Way Out West (1937) User Reviews

A Home Where Stan and Ollie Roam

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 21 June 2008]

What did Rosina Lawrence's dying father expect when he entrusted Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy to deliver the deed to a gold mine to her in Way Out West? I mean even in death was his judgment that seriously impaired?

The boys are up to the necks in it in the town of Brushwood Gulch when they try to do their good deed. In fact Ollie's up to it even before as Stan innocently dumps the freeloading Ollie who is snoozing in a travois drawn by their donkey while Stan is guiding the poor animal. Dumps Ollie in a creek mind you. Serves him right actually.

The boys arrive in town and wouldn't you know it, they tell bartender James Finlayson what their mission is. So the quick thinking Finlayson gets his wife Sharon Lynne to pose as Lawrence and the boys sign the deed over to her.

Later on they discover their mistake and the rest of the film is spent trying to make up for their mistake and get the deed to the rightful owner. Of course it's one mishap after another, including Stan lighting Ollie's thumb on fire. Don't ask how.

Everybody looks like they're having a great old time in Way Out West. Finlayson is a terrific Snidely Whiplash, Lynne does a great imitation of the kind of brassy dame that Gladys George or Binnie Barnes had a specialty in, and Lawrence is a fabulous little Nell heroine.

Way Out West is one of Stan and Ollie's best feature film comedies. It even got an Oscar nomination for Best Musical Scoring. But I still wonder, wasn't their anyone else Lawrence's father could get for such a mission?

A Stan Laurel Production

[Vincentb341 · 9/10 · 7 November 2005]

Way Out West is unique in two ways. Not only is it the only Western Laurel and Hardy ever made, but it's the only feature with a title card reading, "A Stan Laurel Production." It also has one of the oldest plots since movies first flickered onto the screen, that of a daughter inheriting a gold mine from her father, which Laurel and Hardy have to deliver.

The boys have come west to give the deed to Mary Roberts (Rosina Lawrence), a present from her late father Sy. She works for Mr.Finn (James Finlayson), who runs the local saloon with his wife, singer Lola Marcel(Sharon Lynn). Together they plot to steal the deed from Mary. As Laurel and Hardy have never seen Mary, Lola pretends to be her, full of sweetness and light. Stan is his usual tactful self.

Lola: Tell me about my dear, dear daddy. Is it true that he's dead?

Stan: Well we hope he is, we buried him.

Later, when they meet the real Mary Roberts, the boys are determined to get the deed back. As Stan tells Ollie, "We'll get that deed back or I'll eat your hat!"

A running gag has the two crossing a lake to get in and out of town (on the Roach lot, this was known as Lake Laurel and Hardy). Stan crosses without incident, but Ollie manages to find the deepest part every time. As he sinks into the water, only his hat is left, floating on top.

Meanwhile the boys almost succeed in getting back the deed, but Lola corners Stan in a locked bedroom and tickles him until he hands it over (a very funny scene). Chased out of town by the sheriff, they contemplate their next move (Ollie has fallen into the lake again so his wet clothes are drying on the line). Ollie reminds Stan about the statement he made regarding a certain hat. He then forces Stan to eat it. At first he begins to cry, but after a while he gets a big napkin, sprinkles some salt on it, and begins to enjoy it. Ollie quickly pulls it away, but as Stan goes to check on his clothes, Ollie takes a bite and chews. He spits it out, disgusted. Although Ollie is disdainful of Stan, he's also a little jealous. After all, if ignorance is bliss, Stan must be ecstatic.

Just as he used his thumb as a pipe and smoked it in Blockheads, Stan is able to light a candle with his thumb in this film. All through the movie, a jealous Ollie tries to do it; when his thumb finally goes on fire, he's so terrified Stan has to come blow it out.

Way Out West is also one of their most musical pictures, featuring a duet on "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" and a great dance scene. Ollie had a fine voice, having been trained as a singer early in his career. In fact, as wonderful as their singing and dancing is, it's amazing that it occurs so infrequently in the films.

