Block-Heads
A reworked Laurel and Hardy comedy from 1938.
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy star in Block-Heads, a 1938 comedy from Hal Roach Studios for MGM. Directed by John G. Blystone, the film pulls from the team’s earlier shorts We Faw Down and Unaccustomed As We Are. It marked Roach’s last movie made for MGM.
Quick Facts
- Director
- John G. Blystone
- Producer
- Hal Roach Jr.; Hal Roach
- Writer
- Felix Adler
- Arnold Belgard
- Harry Langdon
- James Parrott
- Charley Rogers
- Starring
- Stan Laurel
- Oliver Hardy
- Patricia Ellis
- Minna Gombell
- Billy Gilbert
- James Finlayson
- Music
- Marvin Hatley
- Cinematography
- Art Lloyd
- Editing
- Bert Jordan
- Studio
- Hal Roach Studios
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Twenty years later, Stan is still at his post, his long vigil marked by accumulated bean cans and a worn patrol path. Discovered accidentally, he receives a hero's welcome and reunites with Ollie, now married to Mrs. Hardy. Ollie finds Stan at the Soldiers' Home seemingly unable to walk, leading to misunderstandings. Their journey to Ollie's apartment involves obstacles and arguments, and domestic chaos follows as Stan destroys prized possessions and encounters neighbor Mrs. Gilbert. The arrival of Mrs. Hardy and Mr. Gilbert triggers a chase with a shotgun.
Production
Billed as Laurel and Hardy's final film, Block-Heads also marked the last Hal Roach production for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Director John G. Blystone died soon after completing it. The original script ended with Billy Gilbert's character keeping Stan and Ollie's severed heads as trophies, but Hal Roach rejected this as too gruesome. Writer Felix Adler later repurposed the gag for the 1941 Three Stooges short I'll Never Heil Again. The opening battle scenes were taken from King Vidor's 1925 silent film The Big Parade.
Reception
Leonard Maltin described the film enthusiastically, noting Stan's twenty-year vigil and Ollie bringing him home. Leslie Halliwell gave it three of four stars, calling it the last first-class Laurel and Hardy comedy, shapeless but hilarious, with gags involving a tip-up truck, an automatic garage, and a stair sequence. The score by Marvin Hatley earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Music (Scoring).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Block-Heads?
Block-Heads stars Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Patricia Ellis, Minna Gombell, Billy Gilbert and James Finlayson.
When was Block-Heads released?
Block-Heads was released on 19 August 1938.
Who wrote Block-Heads?
Block-Heads was written by Felix Adler, Arnold Belgard, Harry Langdon, James Parrott and Charley Rogers.
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