Should Married Men Go Home? *** (1928, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Edgar Kennedy, Kay Deslys, Edna Marion, Viola Richard) – Classic Movie Review 9724

‘Question: What is the surest way to keep a husband home? Answer: Break both his legs.’

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy leave their wives to go golfing, chased off by Mrs Hardy (Kay Deslys) after Stan breaks the Hardys’ Victrola and nearly sets fire to their house. They meet two attractive gals (Edna Marion, Viola Richard) and form a foursome, and then a rude old duffer (Edgar Kennedy) trying to play golf, and finally a peaceful Sunday morning ends up with a mud-slinging fight involving several other golfers.

Should Married Men Go Home? (1928) is a very funny silent slapstick comedy from the boys, with some first-rate routines re-used in their sound movies. It all works like clockwork without dialogue. The highlights are Ollie’s collapsing the front fence, golfer Edgar Kennedy’s toupée troubles, the soda fountain routine, reworked in the 1929 sound film Men O’ War, and the Stan slipping a note under the door routine, reused in Come Clean (1931).

It is co-directed by Leo McCarey and James Parrott and was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on 8 September 1928. Filmed in March and May of 1928, it is the first Hal Roach film to bill Laurel and Hardy as a team after appearing together under the Roach All-Star Comedy banner.

The 8-foot 9 inch actor John Aasen appears impressively as Very Tall Golfer.

The uncredited cast are Kay Deslys as Mrs Hardy, Edna Marion as Blonde Girlfriend, Viola Richard as Brunette Girlfriend, Charlie Hall as Soda Jerk, Edgar Kennedy as Golfer, John Aasen as Very Tall Golfer, Chet Brandenburg as Caddy, Dorothy Coburn as Muddy Combatant, Jack Hill as Muddy Combatant, Sam Lufkin as Shop Manager and Lyle Tayo as Lady Golfer.

Should Married Men Go Home? is directed by Leo McCarey and James Parrott, runs 20 minutes, is released by MGM, is written by Leo McCarey, James Parrott and H M Walker, is shot in black and white by George Stevens, and is produced by Hal Roach.

 © Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9724

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