One problem that somewhat spoils the duo's great dancing is that, for some reason, it was filmed on a sound stage with obvious back projection. The only time back projection should ever be used is when someone is riding in a car or train. But even that can go terribly wrong if not done carefully. The worst back projection I've ever seen is when Lauel and Hardy are driving in the car at the end of County Hospital. It ruins what would otherwise be one of their finest shorts.

The boys spoof the western with joyous results.

[hitchcockthelegend · 9/10 · 4 March 2008]

Running at just over one hour long, this Laurel & Hardy film is a none stop gag fest, both visually and orally. Perhaps more well known for being the film that contains the famous "Trail Of The Lonesome Pine" sequence, it should be noted that that scene is merely a part of a structured romp.

Stan & Ollie are asked to deliver a gold mine deed to a young lady by the name of Mary Roberts (Rosina Lawrence), naturally they get embroiled in some daft shenanigans as they are duped by the devious duo of Mickey Finn (a delightfully fiendish James Finlayson) & Lola Marcel (Sharon Lynne) into handing over the deed to them instead of the rightful heir. After learning they have been conned we then follow the chaotic attempts of Stan & Ollie to recover the deed and give it to the real Mary.

Watch as the boys get maximum laughter out of a hole in Stan's shoe, see Ollie's neck stretched, you will believe that a mule can fly, and embrace the rib tickler that is a saloon chase sequence late in the piece. Throw in a delightful dance routine the guys do to "At The Ball, That's All," and you have a simple recipe brought to the boil with wonderful results. End result? Comedy gold. 9/10

Way Out West With Stan & Ollie

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 18 January 2000]

Would you send Mister Laurel & Mister Hardy off to the wilds of the Old West to deliver an important inheritance document to a young lady they've never seen? Probably not. But that is the hinge upon which this whole wonderfully goofy movie swings.

As always, the Boys are a pure joy to watch, whether they are trying to bust into a saloon in the dead of night, scuffling with the bad guys for a valuable scrap of paper or breaking into a delightful soft-shoe dance.

James Finlayson is very funny once again as the Boys' nemesis. Sharon Lynn, in a hilarious scene, gets to tickle Stan silly.

At one point Ollie begins to sing 'On The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine' in his clear high tenor. He had a beautiful voice, warm & nostalgic. Just like the rest of this film, one of Laurel & Hardy's best.

A masterpiece, one of L&H's best

[Libretio · 10/10 · 11 February 2005]

WAY OUT WEST

Aspect ratio: 1.37:1

Sound format: Mono

(Black and white)

Stan and Ollie are robbed of the deed to a valuable gold mine by a couple of fortune hunters (James Finlayson and Sharon Lynn).

One of Laurel and Hardy's most fondly remembered productions, WAY OUT WEST features career-best material, including a chase around the villain's apartment ("Ah-hah!" "Oh-hoh!" "Ee-hee!"), three wonderful musical interludes, and one of cinema's most priceless set-pieces: Stan and Ollie's soft-shoe shuffle outside a saloon as the Avalon Boys sing 'At the Ball'! Director James Horne was also responsible for many of L&H's short films, and his no-frills style is eminently suited to proceedings: Every routine is reduced to its basic components, all the better to 'sell' the gags, both visual and spoken. The film opened in 1937 to a number of lukewarm reviews, but has since secured its place within movie history. A bona fide masterpiece.

NB. The Avalon Boys included prolific character actor Chill Wills among their number (he also provides Stan's 'deep voice' during 'Trail of the Lonesome Pine'), and some of the incidental music was written by Irving Berlin! Neither of these gentlemen are credited on the print itself.

Sublime at Times

[dougdoepke · 11 January 2014]

As with any classic Laurel & Hardy, the plot is unimportant and just a frame on which to showcase their sweetly innocent brand of humor. Here they're trying to keep ownership of a goldmine out of the greedy clutches of a saloon owner and his blonde canary. The boys don't show up until 10 minutes into the proceedings, but from then on they are center stage with one routine after another.

