The great silent and early sound comedians were all "personality" comedians. No on could devise gags for Keaton and Lloyd as well as the comedians themselves because they knew their characters and knew what was believable for them. Likewise, no one could devise gags for Laurel and Hardy as well as Stan Laurel. Unfortunately, MGM thought their best writers and directors could produce winning films for anybody, regardless of their characters. Here's the problem with this picture; the characters of Stan and Ollie aren't needed. Jack Haley and Tom Ewell could have starred in this movie with equal succcess because there are so few Laurel and Hardy moments in it. Even the "tit for tat" gag with Edgar Kennedy is slow and tiring, without the zest and fun of similar battles with Finlayson and Charlie Hall. In the end. this is an MGM picture with Laurel and Hardy, and not what fans of "Sons of the Desert" and "Blockheads" look forward to.
Review of Air Raid Wardens
