Mae from leaving. But, she takes them away as fast as he puts them. Finally, she decides to leave by another door. The town busybody chastises Stan, and he falls backward out of the window, on to the sidewalk for entering the apartment complex. Mae trips over him, and accuses him of trying to break her neck, with a direct hit. She gets in her car, but Stan steals the key from her ignition. They have quite a wrestling match on the sidewalk, until Mae recovers the key(very funny). The town busybody(Patsy O'Byrne) sees them wrestling, and goes to Stan's house to tell his wife(Norma Drew). She gets out a hatchet and goes out the door, apparently guessing that Stan went to Ollie's(He did, in the passenger seat of Mae's car, amazingly). At Ollie's, the guests have requested that he sing for them. Suspicious Thelma chooses "Somebody is Coming to my House"- appropriate. When Mae and Stan arrive, Ollie introduces Mae as Mrs. Laurel(Very surprising that Thelma hasn't met the real one). Stan brought the incriminating photo under his jacket, and it falls out. Ollie hides it behind a couch pillow, then later sits on the pillow causing the glass to crunch. ........Mae and Ollie argue, off in one corner, and Ollie tells her she must leave. She refuses, so Ollie gets a pistol and says he will kill her, and then himself, if she doesn't leave. The gun discharges, but apparently doesn't hit Mae. Nonetheless, she faints, apparently assuming the bullet did hit her. While Thelma is upstairs, getting something, the boys try to move Mae out of the house. However, this is difficult. Stan puts her on Ollie's shoulders, hiding most of her with a jacket. but with her head exposed. He walks toward the door, but their chimera falls apart. The real Mrs. Laurel now arrives and convinces Thelma. Ollie now puts Mae on Stan's shoulders and again covers her, and this chimera walks out of the house with Stan, then promptly falls apart. Mrs. Laurel runs after them with her hatchet, and we don't know their fate.