Most are pretty funny, though the keep-away parlor chase goes on a shade too long as does the break-in escapade. However, when Hardy smugly revels in his superiority only to lose his outer garments and dignity to Laurel's witless bungling, we get a good look at the core of their appeal.

The comedy bits may be entertaining, but the several song and dance numbers are sublime. Notice how effortlessly the duo picks up on the hiccuping beat of the musical Avalon Boys. The resulting dance duet is among the most charming in film annals. Hardy in particular transforms from ungainly fat man into nimble blithe spirit, a beguiling triumph of grace over bulk, and more meaningful in its implications than the miles of over-produced, over- choreographed numbers from Hollywood's army of Big Musicals.

Sadly, theirs is the fey, gentle humor of an era gone by. Quite simply, there's been no one like them before or since. But at least a permanent record of their achievement remains for the rest of us who enjoy this lighthearted look at classic comedy.

Cinema Omnivore - Way Out West (1937) 7.3/10

[lasttimeisaw · 7/10 · 6 May 2023]

"In James W. Horne's WAY OUT WEST, Laurel and Hardy go west to deliver the deed of a gold mine and promptly get themselves embroiled in duplicity and horseplay. They are perhaps the most unlikely knights in shining armor, that all depends on how feckless the villains are, James Finlayson's crooked salon owner Mickey Finn is outright cartoonish, which leaves Sharon Lynn's bejeweled salon singer Lola do the heavy lifting of manhandling Laurel with tickle torture, you can guess who is wearing the pants in that household.

WAY OUT WEST gifts audience with Laurel and Hardy's iconic synchronized dancing accompanied by the Avalon Boys, later the comical rendition of "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine", and Laurel's hat-eating, thumb-lighting gags, but its storyline is way too unremarkable to bother mentioning and the pratfall antics are deployed ad nauseam (I can imagine even the sinkhole would sigh resignedly)."

-

Laughed so hard my head fell off

[29055 · 10/10 · 17 December 1998]

This is truly one of the funniest movies ever made. I'll never look at another block and tackle without a chuckle. And of course that groovy soft shoe shuffle and the Trail of the Lonesome Pine are gems - cinema history. Stan and Ollie weren't just slapstick geniuses. Theirs was a subtle blend of visual, acute observational and surreal comedy that has rarely been matched and never beaten. This film exemplifies their craft perfectly and shows touches of where, twenty to forty years later, the Goons, Monty Python, Tommy Cooper and The Comic Strip were coming from. After seeing this I recommend Sons of The Dessert, their other feature length masterpiece.

Not my favorite. I would had preferred less story and more slapstick.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 18 January 2006]

"Way Out West" is far from my favorite Laurel & Hardy movie. That of course doesn't mean it's bad, it just means that it's lacking compared to other better Laurel & Hardy movies.

Call me old fashioned but I more prefer the simple slapstick comical approach of Laurel & Hardy. Although of course this movie still has some slapstick moments in it, it is mostly filled with humorous dialog and comical situations that aren't necessarily slapstick-like. All of the comical events in the movie are also far too stretched out. Some of the humorous moments go on for too long, with as a result that it looses some of its power when it comes to creating laughs.

The musical numbers also feel misplaced. Still, the Laurel & Hardy dance is a classic to watch though.

The main essence of the movie is on its story, which makes the humor seem as a secondary element. For me watching Laurel & Hardy movie isn't about the story of the movie, it's about the humor and the chemistry of the two main characters.

James Finlayson is always good in a Laurel & Hardy movie and he does provide some good moments and laughs.

It's a good movie to watch with some nice laughs in it and there are obviously more good things than bad things about this movie but still I don't feel that this is the must-see that everyone makes it sound it is.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The single funniest movie I have ever seen.

