"CHICKENS COME HOME"
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"CHICKENS COME HOME" |
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| Written and filmed December, 1930 - January,
1931. Released
by MGM, February, 1931. Produced by Hal Roach. Directed by James Horne.
Three reels.
Cast: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Mae Busch, Thelma Todd, James Finlayson, Norma Drew. |
STORY: Bigshot businessman Oliver Hardy is running for mayor. A gold-digging old flame appears on the scene, and threatens to ruin both Ollie's ambitions and marriage unless he pays money to keep her quiet. He is hosting a lavish dinner party at his house that night, which she threatens to disrupt. Ollie sends campaign manager Stan to her apartment to keep her at bay. He does not succeed. |
| JB: I love this film. Never did before when I was growing up, but now it strikes me as an underrated classic. (And it's even funny in Spanish!) Ollie is tremendous throughout. Almost a purely Ollie film. My only regret is that the American version doesn't have Hadji Ali shooting water from his mouth or swallowing and regurgitating acorns. That's ten of the most perversely fascinating minutes of film you'd ever want to see. |
| JL: I too find it underrated, and almost wish they had just let Ollie have the whole film. The scenes with Stan and Mae Busch drag it down a bit. |
Copyright © John Larrabee, John V. Brennan 2003. All Rights Reserved.
