The Hoose-Gow – Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are (wrongly) sent to prison. Stan ruins Ollie’s clothes, Ollie chops down a lookout tree, …
The Hoose-Gow (1929) starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Tiny Sandford
In The Hoose-Gow, Stan and Ollie and wrongly sent to prison. They’re actually innocent! But, it’s an excuse to send them to prison for comedy hijinks. It’s a very funny short film, and recommended. The “pie fight” at the end with wet rice is fun, but not as fast paced as I would have liked. That’s a minor quibble, though.
Comedy Highlights
- “Smuggling” apples in – to serve as a signal to friends on the outside that Stan nearly chokes on!
- Stan and Ollie try to escape — but return with with pants smoking from the warden’s buckshot
- Stan causing chaos to poor Ollie with a pick …. Then a shovel!
- Lunch break for the work detail – and Stan And Ollie start eating at the warden’s lunch table!
- Stan unscrews the pepper, ruining Ollie’s soup …. Which Ollie proceeds to accidentally pour on the warden’s foot!
- The cook tells Stan and Ollie to chop wood for food. So, Ollie chops down a tree. That guard Charlie Hall is at the top of!
- After Stan ruins Ollie’s coat with a pick, Ollie throws it away in frustration. And it goes straight into the governor’s radiator! And a helpful inmate tells them to stop the leak with some rice.
- Then, the governor and his party go to leave. And the car starts making a geyser of soggy rice!
- After falling into the soggy rice, short-tempered Stan throws rice in the warden’s face! And soon, there’s a “pie fight” of rice! With all the main cast getting their share. And the prisoners as well!
- The short ends with Stan and Ollie trying to escape in the back of the governors car. Only for them both to end up soaked in wet rice — and paint!
Quotes
- Title Card: Neither Mr. Laurel nor Mr. Hardy had any thoughts of doing wrong – As a matter of fact, they had no thoughts of any kind
- [As Ollie is trying to chop down a tree, Stan keeps walking in front of the axe to examine Ollie’s work] Ollie: Why don’t you stay away from here?
- [repeated line] Ollie: Why don’t you be careful?
- [repeated line] Ollie: Why don’t you do something to help me?
Cast
- Stan Laurel (The Bullfighters) … Stan. Ollie’s dimwitted friend, who accidentally makes his life more miserable at the prison. And, his temper’s got a short fuse …
- Oliver Hardy (Oliver the Eighth) … Ollie. Stan’s pretentious friend, who receives Stan’s unwitting abuse.
- Symona Boniface (Spook Louder) … Party Guest. Part of the governor’s group, come to inspect the prison. She gets a facefull of wet rice for her trouble.
- James Finlayson (Do Detectives Think?) … Governor. He’s come to inspect the prison. And gets involved in a slapstick wet rice fight.
- Charlie Hall (Laughing Gravy) … Treetop Lookout. The guard, sleeping in the treetop when he’s supposed to be on the lookout. While he’s dozing, Ollie chops his tree down!
- Retta Palmer … Party guest
- Tiny Sandford (Big Business) … Warden
- Dick Sutherland (Grandma’s Boy) … Cook. He tells Stan and Ollie to chop wood for their lunch. The more wood they chop, the more food they get. So, Ollie gets the idea to chop down a tree …. Unaware that one of the guards is in a lookout nest at the top!
- Ellinor Vanderveer … Party guest. She makes the mistake of laughing when Symona gets a face full of rice. So, Symona shares!
Secondary Cast
- Chet Brandenburg … Prisoner
- Ed Brandenburg … Prisoner
- Baldwin Cooke … Prisoner
- Jimmy Dime … Prisoner
- Charles Dorety … Prisoner
- Eddie Dunn … Prisoner
- Ham Kinsey … Prisoner
- Sam Lufkin … Prison camp officer
- Tiny Ward … Prisoner
- Blackie Whiteford … Prisoner
- Leo Willis … Leo
- Phil Bloom Phil Bloom … Prisoner
- Leo Sulky … Prison Guard