[miloc · 10/10 · 23 November 2005]

There are plenty of great comedies that are better-made, more innovative, and more artistically satisfying than "Way Out West," but pound for pound this one has made me laugh the most over the years, repeatedly and consistently. Great clowns like Chaplin and Keaton made themselves into Everyman underdogs; the Marxes and Fields were wise-acre anarchists; but Laurel and Hardy were, simply, overgrown children: exactly as innocent and cunning and kind-hearted and selfish and sincere as big kids in suits. They lacked the malice which underlay Abbot & Costello or the Three Stooges. When they warred with each other or outside parties they did so from an honest sense of being wronged, which then escalated to ridiculous and dangerous heights, all with exquisite timing. Their bouts of exasperation never lasted long; as they soon as they finished stomping on each other's hats and twisting each other's noses they would go back to the unquestioning comradeship of two school-kids who stick together for no other reason than that they always have and always will.

"Way Out West" is probably their best feature film, thanks to decent production values, a fun use of the period setting, a solid supporting cast, and a great mix of visual and verbal jokes. A river hides a pothole that materializes only for Oliver Hardy; a femme fatale wrests a deed to a gold mine from a helpless Stan Laurel by a dastardly bout of tickling (few things in movies are funnier than Stan Laurel laughing); the duo perform a gracefully silly soft- shoe dance; a thumb proves mysteriously flammable and a hat becomes briefly edible; Ollie's neck stretches out at least four feet before snapping back. Death is discussed: "Tell me, what did my father die of?" Stan, ever-helpful, replies: "I think he died of a Tuesday. Or was it a Wednesday?" Songs are sung, first by Ollie, in his melodious tenor, then joined by a startlingly basso Stan. (A bop on the head changes him to a ladylike soprano.) James Finlayson makes wild puffs and snorts of disgust at the camera. And Stan's exposed leg stops a speeding stagecoach with as much ease as Claudette Colbert's stopped a truck in "It Happened One Night." And Ollie, beaming, and giggling and twiddling his tie to perfection, flirts with a highly disinterested lady by using the immortal line: "A lot of weather we've been having lately." It's all sheer bliss, a great movie comedy.

Laurel and Hardy and some pleasant musical interludes...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 14 November 2007]

The basic premise of WAY OUT WEST is having the two boys (Ollie and Stan) attempt to deliver the deed to a goldmine to the rightful owner whose guardians are scheming to get it for themselves. Getting it into the hands of the proper person turns out to be the raison d'etre for the whole hilarious saga with the sort of sight gags the duo are famous for.

The musical interludes, aside from the soft shoe number, includes a nice rendition of "Trail of the Lonesome Pine"--but the interludes are widely separated by the slapstick routines that are as inventive as they are funny. Particularly amusing is the sequence using a donkey to hoist Ollie to a balcony--with astonishing results.

Stan Laurel does a ticklish scene with his laughter seeming like the real thing for an extensive bout with the lady trying to get the deed away from him. This sort of thing is sometimes carried to lengthy extremes but it still manages to be funny.

Not my favorite of the team's work--it seems more like an extended short than a full-length feature but it does provide some solid laughs.

A lot of weather we've been having lately!

[krorie · 10/10 · 9 February 2006]

This western spoof is almost as good as "Sons of the Desert" and that's saying a mouthful. Both films are two of the funniest ever made by Hollywood. The debate amongst film buffs as to which one is better will undoubtedly go on till the demise of movies so just lean back and enjoy both of them.

While "Sons of the Desert" has the bonus of Charlie Chase adding even more mirth to the picture, "Way Out West" has two bonuses: Chill Wills and his Avalon boys who aid Stan and Ollie in two of their finest song and dance routines, and the king of the double take James Finlayson as Mickey Finn (a moniker that would have made W.C. Fields proud), who appeared in many Laurel and Hardy shorts. The talented Rosina Lawrence as Mary Roberts is also an added attraction.

Stan, Ollie, and their mule, who almost steals the show toward the end when being accidentally hoisted upstairs by a rope and pulley, are to deliver a deed for a gold mine to an orphan whose guardians are determined to steal the mine from her once they are informed unintentionally by Stanley. The slapstick and funny lines fly fast and furious throughout the 65 minutes. Even the song and dance numbers are hilarious. To read some of the best lines, note IMDb's quotes from the movie.

