IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
Two homeless vagabonds hide out in a vacant mansion and pose as the residents when prospective lessees arrive and try to rent it.Two homeless vagabonds hide out in a vacant mansion and pose as the residents when prospective lessees arrive and try to rent it.Two homeless vagabonds hide out in a vacant mansion and pose as the residents when prospective lessees arrive and try to rent it.
Harry Bernard
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Bobby Burns
- Bicyclist
- (uncredited)
Betty Mae Crane
- Talking Titles
- (uncredited)
Beverly Crane
- Talking Titles
- (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn
- Meadows
- (uncredited)
James Finlayson
- Col. Wilburforce Buckshot
- (uncredited)
Charles K. Gerrard
- Lord Leopold Ambrose Plumtree
- (uncredited)
Bill Knight
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Bob Minford
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Gertrude Sutton
- Agnes - Maid
- (uncredited)
Thelma Todd
- Lady Plumtree
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- H.M. Walker
- Oliver Hardy(uncredited)
- Arthur J. Jefferson(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe main credits are spoken by twin sisters Betty Mae Crane and Beverly Crane wearing theater usher uniforms. As an alternative to standard titles, in a short-lived experiment, they performed the "talking titles" for several Hal Roach productions in 1930 and 1931. This is the only Laurel & Hardy film with spoken credits. The girls were paid $15 ($279 in 2024) each for their efforts.
- GoofsLady Plumtree refers to her husband variously as "Leopold," "Ambrose," and "Leopold Ambrose" due to two different versions of the script.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits are spoken by two pretty girls in theater usher uniforms.
- Alternate versionsThe original UK VHS edition of this film (released on the Virgin/VVL label in 1991) omits 16 seconds in the scene where Hardy is looking for his billiard room. He opens the door and escorts Plumtree into a room and says "Now what did I do with that billiard room?" The scene runs from 18:32-18:48 on the UK DVD. The scene is restored in its entirety in the DVD edition.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (1982)
Featured review
Funny but over produced and forced
Laurel and Hardy are on the run from a police officer yet again. This time they seek refuge inside a mansion. They are getting ready to leave when they hear that the master of the house is leaving for months and has left the house to the butler and the maid to rent out. When the butler and maid leave for a week's holiday, Laurel and Hardy decide to hide out for a bit. However, when two important people come to rent the house, Hardy must play the owner while Laurel has to become both the butler and the maid!
Seeing that the name of the short was the (incorrect) phrase that everyone in the world associates with Laurel and Hardy, I assumed that this short would represent a really good film perhaps one of their best. Sadly it is not, although it is far from a wasted 20 minutes. The opening (with twins reading the credits) was off putting and was quickly fast forwarded by myself. After this we enter into the usual territory, the short picks up once Laurel and Hardy have taken possession of the house and must pass themselves off in various roles.
It doesn't all work as well as it should. Hardy does well trying to find a games room in what is supposed to be his own house, and Laurel is funny as the butler. A running gag involving the mispronunciation of the guest's name results in the regular production of cards! What is disappointing is Laurel as the maid he doesn't do well and the scene with him (Agnes) and the lady of the house chatting is devoid of the blank looks of confusion that Laurel is best at instead it is silly. The conclusion is amusing but there is to much that doesn't quite work as well as it should.
Hampering the material is a real sense of overkill on the production. Every move, look and fall is accompanied with a sound effect or grand sweeping music. The duo needs neither and it only serves to make the jokes appear to be silly or weak like they need the sound effects to make them funnier. Once or twice is cool, or used in the right places, but the overkill here is to the detriment of the film.
Overall this is an OK short but it lacks the inspiration and wit of them at their best. Here many falls and jokes are simply not delivered as well as they have done elsewhere. Sadly the over production only serves to reinforce this.
Seeing that the name of the short was the (incorrect) phrase that everyone in the world associates with Laurel and Hardy, I assumed that this short would represent a really good film perhaps one of their best. Sadly it is not, although it is far from a wasted 20 minutes. The opening (with twins reading the credits) was off putting and was quickly fast forwarded by myself. After this we enter into the usual territory, the short picks up once Laurel and Hardy have taken possession of the house and must pass themselves off in various roles.
It doesn't all work as well as it should. Hardy does well trying to find a games room in what is supposed to be his own house, and Laurel is funny as the butler. A running gag involving the mispronunciation of the guest's name results in the regular production of cards! What is disappointing is Laurel as the maid he doesn't do well and the scene with him (Agnes) and the lady of the house chatting is devoid of the blank looks of confusion that Laurel is best at instead it is silly. The conclusion is amusing but there is to much that doesn't quite work as well as it should.
Hampering the material is a real sense of overkill on the production. Every move, look and fall is accompanied with a sound effect or grand sweeping music. The duo needs neither and it only serves to make the jokes appear to be silly or weak like they need the sound effects to make them funnier. Once or twice is cool, or used in the right places, but the overkill here is to the detriment of the film.
Overall this is an OK short but it lacks the inspiration and wit of them at their best. Here many falls and jokes are simply not delivered as well as they have done elsewhere. Sadly the over production only serves to reinforce this.
helpful•45
- bob the moo
- Jul 16, 2003
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Ще одине чудове діло
- Filming locations
- West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA(street scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime29 minutes
- Color
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