Be Big! (1931) – Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Anita Garvin, Charlie Hall
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy almost make it to Atlantic City for a weekend getaway with their wives, when Ollie gets a phone call from Cookie, a lodge buddy. Cookie tells Ollie that a stag party is being held at the lodge that night in their honor, and reveals tempting details of the event when Ollie says they won’t be able to attend. Cookie reminds him that “No man is bigger than the excuses he makes to his wife … so be big!”
Ollie pretends to be sick and sends the wives on ahead, promising that he and Stan will meet them in the morning. The pair dress in their hunting gear for their lodge meeting. The problem begins when Stan inadvertently switches their boots around. Much of the movie deals with the physical comedy of them first trying to get the too-small boot on Ollie’s foot, followed by their efforts to get it off once they realized the mistakes. The wives then unexpectedly return home, having missed their train, and with no obvious escape route, Stan and Ollie take to a bed in fear. In response to Stan’s plea of “What’ll I do?”, Ollie replies “Be big!”. The wives aren’t fooled, however, and grab handy shotguns (doesn’t everyone keep shotguns in their bedroom?) and fire, shooting the boys and the bed through the wall and into the pool below.
Funny movie quotes from Be Big! starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy
Introductory Card: Mr. Hardy is a man of great care, caution, and discretion – Mr. Laurel is married too.
Cookie: No man is bigger than the excuses he makes to his wife. So … BE BIG.
Oliver Hardy: Let’s get together. There’s nothing to getting a boot off. You don’t have to drag me around the room. It’s most embarrassing. Let’s concentrate and use our brains, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Remember the old adage, a task slowly done is surely done.
Stanley Laurel: [Nods]
Oliver Hardy: Do you understand?
Stanley Laurel: Sure, a cool head never won fair lady.
Cast of characters
- Stan Laurel (Angora Love) … Stan
- Oliver Hardy (Pack Up Your Troubles) … Ollie
- Baldwin Cooke (Berth Marks) … Cookie
- Anita Garvin (From Soup to Nuts) … Mrs. Laurel
- Charlie Hall (Laughing Gravy) … Bellboy
- Isabelle Keith (Perfect Day) … Mrs. Hardy