A friendly word of advice: Be sure and don't try using any of Ollie's pick-up lines. They don't work. For some reason cooing to a woman "a lot of weather we've been having lately" won't get you anywhere.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's Only Western Is Enjoyable

[romanorum1 · 7/10 · 4 March 2015]

Classic comedy team Stan and Ollie are entrusted to deliver a deed to a gold mine to Mary Roberts (Rosina Roberts), who lives in the town of Brushwood Gulch. Her father has recently died. Now the lovely and maidenly Mary is employed by Mickey Finn (James Finlayson) who runs the local saloon with his wife, attractive and flirtatious Lola Marcel (Sharon Lynn). Mary is constantly overworked washing dishes, cleaning, scrubbing floors, etc. Unfortunately Stan and Ollie are duped into handing over the deed to a disguised Lola. One of the funny deliveries is thus:

Lola: "Tell me, is my dear, dear daddy really dead?"

Stan: "I hope so; they buried him."

The hilarious antics continue to occur when they attempt to retrieve the stolen document. As Stan tells Ollie, "We'll get that deed back or I'll eat your hat!" Oh, oh . . . Yes, there will be one misadventure after another, but of course they lead right into a number of classic humorous sketches. From beginning to end these include the stream crossings where only Ollie seems to find the pothole below the water line. Then there is the hitchhike scene, modeled in reverse after Capra's "It Happened One Night." Also, there are the tickle gag featuring Stan and Lola in the latter's boudoir, Stan's magical candle-lighting thumb, the donkey hoist, and Ollie's head stuck in the trap door sequence. Why, the poor guy even gets his neck stretched! Yikes!

Also entertaining are the song and dances. Enjoy "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" that features the Avalon Boys, with a young Chill Wills, along with the L & H duo and note Ollie's agreeable baritone voice. Stan and Ollie's impromptu dance scene ("Commence to Dancing") is fine, and the attractive saloon ladies dance and kick well in the opening sequence also.

Not Enough Humor From Stan & Ollie

[ccthemovieman-1 · 4/10 · 13 June 2007]

Being someone who usually laughs at the antics of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, the most amazing thing about this movie was that it was just great.....until the two stars showed up! I couldn't believe it. They actually slowed the movie down. Well, you can't win 'em all.

The opening five minutes was really terrific, featuring wild scenes in a saloon. "Wild" as in a shootout scene and wild as in wild women. Those female singers and dancers were beautiful. The woman who played the female lead in the film, Sharon Lynn ("Lola") really captured my eye.

But once the boys appeared, the comedy actually slowed down and after over a half hour of almost no laughs, I almost canned it, but it picked up in the second half and we even saw Stan and OIlie do a little "soft shoe," but I got this for the comedy, not dancing.

Humor is in the eye of the beholder and I sure am in the minority here on this movie, but I didn't find this one of L&H's "funniest" films at all. To me, there was far more drama and music than comedy in here. The old-time comics, with the exception of Groucho Mark, were best doing slapstick. Sorry, but this movie was not as good as advertised. It just wasn't very funny.

L&H's Best

[jhnjrv · 27 May 2002]

Laurel and Hardy really don't have to DO anything to make me laugh. When they are on my screen, I howl. "West" is, in my opinion, their best film. Laurel did the cutting and he put in some sound effects that punch up the action. The spoken lines are hilarious: Stan, speaking to an imposter: "We want to know why you are not Mary Roberts!" The ridiculous dance in front of a blatantly obvious rear-projection screen is a gem. I have this movie on VHS and have run it many times. It does not get old.

On the trail of Laurel's lonesome mind....

[mark.waltz · 10/10 · 11 March 2015]

It's a truly ticklish situation for Stan Laurel when he encounters the voluptuous Sharon Lynne who attempts to get the deed to a gold mine away from him that Stan and Oliver (Hardy) were attempting to deliver to the innocent Rosalina Lawrence. What is funnier, Laurel laughing hysterically as Lynne reaches into his shirt to get the deed, tickling possibly more than his funny bone, or the fact that Lynne is married to the much older James Finlayson, the perpetrator of this scam? This is along with "Sons of the Desert" possibly Laurel and Hardy's funniest feature, and one which totally stands the test of time. Yes, the entire situation is preposterous, but the laughs come a mile a minute, going much faster than the wagon which bypasses Laurel and Hardy as they try to thumb a ride. The fact that Laurel gets a wagon train to pull to a complete stop by exposing his leg (a la Claudette Colbert) gives a hysterically funny insinuation which managed to go right past the censors of the Hays code.

