Helpmates (1932)
5/10
Helpmates
24 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are the most famous comedy duo in history, and deservedly so, so I am happy to see any of their films. Ollie's house is a mess after a drunken party, and he gets a telegram saying his wife (Blanche Payson) will be home at noon, so he calls Stan (getting the phone mistaken for an alarm clock, and then swapping for a statue), who was bitten by a dog, went to hospital and was told by the doctor he might have "hydrophosphates" (hydrophobia), to help clean up. Stan washes the dirty dishes, which he drops, and Ollie manages to use butter as soap, opening the door gets covered in smoke from the breaking pipe, and flour from the near cupboard. After Ollie has changed his clothes, Stan is trying to unblock the sink to tip away the washing up water, but instead throws the water on, and then out the window, on Ollie (twice), and in anger he throws a plant through the house, hitting a neighbour with a hose pipe, which goes through the house (obviously the water going on Ollie). After causing an explosion with the oven gas (which Ollie was using to dry his wet clothes), Ollie changes into his admiral's uniform, and returns home from seeing the wife with a black eye, a house destroyed by Stan lighting gasoline in the fireplace, and getting rained on. Filled with good slapstick and all classic comedy you want from a black and white film, it is an enjoyable film. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were number 7 on The Comedians' Comedian. Worth watching!
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