Perfect Day (1929) starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Edgar Kennedy
It’s a Perfect Day for a picnic, and the Laurels and the Hardys are planning on a Sunday outing, with grumpy Uncle Edgar. But anything that can go wrong will …
Synopsis of Perfect Day
Perfect Day begins with Mrs. Laurel and Mrs. Hardy talking about the lovely day their families have for a Sunday afternoon picnic. While they coerce grumpy, gout-ridden Uncle Edgar into coming along, Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel have made sandwiches. But Stan accidentally knocks the enormous platter of sandwiches onto the floor, leading to a short food fight. But the wives get them to make up, and they pick up the soiled sandwiches off the floor.
Oliver: Hold that while I get a chair. [Takes tray from Stan] No, you get the chair. [Stan says nothing] And don’t talk back!
Car trouble
After a second slapstick ruining of the sandwiches, the families are loading themselves into the car, and they’re seemingly on the way. Stopping to wish a neighbor goodbye — repeatedly — they’re on their way. For about two feet, until they get a flat tire. Which is slapstick gold, as Stan hits Ollie with the car door, hurts Uncle Edgar’s foot, jacks up the car on the tire, and drops the entire weight of the car on Edgar’s gout-ridden foot! Finally, they’re ready to leave again — but the jack’s still holding up the rear axle, so they’re going nowhere fast!.
Love thy neighbor
Short-tempered Ollie throws the jack at Stan, who ducks — and it breaks the window of their formerly friendly neighbor! Who throws it through the front window of their car! And the fight escalates, with the neighbors throws bricks through each others’ windows — until their pastor walks by! The fight’s over, but Stan and Oliver have accidentally put on each others’ coats, in a funny bit of slapstick. But they’re about to leave …. When the car won’t start.
[Oliver is trying to start the car]
Stan: Step on it, Ollie.
Oliver: I’ll step on you in a minute. And don’t call me ‘Ollie’!
Oliver tries to crank their Model T car, and nearly gets run over in the process. And Oliver then makes the mistake of asking the literal-minded Stan to throw out the clutch! Finally, the car’s started, and the engine’s smoking! Which Stan douses with a garden hose, soaking Oliver! After a short fight, the car’s magically started! So off they go, only to sink into a sinkhole, ending the short film.
Cast
- Stan Laurel (Pack Up Your Troubles) … Stan
- Oliver Hardy (Zenobia) … Ollie
- Edgar Kennedy (Angora Love) … Uncle Edgar
- Kay Deslys (We Faw Down) … Mrs. Hardy
- Isabelle Keith (Be Big!) … Mrs. Laurel
- Baldwin Cooke (Berth Marks) … irate neighbor
- Lyle Tayo (The Battle of the Century) … irate neighbor’s wife
- Harry Bernard (Bacon Grabbers) … neighbor across the street
- Clara Guiol (Should Married Men Go Home?) … wife of neighbor across the street
- Charley Rogers (Our Wife) … Minister