The comedy gets off to a wet start with Laurel and his mule pal carrying a sleeping Oliver through a river and basically dumping him there for possibly the world's first water bed. Then, there's trouble aboard the stagecoach as the two flirt with the wife of the town's sheriff where they are heading to, and continues with the scam perpetuated against them by Finlayson and Lynne. Rosalina Lawrence, best known as one of the school teachers on the Our Gang series, is merely adequate as the heroine, but Finlayson and Lynne are downright hysterical. A funny twist involving the boys trying to get into their house during the middle of the night is guaranteed to give the viewer chest pains from laughing, including such props as the forlorn mule and a strategically placed bucket. This is farce at its best, coming in a year that focused mainly on the sophisticated screwball comedy of the major studios, and it certainly places amongst the best of that year as far as classic comedy is concerned.

Laurel and Hardy go west

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 16 November 2018]

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were comedic geniuses, individually and together, and their partnership was deservedly iconic and one of the best there was. They left behind a large body of work, a vast majority of it being entertaining to classic comedy, at their best they were hilarious and their best efforts were great examples of how to do comedy without being juvenile or distasteful.

'Way Out West' is one of their best feature films, another favourite being 'Sons of the Desert'. 'Babes in Toyland' and 'Fra Diavolo' are also another two of their best feature films for me. Not only is 'Way Out West' one of their best feature films, it is also one of the best works they ever did, coming from somebody who doesn't dislike any of their work and find a good deal to like about their lesser efforts. As well as one of their funniest, with 'Way Out West' containing some of the funniest moments of any Laurel and Hardy film, short and feature.

Both Laurel and Hardy are on top form, both having many moments to shine individually and together. Both are hilarious and likeable, handling the sly and sharp verbal wit and nimble, beautifully timed and never contrived or cartoonish physical comedy with ease. Their comic timing is impeccable and the chemistry between two is proof that their legendary reputation is justified.

'Way Out West' is also one of the best examples of any slightness or silliness in the story not mattering that much, due to the snappy, being always compelling and entertaining and having a lot of content. It is one of their best feature films in terms of how the comedy and musical interludes are balanced. Neither overshadows the other, the musical interludes not being too many, too long or distracting from the story. Fortunately, the musical interludes are good, wonderful in the case of particularly "Trail of the Lonesome Pine".

As said, the comedy is some of Laurel and Hardy's funniest, the best being hilarious. A standout being the soft-shoe shuffle sequence, closely followed by the apartment chase. The supporting cast add a lot, with cracking support from Sharon Lynn and the ever reliable James Finlayson. 'Way Out West' looks good, has lush and cleverly orchestrated music and the direction is suitably no-nonsense and to the point.

Concluding, wonderful and one of Laurel and Hardy's best. 10/10 Bethany Cox

One of the better Laurel and Hardy comedies

[jacobs-greenwood · 7/10 · 11 December 2016]

One of the better (Stan) Laurel and (Oliver) Hardy comedies has the boys going West to find the daughter of a deceased miner in order to give her the deed to his mine, full of riches. Unfortunately, once they reach their destination, the first people they run into are con artists who conspire to steal the deed for their own as they try to simultaneously become the legal guardians of the miner's daughter, Mary Roberts (Rosina Lawrence), who works in their saloon establishment. Mickey Finn (James Finlayson) and saloon singer Lola Marcel (Sharon Lynne) are the would-be thieves.

The film's musical Score was nominated for an Academy Award (Marvin Hatley's first Oscar recognition). It was directed by James Horne, with a story by Jack Jevne and Charley Rogers, who wrote the screenplay with Felix Adler and James Parrott.

