While growing up with my older brother we would often quote a line from one of Laurel & Hardy's movies that we knew so well, including this movie. It was sort of like that old joke about career convicts in a cell-block who after repeating the same jokes over and over, found themselves resorting to simplifying the system by yelling out a number. Each number was associated to a specific well-worn joke, and thus, when the number was yelled it would made everyone in the cell-block remember and laugh. Number 6!!! LOL. Our L&H routine basically created the same reaction for me and my brother. Our mother did not understand how a simple line of dialogue would set us off. Some of the best lines I still remember, and which still makes me laugh are: 'There's going to be a fight. It's going to be terrible.' 'There were two of them… Nick and Nick Jr.' 'We ship-hiked.' The quotes would often lead to further laughter as we commented on the actions that transpired in the movie that keyed on the quote. This kept us in hysterics for some time. Our mother just ignored it and left us to our own little world. It is funny we remember these small events all our lives. An interesting side note: When I briefly lived in southern California in the 1970's I attended several meetings of the "Sons of the Desert," which was the official Laurel and Hardy fan club (or 'Tent"). These meetings were surprisingly staid and quiet. It often included the showing of a L&H short, or obscure silent movie. Frequently it included the introduction of a little-known, surviving player or technician whom were involved in making L&H movies. At the time I wished my brother was there with me so we could have lightened up the place with our L&H routine. Isn't that what a fan club is all about?

This is the first Laurel and Hardy movie I've seen. Of course, I might judge it differently after I become more familiar with them. But that's the thing with watching classic movies - I'm constantly jumping in the deep end and there's always more to learn and understand. For now, I've got to trust my feelings and interpretations as they stand.I didn't like Stanley Laurel at all. I found his character overly stupid. A complete and utter moron but not in a funny way. His existence is unrealistic. He doesn't learn from his mistakes and he's unlikable (he eats fruit without asking and he's clumsy and useless). He always has a fake, blank expression on his face. As a performer, he is too one-dimensional and obvious. He didn't make me laugh once.On the other hand, I warmed up to Oliver Hardy pretty quickly. By halfway through, I was laughing at many of the things he did. His character is not an idiot. His acting is very natural and not too over- the-top. I enjoyed most of the times he fell or got hurt because they didn't look put on and his reactions were realistic.It's funny seeing someone get frustrated as things go wrong for them. Hardy opens a prank cigarette pack and then jumps when something suddenly pops out. He looks annoyed at the camera as he settles his nerves and then gives a fake smile and laugh to the person that pranked him. He also joins in on a prank call and the look on his face when he realises who he's talking to is priceless. I also love the look of curiosity/apprehension/confusion on his face as he watches his wife gathering all their plates and bowls in the kitchen.I think the material with the wives is quite dated. Aspects of it are funny. The idea that the men can't stand up for themselves is amusing. But the violence and anger of the women is too much and distracts from the otherwise innocent comedy that's going on.About 20 minutes into Son of the Desert, I was worried that it was going to be another huge disappointment similar to Duck Soup (I was excited for that movie but then found out that I abhor the Marx Brothers). But it picked up and Hardy kept me entertained. Laurel left a lot to be desired - his character is a cardboard cut-out and his comedic style is tired and obvious. I look forward to seeing some of their other films and finding out if my assessment of them will change or grow.

Most aficionados of Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy seem to rate Sons Of The Desert as their best feature film. I would be hard put to disagree and I find this the most flawless of their comedies, taking full advantage of the characters that Stan and Ollie have created and what movie fans have come to expect from them.Although for the life of me I can't figure out why Dorothy Christy and Mae Busch as the wives of Stan and Ollie respectively would rather their husbands vacation in Hawaii together as opposed to going to Chicago for their Lodge Convention. It doesn't make rational sense if the idea is that they're ignoring their wives. But I suppose in their world they just hated that Sons Of The Desert Lodge so much that even a vacation in Hawaii with just Stan and Ollie is preferable. And the fact that Ollie preferred Stan's company to Mrs. Hardy says volumes in and of itself.So the boys decide to say they were going to Hawaii, but two things happen. The ocean liner sinks that was supposed to take Stan and Ollie to Hawaii and the wives are in a panic. But not for long as the wives decide to kill time at a movie and happen to spot their husbands hamming it up for a newsreel cameraman who was covering the Sons Of The Desert convention. What happens afterward is sheer laugh bliss.Best series of gags involve Stan, Ollie, and Mae Busch with a tub full of water as Ollie is trying to pretend he's ill. They all get wet every which way imaginable. Next best series of gags is the boys in joint attic of their two homes trying to get some sleep and hide from the wives who come home unexpectedly. Let's just say they're both in for a lot more water on that cold and rainy night.Fellow Hal Roach comedian Charley Chase pops up at the convention scenes as a particularly obnoxious reveling conventioneer. And Lucian Littlefield plays a veterinarian who is called as Stan is blissfully unaware of his specialty. When Ollie asks why Stan called a veterinarian, Stan innocently replies that he didn't think the man's religion should have any bearing. A great line and Laurel is so preciously innocent delivering it, but I would have expected a gag like that to have been in an Abbott&Costello film.Gags and lines are flawlessly executed in Sons Of The Desert. And we do learn that honesty is the best politics.

No one can deny that Laurel and Hardy were THE comic duo. "Sons of the Desert" is one of many movies showing this. This one has them as members of a Shriners-like society attending a convention against the wishes of their strict wives. While it was obvious that Stan and Ollie's wives were going to somehow discover what the two men were up to, I still couldn't have predicted what would result! You gotta wonder how much fun they must have had filming it! I once read about how, because Laurel's the idiot and Hardy's the straight man, their embarrassing situations always lead to greater shame for Hardy since it's more of a downfall for him. That's the case here all the way! Watching the movie, I get the feeling that their mishaps may have inspired the antics of Gilligan and the Skipper.All in all, a really funny movie.