It features the comedy duo doing a synchronized dance routine to singing by the Avalon Boys, appearing as themselves with their lead singer Chill Wills. Stanley Fields appears as the Sheriff determined to run "the boys" out of town, oblivious to the subterfuge being perpetrated by Mickey and Lola. After Stanley inadvertently lets Mickey know the reason for their visit to town, Ollie brings him further into their confidence with the rest of the story. When Mickey, who works Mary as a slave driver would, learns that they don't know what the miner's daughter looks like, he has Lola pretend to be her. All goes according to plan until, when the boys are leaving the establishment, they meet the real Mary. In the longest scene in the film, they are then unsuccessful in retrieving the deed from Lola, who tickles it out of Stan again, and Mickey, who locks it in his safe.

That night, with help from their mule Dinah, Laurel & Hardy try to sneak quietly into the saloon to relieve the safe of its bounty, but of course end up making enough noise to wake the dead. Dinah even ends up on the second floor of the saloon. In a routine that's been copied since in countless cartoons, Mickey pounds on the keys to injure the boys as they hide in a piano. But of course, all works out in the end.

Laurel & Hardy are the funniest people to ever live!

[richieandsam · 10/10 · 15 June 2013]

WAY OUT WEST

I love Laurel & Hardy. They were comedy genius' that nobody can ever replace. These 2 gentlemen are the funniest people that ever lived.

Way Out West is one the best films in my opinion. When I was a kid I watched this film so many times, and every time I laughed just as much as the last time.

The story is about these 2 men who have to go and see a young lady to give her the bad news about her fathers death and hand over a deed to a gold mine that he left for her. When her guardians hear about the deed, they trick the 2 men into handing over the deed to them. Their mission is now to get the deed back and hand it to the correct person.

This really is so funny that I have tears running down my face every time I see it... but it is like that when I watch any Laurel & Hardy film. There are so many memorable scenes in this movie. One of my favourites is when Stan & Ollie are running around a room with the 2 guardians fighting over the deed, then Stan puts the deed down his top, but when the lady tries to take it out she is tickling him... when he starts laughing I can't help but laugh so hard it hurts. Stan has the most convincing and contagious laugh ever!

This film also has one the most famous Laurel & Hardy songs... Trail of the Lonesome Pine, which reached number 2 in the charts when it was released on single.

The film is only on for an hour, but it is really worth watching. The film was made in 1937, so as you can imagine the effects and picture are not brilliant, but for it's time it was amazing.

The film also stars James Finlayson. James starred in a lot of other Laurel & Hardy movies and shorts... he has such a funny face. The expressions he pulls in these movies is hilarious. I always look forward to seeing James in the films when I watch them.

Other stars were Sharon Lynn & Rosina Lawrence.

Stan and Ollie have the greatest partnership ever in cinema. They work so well together and even though they fight through most of their films, you can see they have such a respect and love for each other. It really is amazing. They have perfect comedy timing and their faces can be so funny when they just look at the camera.

This is the first film I have reviewed that is going to get 10 out of 10.

This is pure genius and a classic... and even though we have been without Stand and Ollie for a lot of years now... their movies and comedy never get's old or out dated. I have met a lot of famous people in my life and got a lot of autographs, but I am so gutted I am too young to have met these guys. That would be the best meeting ever!

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Born comedians!

[RodrigAndrisan · 7/10 · 15 September 2018]

Comedy, the hardest genre! But Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel have been and remain unique. Of course their gags are childish, but they have a special charm that makes you sometimes laugh. When I was a child, I was laughing with tears, now, as an adult, they only sometimes make me smile. In this "Way Out West" they both have a musical number and sing very beautiful, especially Hardy. Watch for Dinah, the mule, which here on IMDB is credited as an actress. Well, if it was a she, she was very good in the role.

Just the Very Best!

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 14 January 2017]

Mary Roberts is an innocent, trusting young woman who is entitled to a valuable deed in an old Western town. Stan and Ollie have the job of presenting it to her. Unfortunately, she lives with a couple of guardians who decide they will get the deed. The woman, a kind of vamp, pretends to be Mary. But a series of events allow the deed to go unclaimed. Unfortunately, the boys run afoul of the sheriff who wants to throw them out of town. He is in the way at every pass. There are some wonderful musical numbers here, with Ollie using his pretty tenor voice. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished and the guys are constantly being deterred in their efforts to get Mary what belongs to her. There are several sight gags, including some tickling of Stan which is a hoot.

Way Out West (1937) **1/2

[JoeKarlosi · 6/10 · 23 March 2005]

I've always really liked Laurel & Hardy, but WAY OUT WEST just isn't one of my favorites from the comedy duo. Comedy is surely a subjective thing, and this felt a little lacking in the laughs department for me. I didn't really see the need to make this feature a "western" story either, as the same tale could have functioned pretty much the same way in any other element. My favorite L&H feature is definitely still SONS OF THE DESERT, followed by BLOCK-HEADS.

It's cute to see Stan and Ollie dancing the old soft shoe together, and Oliver Hardy always had a very nice singing voice. But to tell you the truth, I'm not here to watch the boys sing and dance.

My favorite and most laugh-out-loud sequence would be when the always-dependable James Finlayson "kicks the bucket"! Very funny bit there.

ONE OF the FINEST COMEDIES EVER MADE

[sandusky · 10/10 · 1 November 2001]

THE MOVIE COMBINES FARCE,COMIC SINGING and DRAMA IN A UNIQUE and MEMORABLE WAY,with some of the funniest sight gags ever LAUREL AND HARDY are on top form and the support from James Finlayson is an indispensable ingredient.The neck-stretching special effect is unforgettable

With all of their bumbling, How did they pick the lock on the Security gate?

[thejcowboy22 · 6/10 · 21 June 2016]

A compilation of gags,pratfalls,physical comedy, funny dialogue song and dance makes this Laurel & Hardy adventure all the more entertaining. There's a tickling scene as a fight for a deed to a gold mine ensues resulting in an infectious laughing from Stanley. The only mystery about this movie with all their clumsiness is how did they pick the lock on the security gate? The block and tackle scene is also memorable as things fall in reverse as the Mule is airlifted but that you'll have to witness for yourself. Ollie receives most of the abuse in the department of physical comedy falling into deep puddles and getting his head stuck in a floor. Seeing is believing and I believe that this comedy is one of their best!

Highly Overrated

[jacksflicks · 5/10 · 24 February 2015]

The perfect scores here are astounding. The reviewers must be oblivious to what made Laurel and Hardy great, or else they are so besotted with L&H that they give them a 10 just for showing up, like opera fans do for divas past their prime.

This may be the best "feature length" L&H, but that's not saying much. As other reviewers have pointed out -- and been voted down for their perception -- feature-length -- even short feature-length like this -- is too long for L&H. L&H did short subjects, extended jokes, not the overproduced shaggy-dog stories of the feature- length era. MGM had done the distribution from the 20s, but I think they had a hand in replacing the shorts with the feature-length in the mid-30s.

We get a hint of trouble already at the start of the opening credits. Instead of L&H's trademark Cuckoo Song, with screechy clarinets -- primitive notes in keeping with the antics of the shorts -- we get boilerplate orchestration, which continues relentlessly and intrusively throughout the movie, smothering the charm of the interplay between Laurel and Hardy.

We don't see L&H for the first 6 minutes, instead we get a stock dance-hall scene with hoochy-koochy girls and carousing cowboys, serving only as padding. This kind of waste goes on and on. As for the songs, etc. L&H are not a song & dance act, as MGM made them in many of the feature-lengths. Which is to say, more padding.

I was looking forward to seeing a feature-length L&H. After all, if 20 minutes is great, then imagine over an hour! Alas, I discovered that comedy wasn't added, just the runtime. Film historians, critics and Hal Roach himself agree that L&H's decline began when the MGM-labeled feature-lengths replaced the shorts. They're right.